We discovered the Teach Yourself Visually books at our library this year, and they are great!  There are some computer ones, which I’m not very familiar with, and a variety of craft ones.

One “lucky” reader will win a copy of Teach Yourself Visually: Knitting, which you can use yourself, or package up to make a great “crafty gift” for someone on your Christmas list.  (They also have Teach Yourself Visually: Circular Knitting and Teach Yourself Visually: Sock Knitting.)

If you’re already a seasoned knitter, another recent Wiley book might be more your speed.  Contemporary Irish Knits is full of gorgeous cabled patterns.  Unfortunately, I can’t knit (well, I can barely knit), so I can’t test these patterns.  But I really wish I could, because they’re all beautiful!  (I love cables!)

The patterns in the book are varied.  There are patterns for girls and boys, men and women.  There are sweaters, hats, shawls, a skirt, and even a bag.  Sizes are given by measurements (in both inches and centimeters), rather than clothing sizes, for accuracy.  And the size ranges are reasonably broad.  (Even as an XS, most of the women’s clothes have pattern adjustments for my size!)

Patterns call for actual wool, rather than synthetic acrylic yarns.  In fact, at intervals throughout the book, various mills are highlighted, with short histories and lovely pictures.  This adds an interesting dimension to the book, keeping it from being just a book of patterns.

Now, to learn to knit…

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Disclosure: I received a free copy of Contemporary Irish Knits to facilitate this review, and Wiley is also providing the giveaway prize.  I did not receive compensation for this post, and all opinions are purely my own.