The book includes skill-building lessons that teach knitters the top-down knitting technique through the creation of eight sweaters. Each lesson builds upon a previous one for continual learning. With the new skills acquired creating four pint-size cardigans, knitters can then move on to four similar adult-size patterns.

My First Cardigan Workbook is written as a teaching tool to move beginners to the intermediate skill level. The patterns can be worked one after the other as a progressive learning tool, with a new technique introduced with each chapter. The book can also be used as a classroom workbook for group learning. Designs include raglan sweaters, cable cardigans, lace cardigans and a Fair Isle cardigan.

Georgia Druen is the designer. She has more than 50 years of needlearts experience in knitting and crochet and is also the owner of HearthStone Knits, a local yarn shop in Saint Louis.

Kara Gott Warner, executive knitting editor for Annie's, is the book's editor. She has been designing knitted garments and accessories since 1997. In 2010, she joined Annie's as the executive editor for all of the company's knitting publications, including Creative Knitting magazine.

My First Cardigan Workbook sells for $12.95 and is available from the Annie's catalog, accessible on the Web at AnniesCatalog.com.

Annie's is well known to crafters and nostalgia buffs for its print and digital magazines, pattern books and other related products, which are sold primarily by mail, Internet websites and catalogs. Annie's Web-deliverable products are accessible from the company Web address at Annies-Publishing.com.