I’m delighted to share my review of a knitting pattern collection by Susan Campbell, along with an excerpted pattern for the adorable, child-sized Mouse Scarf, and a giveaway for your chance to win the copy of her book, so read on for details!

This post contains affiliate links. I may receive compensation (at no added cost to you) if you make a purchase using these links. A free review copy of Very British Toddler Knits: 25 Classic Designs for 1 to 6 Year Olds by Susan Campbell was provided to me by Search Press North America. Although I accept free products for review, I do not accept additional compensation, nor do I guarantee a positive review. My reviews are based entirely on my honest opinions.

Book Review

Very British Toddler Knits: 25 Classic Designs for 1 to 6 Year Olds is a delightfully presented pattern collection by Susan Campbell. I liked this book from the moment I opened it because on the cover flap, there are rulers printed in both inches and centimeters. What a cool idea and a great way to get started with your garment knitting journey (by checking your gauge, that is!).

The book opens with a Table of Contents which is followed by a Project Gallery with small photos of each project. In Susan’s introduction, she mentions that she is a mother, stepmother, grandmother, or stepgrandmother to 27, so she is a veteran in the design of baby clothes. She says, “I’ve been designing small person’s knitwear for a very long time — no design of mine will have to be squeezed over a child’s head and no baby will have to be stripped almost naked to facilitate a nappy change.” I loved that she emphasized the practicality of her designs because they are also beautiful!

The book then continues on to the patterns, which are organized into five collections. The first four are named for locations and Susan provides some historical background about each in the introduction to the collection. There are two collections designed for girls and two collections designed for boys. The fifth collection is a set of mice toys with outfits that coordinate with each of the four children’s clothes collections.

Each collection includes the introduction to the collection, several full page, beautifully staged and photographed pictures of children (or mice toys!) dressed in the full collection. This is followed by the individual patterns, which include sizes by age and measurements, recommended yarn and needles, a list of extras (such as buttons), and the tension (gauge). The patterns list any special abbreviations at the top of each pattern. Within each pattern, there are additional smaller photos of the designs.

The book includes the following types of patterns for children:

• 6 cardigans,
• 4 hats and headbands,
• 3 jumpers (sweaters),
• 2 dresses (each with instructions for knitted or fabric skirts),
• 2 scarves,
• 1 gilet (hooded vest), and
• 1 bag.

There is also the amigurumi mice pattern, which includes 2 dresses, 2 jumpers (sweaters), 2 trousers (pants), and a jacket to coordinate with the children’s clothes.

The book ends with Size Diagrams, which includes illustrated schematics for each of the children’s garments and accessories; Finishing Touches, which provides written and illustrated instructions for making covered buttons, bias binding, embroidery stitches (lazy daisy, French knot, and stem stitch), and buttonhole loops; a list of pattern abbreviations; and acknowledgements.

The book doesn’t include pattern difficulty levels, but I would described it as best for intermediate knitters, although a confident and adventurous beginner could make most of the projects in Very British Toddler Knits. The book assumes you know how to knit and read patterns; it’s a pattern collection, not an instructional book. The designs are adorable and the photography is inspiring. If you like to knit for toddlers, I think you’ll get a lot of inspiration from this book.

Mouse Scarf

Knitting Pattern by Susan Campbell

Published in Very British Toddler Knits: 25 Classic Designs for 1 to 6 Year Olds

Pattern and Photos © 2018 Quail Publishing. Shared with permission from Search Press North America.

Notes from Underground Crafter:

• This pattern uses Craft Yarn Council knitting abbreviations. A full list of abbreviations is available here.
• Video tutorials for many of the increases and decreases are linked below.
  • M2 tutorial by JennyKnits is available here.
  • M1 tutorial by Very Pink Knits is available here.
  • Skpo tutorial by We Are Knitters is available  here.
  • K2tog tutorial by Fiber Flux is available here.
• A mattress stitch seaming tutorial is available here.
• A French knot embroidery tutorial is available here.
• This pattern uses a super fine (#1/fingering/4 ply) yarn held double (two strands together).
• The finished scarf measures 93 cm (36.5”) long, excluding mouse head and tail.
• This pattern is part of the Hampton collection in Very British Toddler Knits.

Size

• One size – child 1–6 years

Yarn

• Rowan Pure Wool 4 ply
• 3 x 50g/1.75oz balls in main colour (Snow)
• 1 x 50g/1.75oz ball in pale pink for mouth scraps of grey for nose

Needles

• Pair each of 3mm (US 2/3) and 4.5mm (US 7) knitting needles
• Pair each of 3mm (US 2/3), 3.5mm (US 4) and 4mm (US 6) double-pointed needles

Extras

• 2 buttons, beads or safety eyes (for very small children work eyes and nose in coloured yarn)

Tension (Gauge)

• 28 sts and 36 rows to 10cm/4in square 20 sts and 37 rows to 10cm/4in square over garter st with 4.5mm (US 7) needles and yarn held double

Warning

• Never leave a young child alone wearing a scarf.

Scarf

• Work with 2 strands and in garter st, throughout.
• Using 4.5mm (US 7) needles and 2 strands of MC, cast on 4 sts.
• Row 1 M2 into fi rst st, K1, M2 into next st, K1. 8 sts
• K 3 rows.
• Row 5 K1, M2 into next st, K3, M2 into next st, K2. 12 sts
• K 3 rows
• Row 9 K2, M2 into next st, K5, M2 into next st, K3. 16 sts
• K 3 rows.
• Row 13 K3 inc twice into next st K7, inc twice into next st K4. 20 sts
• K 3 rows.
• Cont in this way, inc 4 sts on next and every foll 4th row until there are 44 sts.
• Next row K2tog, K to last 2 sts, K2tog. 42 sts.
• Rep last row until 22 sts remain.
• Work straight until scarf measures 86cm/34in or required length.
• Cast off 2 sts at beg of each row until 6 sts remain.
• Slip these 6 sts onto 4mm (US 6) double-pointed needles and work an I-cord.
• To make an I-cord K to end of row.
• *Slide the sts to the right-hand side of the needle. Pull yarn taut and K another row. *
• Rep from * to * until the ‘tail’ is 18cm/7in long.
• Change to 3.5mm (US 4) double-pointed needles and work I-cord for another 4cm/1½in.
• Change to 3mm (US 2/3) double-pointed needles and work I-cord until the tail measures 32cm/12½in or required length. P6tog.
• Fasten off.

Lower Jaw

• With 4.5mm (US 7) needles and 2 strands of MC, cast on 4 sts.
• Working in garter st, inc 1 st at each end of every 4th row until there are 22sts.
• K 11 rows straight.
• Cast off.

Mouth

• With 4.5mm (US 7) needles and 2 strands of pink yarn, cast on 4 sts.
• Working in garter st, inc 1 st at each end of every 4th row until there are 12 sts.
• Next row P.
• Next row K.
• Next row P.
• Working in garter st, dec 1 st at each end of next and every 4th row until 4 sts remain.
• K 3 rows.
• Cast off.

Outer Ears (make 2)

• With 4.5mm (US 7) needles and 2 strands of main yarn cast on 5 sts.
• Row 1 K1, M1 into next 2 sts, K2. 7 sts
• Row 2 P2, M1 into next 2 sts, P3. 9 sts
• Row 3 M1 into first st, K6, M1 into next st, K1. 11 sts
• Row 4 M1 into first st, P8, M1 into next st, P1. 13 sts
• Row 5 K1, [M1 into next st, K2] to end of row. 17 sts
• Work 7 rows in st st.
• Row 13 [Skpo] twice, K9, [K2tog] twice. 13 sts
• Row 14 P.
• Row 15 Skpo, K7, K2tog K2. 11 sts
• Row 16 P.
• Row 17 Skpo, K1, K3tog, K1, K2tog, K2. 7 sts
• Row 18 P.
• Row 19 Skpo, K3, K2tog. 5 sts
• Row 20 P.
• Cast off.

Inner Ears (make 2)

• With 3.25mm (US 3) needles and 1 strand of pink yarn, cast on 5 sts.
• Row 1 K1, M1 into next 2 sts, K2. 7 sts
• Row 2 P2, M1 into next st, P3. 9 sts
• Row 3 M1 into first st, K6, M1 into next st, K1. 11 sts
• Row 4 M1 into first st, P8, M1 into next st, P1. 13 sts
• Row 5 K1, [M1 into next st, K2] to end of row. 17 sts
• Row 6 P1, [M1 into next st, P2] to last st. P1. 22 sts
• Work 8 rows in st st.
• Row 15 [Skpo] twice, K14, [K2tog] twice. 18 sts
• Row 16 P.
• Row 17 [Skpo] twice, K10, [K2tog] twice. 14 sts
• Row 18 P.
• Row 19 Sk2po, K7, [K2tog] twice. 10 sts
• Row 20 P.
• Row 21 Skpo, K6, K2tog. 8 sts
• Row 22 P.
• Row 23 Skpo, K4, K2tog. 6 sts
• Row 24 P.
• Cast off.

To Make Up

• Fold the mouth in two and, using mattress st, sew the top half to the nose end of the main piece.
• Sew the bottom half to the lower jaw.
• Using mattress st, sew the sides of the bottom jaw to the sides of the head.
• Using mattress st, sew the inner and the outer ears together and sew the ears into place.
• Sew beads/buttons into place for eyes, or use black yarn and French knots.
• With grey yarn and satin stitch, sew the nose.
• Sew whiskers into place each side of nose by using yarn and knotting it each side of the face.
• Using mattress st, sew the tail decrease together so that it tapers into the tail.

Giveaway

Now that you’ve read my review of Very British Toddler Knits: 25 Classic Designs for 1 to 6 Year Olds by Susan Campbell and tried out the Mouse Scarf, are your ready to win your own copy?

By entering this giveaway, you are voluntarily submitting information to Rafflecopter. You can read their privacy policy here for more details about how that information is used. This giveaway is open to readers with mailing addresses in the United States, Canada, United Kingdom, or other parts of Europe, except where prohibited by law. Enter by 11:59 p.m. Eastern on Monday, October 15, 2018. One winner will be chosen at random from the entries submitted via the Rafflecopter widget. The winner will receive 1 copy of Very British Toddler Knits, courtesy of Search Press North America. Good luck!

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