A few months ago I was asked by Katya Frankel to write a few lines for her new book. Writing about this particular book seemed very appropriate for me considering it was a book of boys’ knits! The title, very fittingly, is Boys’ Knits. I was very happy to see a book being released that was devoted just to boys. The garments are all seamless (you can make sure they fit as you’re knitting), and are subtle enough than boys of all ages would love to wear them. Boys are amazingly hard to knit for. If you use yarn that is too scratchy they won’t wear it (no matter how much you tell them that it will keep them warm!). If you knit something very complex you are also almost guaranteed that they won’t wear it either. Katya has got it just right with this book, enough knitting interest that you’ll have fun while your knitting but nothing over the top that little (or big) boys will refuse to wear!
There are even several pages devoted to getting the fit right at the start of the book with suggestions on good places to make different modifications. This is something I’ve never seen in a children’s book before. Katya gives a size chart at the beginning that shows the ‘assumed’ sizes for each age category. Now we all know that every child is built differently so you can then go and make any adjustments you need for your child’s size based on this information. The fact that there is a uniform construction technique used throughout the book means that the information on making adjustments is valid for every single pattern.
So a little about the details; this book has got 16 different garments which includes pullovers, jackets, hoodies and a few sleeveless tops. All of the garments are knit seamlessly from the bottom up in the round but there is a variety of different shoulder treatments. If you want to see each of the garments in detail you can view them directly on ravelry here (can be digitally downloaded here also) and to buy a hard copy directly from Cooperative Press click here.
My favorite part about being part of a blog tour is asking the author questions. I get a chance to find out how the project started and what the book writing experience was like for them. So without further ado here is my brief interview with Katya:
Was your son excited about you writing this book?
Not about me writing a book per se, but he was excited about being able to wear some of the jumpers, yes. I am enjoying their appreciation of hand knits very much too!
How long were you working on the book, did you give yourself a fairly long lead-time?
Time wise it was a rather long process. From the very beginning to the time I submitted the manuscript and the photos it took around a year. However, I am a generally slow person, totally believing that procrastination is good for you and so it was the planning for the book and each single design that took almost for ever. I can’t possibly start making something before every conceivable option for shaping or stitch pattern alignment has been examined, over and over again. But the actual knitting was finished in a couple of months. I have had an amazing knitter help with the samples, she was great and the sweaters were virtually flying off her needles.
Looking through the book you’ve used the same basic construction technique for each garment, seamless and bottom up. Is this one of your favourite techniques? What advantages does it have?
When I start planning the pattern, I always begin at the underarm and work on its yoke first. Figuring out sleeve caps, armholes, necklines and shoulders is where I perfect the fit and settle down on stitch patterns. Personally, I think working from the bottom up lends more ways to customising sleeve cap shaping through a variety of decreases. I did entertain the idea of mixing it up with top down knits, of course, but in the end it was simply a call for consistency.
Dax, one of my favorites.
You’ve got a great set of models for the book; they all look so happy and natural in the photographs! Were you involved in the photography and model selection for the book?
In a way they did, prior to putting the designs together I polled the boys to find out what kinds of sweaters they like or would like to wear. But the good weather and the half-term break were to thank for the smiles. The photoshoots coincided with the sunniest Autumn week we had after a rainy Summer and the boys were genuinely happy. Which was super helpful of course because I wanted to make sure that the photos don’t appear to be modeled or rigid, just kids having a good time at the park, doing what they do best. It worked out to be all very casual. Albeit for exactly this reason our very first photoshoot turned out to be a disaster, I completely overestimated how much can be physically achieved in a park with kids bouncing about. I certainly wasn’t prepared to run around as much as I did trying to photograph them :-)
My two favourites from the book are probably Dax and Baley. I’m always a sucker for orange on boys! Do you have a favourite from the book?
That orange one is fab, such a vibrant colour! My favourites are more to do with the construction than the colour, Runaround for example was extremely pleasing to work on because of the way the scale of the stitch pattern changes through its yoke. I love that! And Baley, the very first jumper in the book I worked on. It’s knitted in a buttery soft Malabrigo singles that was perfect for a simple style sweater with a little interest in its ribbing.
Would you like to win your own digital copy of this book? Leave a comment below and I’ll pick a winner on Saturday 12th of October.
Runaround, one of Katya’s personal favourites due to the scaling of the stitch pattern on the yoke.
Wow, I love these patterns :) with two busy boys at home I’m dying to get my hands on this book! Thanks Carol for letting me know about !
Thanks for the chance to win. They are wonderful patterns.
Such great designs for boys!
I love the look of this book. Awesome! I have three boys at home, and five nephews. I would love to have this book. Thank you for the chance.
I would love a copy. My boys and even my girl would love these designs.
I love to knit for my grandson and now that I have two more grandsons due in February I am sure that I could put this book to good use.
Knitting something that a boy will wear is difficult but every one of these look like a winner. I’d love to knit them for my grandson. Thanks for such practical yet stylish patterns.
Yep!
I want!!!
:-)
I have a little boy who (I hope) would just love some of these sweaters. A least I would love to make some of them for him!
I have 3 boys to knit for. Please pick me! The patterns are all so nice. I would totally use them.
Such cute patterns for boys! My friend Anne Marie would love this book and she has boys. : )
I know just the little boys who would LOVE these sweaters! They are awesome!
LOVE the patterns! I have three nephews and I’m always looking for great boy knits.
I have 7 nephews I could be knitting for. Nice to see a boys book w/ timeless patterns.
Awesome book…
What wonderful patterns – I would have killed for a book like this when my son was little.
This is fantastic! It’s true that it is hard to knit for boys, and these patterns are perfect. Perfect, indeed, since I have a little son named Dax. =)
What a beautiful collection of patterns – truly inspired – fresh and so wearable.
So cute, i have three great grandsons
These patterns look great! Thanks for the giveaway!
Darling patterns and such cheeky models to show off the designs! I love it that they are such classic shapes and not cutesy, so boys really would be happy to wear these sweaters.
Count me in!
What a wonderful product in a much needed market. Finally a contemporary, but classic, set of sweater patterns dedicated just for boys! No more boring plain stockinette sweaters for those who want a bit of interest in their handknit garments.
Thanks for the wonderful giveaway!
Rav ID: kellknit
What fabulous designs. I would love to knit my grandsons the Knitaround in a denim blue.
Fab book and great interview! My fingers are crossed!
I would love a copy of the book!
Hey, i like Dax too. it looks just casual enough, and the colour is wonderful.
Hurrah! I have 3 grown up boys and 4 grandsons. I have been WAITING for this book!!!
These patterns are pefect for boys. Love the designs!
It’s great to see a book full of timeless, classic designs. These are things that will be appreciated even as styles change. I’d love to have such a standby in my library.
These patterns look great, and I have a toddler grandson I’m itching to knit for. Thanks for the chance.
Love these patterns! Great photography, and a wonderful interview, too. It’s such fun to see classic designs updated for todays boys! Thanks for the contest . . .
These are just perfect patterns for boys – and now in one book for those of us with many boy children/family members!! I would love to win – thanks, Carol.
I’ve always loved Katya’s designs and now have a new little boy (a friend’s newborn grandson) to knit for. I particularly like Baley, too!
I’m so glad this book is out! And of course, looking forward to your own, Carol! I’ve two sons to knit for so would LOVE this!!
I love the fact that someone has put a collection of boy patterns! I was looking for some just last week and was a bit sad to see how few there are out there. Patterns looks lovely. Glad you joined the blog tour Carol. Hope to be a winner ;) THANKS!!
Yay – I have a new grandson… really nice patterns! Very generous of you to offer the book.
This is wonderful and soooo needed! There are never enough boy patterns out there!
I hope the book is a fabulous success. Thank you for making the introduction!
Sooooo cute! Would luv a copy :-)
I wish this book had been around when my guy was little!
Thank you for a chance to win these awesome designs.
Thank you for the chance to win a copy of this book! Would love to knit the vests for son and nephews…..
These are great designs – thank you for the chance!
My 13 year old son just tried on a jumper I made for myself and asked me to make a v neck jumper for him.There are few exciting boy’s patterns out there and these are perfect.Wether I win or not I will buy this collection.
I’d love to have a copy of this book so I can get my little guy into some hand knits!
Great idea, it is so difficult to find nice patterns for boys (and men lol). I love the sweaters.
Thanks for the give away
Flo
Hard to find books with good patterns for boys. Thanks for the opportunity to win a copy!
I love that there’s finally a collection of designs my son’s will love to wear.
Finally! I only have nephews, and it has been hard to find nice sweaters to knit them, especially with seamless construction.
Wow! I love them all. Really trendy and up to date that even the most discerning young man wouldn’t turn up his nose. I love Dax!