200 Fair Isle Designs by Mary Jane Mucklestone, softback published by Search Press. ISBN 978-1-84448-692-2, price 14.99 available from www.searchpress.com

Fair-isle has always been one of my favoured knitting techniques. From anyone who has struggled to design their own patterns, or who prefers to knit from ready made patterns, here are 200 designs from two-colour up. There are also ideas for mixing and matching patterns. Fair-isle is a skill and requires passing the yarn over the back of the knitting so that it dos not pull. This book also teaches you about yarns, casting on, circular knitting, holding the yarns, stranding and weaving and more. There is some basic design information. For each pattern, there is a black and white chart, the colours used, a colour variation and a suggested allover repeat pattern. Please note designs are worked from charts only and there are no written instructions. I think this book will prove very useful and will become a classic for traditional knitters.

Knitted Baby Bootees by Val Pierce, softback published by Search Press. ISBN 978-1-84448-641-0, price 4.99 available from www.searchpress.com

Make your babies’ toes twinkle with these twenty designs for bootees. All styles including ducks, Christmas, lace and more. Designs for boys and girls that will truly delight. I love the baby snugs.

Seamless or Nearly Seamless Knits by Andra Knight-Bowman, softback published by Martingale. ISBN 978-1-60468-028-7, price 18.99 in the UK available from www.martingale-pub.com

If you hate stitching up seams, this knitting book should be right up your street. I’m not a lover of circular needle knitting, although I must admit to having sweaters lying around just waiting for me to stitch seams. The designs are not old-fashioned but neither are they ultra contemporary. They are a comfortable in-between – styles that you would want to wear that won’t go out of date. From sleeveless tops to cardigans and sweaters, with a long dress thrown in, these women’s knits should hit the mark. Good photography and easy to follow instructions. The designs have skill levels so this book is intended for beginners to advanced and includes one entrelac design and several textured knits. Yarns are American, so you may have to hunt down equivalents if you live elsewhere.

Weekend Hats by C G Macdonald and M Labarre, softback published by Interweave. ISBN978-1-59668-438-6, price 16.99 available in the UK from www.searchpress.com

My initial reaction was ‘I’d rather wear a tea cosy’. Perhaps I’m not the knitted hat person I thought I was. However, this book is good on techniques if not on design. I like the Cable Toque, Ogee Beanie (although the lack of rib worries me – will this keep its shape?), the fair-isle Chroma Cap is very wearable and the prize is clearly taken by Kristen Tendyke for her fabulous Shore Hat – the best design by far in the book. It’s not the best hat book I’ve seen, but there are twenty five designs so I’m sure you’ll find something you like.

Knitting Off The Axis by Mathew Gnagy, softback published by Interweave. ISBN 978-1-59668-311-2, price 17.99 available in the UK from www.searchpress.com

It’s always nice to see a new slant on knitting. This book fully explores knitting with angles. Each of the fifteen patterns are based on a different construction method – knitting avoiding the usual rules. sideways knitting is not that uncommon, but Mathew has managed to use imagination and needles to come at knitting from every angle. yet the only instruction in the basic knitting guide at the back of the book is for short row knitting. The book is divided into chapters consisting of Truly Sideways, Mostly Sideways and Every Which Way. The book promises innovation and excitement. Cecilia is a fitted Aran knit sideways, note the word fitted; Becca an asymmetrical knit with disproportionately large bell sleeves (featured on the front cover); Deille a tailored jacket with collar; an Asian inspired top called Francesca (!) whose sleeves don’t look quite right, it is knitted in too bulky a yarn; and Talia a top based on the same shape and ditto with the bulky yarn problem: Dani again quite similar and Lynette the best pattern in this section a fitted, short jacket with a retro look. In mostly sideways we find Dominique, a lace top that is truly delightful although the edging could have been better; Merielle a very attractive short jacket with cabling: Gemma, a cape style cable top; Erik  a textured man’s cardigan. In Every Which Way, Meredith is a long line jacket that is very wearable; Felix a man’s zipped jacket; Jacqui a passable bolero, which again is knitted in the wrong bulky yarn and Jose a rather dated looking Aran cardigan for men. This feels like the beginning of an adventure and better and more contemporary designs could be forthcoming. The basics are here, play with yarns and patterns. There’s enough here to start you off.

Tasty Knits by Susan Penny & Susie Johns, hardback published by Search Press. ISBN 978-1-84448-666-3, price 9.99 available from www.searchpress.com

40 fun projects with simple instructions. Great fun to knit with kids but remember not to try to eat any of the cakes, buns, breakfasts and ice lollies you knit. Even though it’s not spiral bound, it’s on good quality paper and tends to lie fairly flat, flat enough to read the clear instructions and appreciate the photography.

Stylish Accessories Knitted on a Hand Loom by Isela Phelps, softback published by Search Press. ISBN 978-1-84448-712-7, price 10.99 available from www.searchpress.com

No needle knitting is becoming increasingly popular. Here is a useful book showing more than 30 projects that you can make with a hand loom. Scarves, hats, socks, bags and more accessories to make for all the family. Each project has easy to follow instructions with clear photographs. In addition, there’s excellent instructions with line drawings showing you how to use a loom. Although the models are young, I would think that this book is more suitable for the 50-70 age range as the projects are not quite contemporary.

Cutest Ever baby Knits by Val Pierce, hardback published by New Holland. ISBN 978-1-84773-856-1, price 9.99 available from www.newhollandpublishers.com

This book presents cute knits for the cutest baby in your life. From bootees to tops and teddy bears to blankets, the patterns are varied and suitable for all knitters. There is even a quick guide to knitting at the front. This is beautifully photographed and the patterns look easy to follow. I love the teddy bear hat and teddy hoodie. Everyone will want a pair of doggie slippers. For little girls there is a lacy hat, mitts and bootees set that is so sweet.

Knitting Socks From Around The World, hardback published by Voyageur Press. ISBN 978-0-7603-3969-5, price 16.99 available from www.voyageurpress.com, www.voyageurpress.co.uk

I think I am suffering from being sockocated. This is a good selection of 25 knitting patterns from around the world, nicely designed and I’m sure you’ll want to knit quite a few if you are a sockaholic. From almost every corner of the earth, these traditional designs are beautiful.

55 Christmas Balls to Knit by Arne & Carlos published by Search Press. ISBN 978-1-84448-781-3, price 12.99 available from www.searchpress.com

I am trying very hard not to crack any jokes about male knitters and balls – believe me, especially since the front cover looks like the perfect comedy team – straight man and funny man caught inthe act of knitting. These two Norwegians are serious about knitting and have been commissioned by Comme des Garcons. Let’s call them baubles. The basic instructions for knitting a bauble are given, perhaps a little too basic, and then you follow these instructions and knit up as many charts as you like. If you don’t like stranded knitting – there are even embroidery instructions – again very brief. There are no more than 6 stitches across which to strand yarn, although when I knit I never strand across more than three, but these are small, the back does not matter as in a sweater and these should prove easy to knit. The motifs are Norwegian inspired and you need to be able to follow simple charts. This book is beautifully produced. Knit baubles for yourselves, family and friends and donate a couple to charity. That’s Christmas sorted.