Saturday, December 27, 2008

Knitting Goes Large: 20 Designs to Flatter Your Figure by Sharon Brant, Wendy Baker, Martin Storey, Jennie Atkinson

Published 2008

Trying to find great knit designs in larger sizes is not always easy. Knitting Goes Large aims to fill the gap by offering a selection of 20 great knits for all occasions and all seasons for larger women with varying figure types. This beautiful collection of plus-size styles will appeal to women who want more generously proportioned garments, and this time, by popular request, the knits go a size or two larger than many other books available.

The key designs are by Martin Storey, Wendy Baker, Jennie Atkinson, and Kim Hargreaves, edited by Sharon Brant, coauthor of Rowan's Classic Knits for Real Women. Sharon, a plus-size woman herself, offers an introduction which explains how to make the right pattern choice for your figure type and size, how to amend patterns, for example, should you lengthen or shorten a garment to make the most of your assets, helpful dos and don'ts and tons of advice on garment sizes and shapes, details, textures, and colors that will complement a curvaceous figure. The patterns come in six sizes, starting from size 16, giving a chance for even the most generously-sized women to find something that will suit their figure type. Included are some great contemporary designs, with an emphasis on softly wrapping shapes, which is ideal for fuller figures.

Whether you are looking for warm winter jackets, comfortable sweaters, cool, summer cardigans or tunics, neat tops to wear under a suit or pretty evening cover-ups, you will find something to suit your figure and your taste, all in popular, classic Rowan yarns. The designs in this book are perfect for real everyday women looking to sport a comfortable, contemporary style that fits their shape.

Socks A La Carte by Raffino

Published 2008

Socks a la Carte is the ultimate resource for sock knitters who want to design their own original patterns without starting completely from scratch. General instructions at the beginning of the book outline the basics of sock construction, including measuring feet and making calculations based on gauge. The unique flip section is where the pages are divided into three categories: cuff, leg and sock body, which includes the heel and toe. Readers can flip these pages to see how the individual elements work together and then mix and match these patterns to create unique sock styles that they can then knit according to their personal preferences. A bonus gallery will feature a number of finished sock styles in a variety of colors as inspiration for the reader.

Saturday, December 20, 2008

Knitting Socks with Handpainted Yarn by Carol Sulcoski

Published 2008

Providing technical guidance as well as fun, creative patterns, this resource tackles handpainted yarns, identifying the many challenges—and many opportunities—they provide for knitting socks. Focusing on how to make the most of these much-loved yarns, it explains how to design projects with hand-dyed material versus other types of yarns, how to avoid the pitfalls of pooling and splotching, and how to combine multicolored hand paints with other types of yarns. Fresh, modern sock patterns from a variety of contributors illustrate their successful techniques, showing that with creativity and a little technical know-how, knitters can fully take advantage of these beautiful, yet sometimes tricky, yarns.

Saturday, December 6, 2008

The Essential Guide to Color Knitting Techniques by Margaret Radcliffe

Published 2008

At times, a single, perfect color is just what a new knitting project needs. But more often than not, the creative knitter envisions exciting color palettes that make her handmade hat unique or add special meaning to a gift for a loved one. Adding fabulous color combinations to a handknit item can be as simple as working with multicolor yarn or as intricate as applying the technical concepts of knitting intarsia.

Knitting teacher and author Margaret Radcliffe presents a world of color techniques in a single comprehensive reference that knitters will consult every time two or more yarn colors are in play. Stitchers of every ability — from the determined beginner in need of clear instructions to the experienced crafter ready to take on a new challenge — will benefit from the color-combining methods and handy tips and secrets revealed in The Essential Guide to Color Knitting Techniques.

Multicolor knitting techniques are explained with step-by-step illustrations and photographs accompanied by instructive text. Complete chapters on stripes, stitch effects, knitting with multicolor yarns, stranded knitting, and intarsia cover the general theory and how-to behind each method as well as creative solutions for handling tangled yarn, estimating yarn quantities of each color, handling all those ends, and stunning finishing techniques. An additional chapter describes less common techniques such as helix, shadow, mosaic, and modular knitting.

Whether the goal is a softly striped throw in nursery pastels, a pair of cozy socks in team colors, or a sophisticated cashmere wrap in a jewellike pattern, The Essential Guide to Color Knitting Techniqueshas all the answers for adventurous knitters.