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| Image courtesy of Pom Pom Press |
Just looking at the snowfall on the cover photograph (see right) triggers yearnings for woolies to wrap up warm with.
Pom Pom Press sent A Woolly Yarn a digital copy and here's our unbiased review.
What's it all about?
Knits About Winter contains 12 woolly patterns designed by Emily Foden. She moved to a small hamlet in Canada and there set up her own dye studio.
Canadian winters require you wearing a lot of cozy layers when venturing outdoors. Foden drew on her surrounding snowy landscape when designing patterns for garments and accessories that she says are functional on even the coldest of days.
What are the patterns?
All images are courtesy of Pom Pom Press.
Eastwind
This jacket with pockets has a detail of tiny crossed stitches moving diagonally across the four body pieces as if, says Foden, 'blown by the wind'. It's knitted with DK and lace weight held together.
Snowdrift
Foden states she was inspired by colours she's seen in snow when designing this shawl. It's described as an 'almost triangular' shawl that's cast on at the lower tip.
Snowshoe
I imagine these thick socks would keep your feet warm worn under hiking boots or a pair of wellingtons. They're knitted from the cuff down with two 4-ply yarns held together.
Skyhill hat and mittens
With their simple but extremely cosy-looking design, the Skyhill hat and middens are knitted in DK wool. According to Foden they knit up extremely quickly.
Barn
Full Moon
This rectangular wrap features Brioche 'moons' evenly spaced throughout a background of garter stitch. There are detailed pattern charts to follow.
Persephone
Foden named these mittens after the Persephone Market Garden farm where the Romney Merino sheep flock live that produced the wool for yarn they are knit in. The mittens are designed to be worn, if desired, with her interchangeable mitten liners.
Interchangeable Mitten Liners
If it's really freezing outside these liners, worn with the Persephone mittens, will keep your digits extra toasty. They're knitted in fingering-weight yarn.
Soiree
This shorter jumper pattern was originally published in Pom Pom Magazine in May 2017. It's knitted in the round from the bottom cast-on edge. There are two versions to choose from.
Winterberry
A tank top with a lovely bobble design on the back and front. It's knitted in DK wool.
Frost
Frost is a long, lightweight jumper with a side split and a cosy polo neck. It's knitted in mohair lace yarn.
Favourite Socks
Lighter than the Snowshoe socks, Foden says these truly are her favourite! She published the original pattern for them three years ago and this version is an experimentation with colour placement, style and texture.
All 12 pattern images are browsable on Ravelry here.
What else is in the book?
As well as excellent accompanying photographs that set the scene, Foden writes eloquently about how she looks for colour inspiration, the landscape where she lives in Mooresburg, Canada, and behind the scenes at her yarn studio.
There's also a section explaining the abbreviations used in the patterns.
How much does it cost?
On Ravelry downloading the full book will set you back £18.50. Patterns can't be bought individually.
The print version of Knits About Winter, which comes with a Ravelry download code, costs £21.50 plus P&P bought directly from Pom Pom Press.
What's the A Woolly Yarn verdict?
Knits In Winter is a beautiful book full of oversized, warm, snuggly comfort garments that's probably better browsed as a print version to get the full benefit of the photography. Just looking at the snow-strewn photos positively makes you feel cold!
I'm not a particular fan of shawls and wraps, although that's a personal choice and I know many knitters are. For me the desirable jumpers Soiree and Barn are the stand-out patterns that elevate Knits In Winter from becoming just another socks, mittens and hats pattern book.
On the practical side each design has the image and pattern together rather than having separate sections, making it much easier to find what you want to knit.
The jacket/jumper/tank top sizes are listed as 1 to 6, which may be slightly confusing for people used to choosing their size by bust inch measurements.
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