Books to Listen to While You Knit (Plus Pattern Ideas)

Books to Listen to While You Knit (Plus Pattern Ideas) Through Book Riots relationship with Audible, the leading provider of audiobooks, Book Riot readers who are new to Audible can click here to download a free audiobook and get a 30-day free trial of the service. Audible offers more than 150,000 titles that can be played on iPhone, Kindle, Android, and 500 other devices. Knitting and listening to books go together like peas and carrots. When you knit, you sometimes sit still for hours at a time, keeping your hands and eyes busy but leaving your ears completely free. Its the perfect recipe for listening.  And wouldnt it be fun to listen to a book that lasted exactly the length of the project youre working on? In search of new recommendations, I reached out to a few dozen of my craftiest, most bookish friends. Like the wonderful, generous people they are, they shared their favorite listens like gangbusters, and you can rest-assured that these audiobooks are knitter-tested and approved. Here are our picks arranged by length and genre, along with a few pattern ideas to spark your imagination. (And, of course, knitting times are approximate and will vary widely based on the knitter, pattern, yarn weight, needle size, gauge, and all that fun stuff.)  Any of these listens would work perfectly for other crafty projects, too. Happy crafting! Mug Cozy: 1 hour Pick a Pocket Cozies by Simply Notable Fiction: Vampires in the Lemon Grove by Karen Russell, read by various (short stories 1 hr) Memoir: This is the Story of a Happy Marriage  by Ann Patchett, read by the author (essays 1 hr) Non Fiction: Lost at Sea  by Jon Ronson, read by the author (essays 1 hr) Western: Brokeback Mountain by Annie Proulx, read by Campbell Scott (1 hr) Young Readers: Fortunately, the Milk  by Neil Gaiman, read by the author (1 hr) Baby Hat: 1-2 hours Pointy Hats for Newborns by Purl Bee Fiction: Love, Dishonor, Marry, Die, Cherish, Perish by David Rakoff, read by the author (2.5 hrs) Memoir: My Brief History by Stephen Hawking, read by Matthew Brenher (2 hrs) Non Fiction: The Tao of Pooh by Benjamin Hoff, read by Simon Vance (2.5 hrs) Mystery: Mulholland Drive by Michael Connelly, read by David W. Collins (2 hrs) Young Readers: Fantastic Mr. Fox and Other Animal Stories by Roald Dahl, read by various (2.5 hrs) Fingerless Mitts: 3-4 hours Fightin Words by Annie Watts Fiction: Home by Toni Morrison, read by the author (4.5 hrs) Memoir: Zombie Spaceship Wasteland by Patton Oswalt, read by the author (3.5 hrs) Non Fiction: The Art of Happiness by the Dalai Lama, read by Howard Cutler (3 hrs) Science Fiction: The Time Machine by H.G. Wells, read by Alan Munro (4 hrs) Young Readers: The BFG by Roald Dahl, read by David Walliams (4.5 hrs) Scarf: 5-6 hours Mr. Fox Stole My Heart by Tiny Owl Knits Fiction: Slaughterhouse-Five by Kurt Vonnegut, read by Ethan Hawke (6 hrs) Memoir: Let’s Explore Diabetes with Owls by David Sedaris, read by the author (6.5 hrs) Non Fiction: The Partly Cloudy Patriot by Sarah Vowell, read by the author (5 hrs) Fantasy: The Ocean at the End of the Lane by Neil Gaiman, read by the author (5.5. hrs) Young Readers: Doll Bones by Holly Black, read by Nick Podehl (5 hrs) Socks: 7-8 hours Love Socks by Devon Clement Fiction: The Rosie Project by Graeme Simsion, read by Dan O’Grady (7.5 hrs) Memoir: The Journal of Best Practices: A Memoir of Marriage, Asperger Syndrome, and One Mans Quest to be a Better Husband  by David Finch (7 hrs) Non Fiction: Stiff by Mary Roach, read by Shelly Frasier (8 hrs) Science Fiction: Redshirts by John Scalzi, read by Wil Wheaton (7.5 hrs) Young Readers: The Fault in Our Stars by John Green, read by Kate Rudd (7 hrs) Baby Leggings: 9-10 hours Little Leggings by Susie Johns Fiction: City of Thieves by David Benioff, read by Ron Perlman (8.5 hrs) Memoir: Let’s Pretend this Never Happened by Jenny Lawson, read by the author (8.5 hrs) Non Fiction: Destiny of the Republic by Candice Millard, read by Paul Michael (10 hrs) Historical Fiction: Code Name Verity by Elizabeth Wein, read by Morven Christie Lucy Gaskell (10 hrs) Young Readers: Eleanor Park by Rainbow Rowell, read by Rebecca Lowman Sunil Malhotra (9 hrs) Cowl: 11-14 hours Moko-Moko by Olga Jazzy Fiction: The Good Lord Bird by James McBride, read by Michael Boatman (14.5 hrs) Memoir: Eat, Pray, Love by Elizabeth Gilbert, read by the author (13 hrs) Non Fiction: The Mushroom Hunters by Langdon Cook, read by Kevin Free (11 hrs) Historical Fiction: Master and Commander by Patrick OBrian, read by Simon Vance (13 hrs) Young Readers: The House of Tomorrow by Peter Bognanni, read by Lloyd James (10.5 hrs) Shawl: 15+ hours Stripe Study Shawl by Veera Välimäki Fiction: Life After Life by Kate Atkinson, read by Fenella Woolgar (15 hrs) Memoir: Unbroken by Laura Hillenbrand, read by Edward Herrmann (14 hrs) Non Fiction:  Animal, Vegetable, Miracle by Barbara Kingsolver (14.5 hrs) Mystery: The Barbarian Nurseries by Héctor Tobar, read by Frankie J. Alvarez (16 hrs) Young Readers: The Henry Huggins Collection by Beverly Cleary, read by Neil Patrick Harris (15.5 hrs) Baby Blanket: 20+ hours Four Corners Baby Blanket by Purl Bee Fiction: The Thousand Autumns of Jacob de Zoet by David Mitchell, read by Jonathan Aris Paula  Wilcox (19 hrs) Memoir: Life by Keith Richards, read by Johnny Depp Joe Hurley (23 hrs) Non Fiction: Genius by James Gleick, read by Dick Estell (20 hrs) Historical Fiction: The Other Boleyn Girl by Philippa Gregory, read by Susan Lyons (23 hrs) Young Readers: Little Women by Louisa May Alcott, read by Barbara Caruso (20 hrs) Sweater: 25+ hours Chelsea Morning by Elizabeth Davis Fiction: The Bonfire of the Vanities by Tom Wolfe, read by Joe Barrett (28 hrs) Memoir: Joseph Anton: A Memoir by Salman Rushdie, read by Sam Dastor Salman Rushdie (27 hrs) Non Fiction: Helter Skelter by Vincent Bugliosi, read by Scott Brick (26.5 hrs) Science Fiction: 11-22-63 by Stephen King, read by Craig Wasson (30.5 hrs) Young Readers: The Chronicles of Narnia series by C.S. Lewis, read by various (30 hrs) Pants: 30+ hours Knitted Pants by Kristina McGowan Fiction: The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt, read by David Pittu (32.5 hrs) Memoir: Long Walk to Freedom by Nelson Mandela, read by Michael Boatman (27.5 hrs) Non Fiction: The Great Shark Hunt by Hunter S. Thompson, read by Scott Sowers (29 hrs) Historical Fiction: Outlander by Dianna Gabaldon, read by Davina Porter (33 hrs) Young Readers: The Hunger Games series by Suzanne Collins, read by Carolyn McCormick (35 hrs) Blanket: 40+ hours The Beekeepers Quilt by Tiny Owl Knits Fiction: 1Q84 by Haruki Murakami, read by Allison Hiroto, Marc Vietor Mark Boyett (47 hrs) Memoir: Far From the Tree by Andre Solomon, read by the author (40.5 hrs) Non Fiction: Team of Rivals by Doris Kearns Goodwin, read by Suzanne Toren (41.5) hrs Fantasy: Game of Thrones series  by George R. R. Martin, read by Roy Dotrice  (202 hrs) Young Readers: The Inheritance Cycle series by Christopher Paolini, read by Gerard Doyle (101 hrs) A few parting words of wisdom: several knitters mentioned that they have to be careful when the book gets exciting because their gauge can tighten up (One knitter even said her worst knitting ever occurred when she listened to  The Shining she had to frog the whole project at the end!). And sometimes they have to  rewind a little at tricky parts, especially for lace, Fair Isle, and other techniques that require strict attention. Favorite listens were ones that are engaging but forgiving enough that the knitter can tune out for a few minutes when the going gets tricky. Thanks to Abby, Alex, Alexia, Amanda, Amber, Courtney, Emily, Kim, Laura, Liza, Lovina, Michelle, Nancy, Rebecca, Tricia, and Valerie for sharing your suggestions. You guys are inspiring crafters readers! _________________________ Sign up for our newsletter to have the best of Book Riot delivered straight to your inbox every week. No spam. We promise. To keep up with Book Riot on a daily basis, follow us on Twitter, like us on Facebook, , and subscribe to the Book Riot podcast in iTunes or via RSS. So much bookish goodnessall day, every day. Sign up for Audiobooks to receive the latest from the audiobooks world.