View source for Cozy Knits: 30 Hat, Mitten, Scarf and Sock Projects from Around the World by Sue Flanders

{{infobox1
|title=Cozy Knits:30 Hat, Mitten, Scarf and Sock Projects from Around the World
|author=Sue Flanders
|reviewer=Sue Magee
|genre=Crafts
|summary=Thirty exquisite patterns for hats, socks, mittens and gloves.  Probably the best I have ever seen.  Highly recommended.
|rating=5
|buy=Yes
|borrow=No
|pages=192
|publisher=Quarto
|date=March 2022
|isbn=978-0760373538
|cover=0760373531
|aznuk=0760373531
|aznus=0760373531
}}
Just occasionally you encounter a book of knitting patterns which seems to meet your every need.  Right now, it's bitterly cold and we're in the sandwich filling between two storms: I need socks, scarves, hats and mittens.  They have to look stylish, keep me warm and be so cheerful that they make me feel better.  If that sounds like a lot to ask, have a look at ''Cozy Knits'': it has thirty designs for those necessary items and I don't think that there was one of them which I couldn't see myself wearing.  We start with an introduction by Nancy Bush which gives some of the history of knitting.  It's not essential but it's a nice extra.

Then we move onto the scarves.  I'm going to tell you a bit about each of them, so that you can see the sort of choice that you get.  The Min Ulla is a Norwegian design and the knitting is far simpler than it looks.  It is probably more stylish than warm.  On the contrary, the Icelandic Yoke scarf looks warm.  It's worked in two pieces and grafted together.  The Bavarian Twisted Stitches Commuter Scarf is slim but long and an unusual, curving shape.  It's a testament to concentration.  The European Cowl has exquisite patterning whilst the French 'Coco' woven scarf has a tailored look.  You can guess which Coco I was thinking about!

The Celtic Felted Flower Scarf brings the Aran designs which we loved in the seventies and the eighties and gives the look a younger feel.  I've always loved the look of Fair Isle but been put off by the prospect of juggling all the different yarns.  The design here uses just two colours with a ten-row repeat.  It's a relatively simple pattern used to great effect.  The Chinese Good Fortune Scarf left me feeling that I'd love to know what all the symbols meant.  My favourite scarf is the Pendleton that was inspired by Native American trade blankets and named after one of the major producers of the blankets.  The final scarf is the Central Park Möbius-Strip Scarf, which I'm tempted to try because of its special cast on.

As you can see, there's a splendid range both of looks and inspirations - achieved by using a wide-ranging selection of designers.  Some patterns will be more suitable for less-experienced knitters but there's something for all ages and abilities.  The same points apply to the socks, hats and mittens.  Inspirations are as unusual as a vintage barbed wire collection!

With socks, the patterns all use the traditional heel flap method. My favourite design was the Gansey socks, which uses the Channel Islands cast on.  I loved the range of skills in the book - and they're all clearly explained.  For those who take their pleasures perhaps a little too sadly, there's the Dura-Europas socks.  The method is described as ''phenominally tedious'' and producing a pair of socks is ''mind-numbing''.  I'm almost (but not quite) tempted to try it!

There's all the information you need about standard yarn weight systems.  It's a book you'll treasure and return to time and time again.  I'd like to thank the publishers for letting Bookbag have a review copy.

If you'd like to try a different method of knitting socks, you might like to have a look at [[Knit 2 Socks in 1 by Safiyyah Talley]].  For more on warm hands, try [[The Mitten Handbook: Knitting Recipes to Make Your Own by Mary Scott Huff]].

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