Shannon Okey's How to Knit in the Woods: 20 Projects for the Great Outdoors, has a really fun concept. These are projects that are mostly easy enough to knit at the end of a day in the outdoors (even by campfire light) as well as projects that can be used when you're camping, such as a sling for your cooler, a washcloth that can dry in a tree, a lacy camp stool cover and a water bottle cozy.
Getting Ready to Knit in the Woods
The book begins by explaining why you might want to knit in the woods and how to go about doing it. It makes good sense that knitting can be a really portable project that gives you something to do when sitting around the campfire after a long day of hiking.
Okey argues that you can also use camp knitting as a way to get kids, spouses and other people interested in knitting if you pack a few extra needles and some spare yarn.
She advises that circular needles are a great choice for camping, and any project you bring along, as well as any supplies, should be packed in waterproof bags (just in case).
The book also includes some knitting instruction for special skills required in the book: provisional cast on, three-needle bind off and I-cord, for example.
The Patterns
The book includes 20 patterns, which break down into categories:
- Useful Garments: a men's Aran cardigan, a woman's hoodie, a backpack and a dog sweater
- Just Like Home: blankets, a cushion and a stool cover
- Head to Toe: socks, hats and double-knit mittens
- Staying Clean and Comfortable: washcloths/towels and knit shoe inserts
- Al Fresco Dining: a hammock for the cooler, marshmallow stick holders, water bottle cozy and place mats that can be rolled up to hold silverware
Most of the patterns are relatively simple, using basic stitch patterns and Stockinette Stitch to make it easier to knit the projects in low light. Okey says several times in the book that projects can be jazzed up with other stitch patterns if you don't want the plain Jane look.
Many of the patterns use wool, and others go greener with hemp, bamboo and organic cotton, reminding us that protecting the environment goes beyond not trashing our campsite.
The book is small and portable, but I had a bit of trouble getting it to stay open, which might be a problem if you're trying to follow along in a pattern. Of course in the woods you'll likely be able to find a rock to help you prop it open.
The bottom line is that there are some nice patterns in this book, and others you would probably never use if you weren't a camper or hiker. Others would be perfectly suited to everyday city life, such as the washcloth with the pocket for soap, the sweaters and socks.
And if you happen to be a nature person who knits, this book is the best of both worlds.
Publication date: March 2008.
