Review by Laura Cameron
When I saw the ad for The Knitter’s Planner ($48.95) late last year, I knew I needed to buy one to review for The Desk. With the tagline “Knit More Be Happy” how could I not?
The Knitter’s Planner is a somewhat customizable planner designed with knitters in mind. You can choose your cover from 9 available options and receive it spiral bound with some choice on your inserts. Or you can choose it unbound, if you have the perfect cover to fill. Next you can choose your layout; whether you want your weeks to start on Sunday or Monday. Lastly you can choose any extras you like: page clip ins, gauge rulers, zippered pouches, habit trackers, pen loops and ballpoint pens.
I ordered mine in a fall rush, and received it in mid-December, perfect to get a start to planning the year.
One of the things that appealed to me most about The Knitter’s Planner was the spiral binding. I love that you can open the book to lay flat (even better for lefties!). The pages themselves are approximately 7.5″ x 9.25,” plus the 1″ spiral which means when the planner is open flat it lays approximately 16″ x 9.25.” It’s also approximately 1.25″ thick, which means this isn’t a small book. I confess I’m not sure that it would really feasibly become an EDC for me, but on my desk, I don’t mind the size.
Each month begins with a beautiful shot of knitting or yarn, and an inspirational quote. The months themselves are tabbed, with a monthly spread at the front, followed by weekly spreads. A perk for knitters is that the monthly spreads are pre-populated with important knitting events for 2020! Each monthly spread also features sections on the left for monthly goals, personal projects and knitting projects.
The second reason I chose to try this planner is because of the space allotted for each day (including separate Saturday & Sunday blocks!). I tend to write down my meetings, as well as any daily to dos, and the spots seemed large enough to accommodate my needs. The weekly spreads also allow for washi tape and other decorations as you like as well as a spot for the weekly featured pattern stitches and knitting tips (which the planner provides)!
Each month ends with some knitter’s graph paper, the perfect place to sketch knitting project ideas!
Following December of 2020, the planner features a few additional sections. There’s a pattern section with 4 patterns from well-known designers, a Projects section where you can plan and track your projects, and a Reference section with some basic knitting reference information. There’s also more graph paper, as well as blank paper and an a pocket at the back of the book.
The cover is laminated, as are the monthly tabs, creating a planner that feels sturdy enough to stand up to a year of use. However, I know what you’re most curious about is the paper and whether it’s fountain pen friendly. The type of paper in the planner isn’t specified, however I can testify that it’s fairly fountain pen friendly. I used a few different pens without significant feathering or bleed through. There was some show through, which I don’t always care for, so I suspect I’ll stick to my ballpoints and fine liners, but the paper will work with fountain pens.
Overall, I think this planner fits into what I need it to. For the past two years I’ve been using the Ruff House Art weekly desk planner every week; it’s the clear winner for something that fits my lifestyle and usage. While the format of The Knitter’s Planner is different, the bonus monthly spreads and tabs, in addition to the similar amounts of space allotted each day lead me to think I’ll get a lot of use out of this one too. Will it replace my Ruff House? Only time will tell, but I’m willing to give this one a try!
DISCLAIMER: The planner included in this review was purchased with my own money for the purpose of review. Please see the About page for more details.
I love the format of the weekly pages! So hard to find planners with the weekend days given equal space as the rest of the week.