Saturday, July 25, 2009

The Alchemy of Color Knitting: The Art and Technique of Mastering Exquisite Palettes by Gina Wilde

Published 2009

The ultimate reference for knitters who are eager to bring richer, more complex color to their projects, including vital lessons on color theory as well as 25 inspiring garments.

In The Alchemy of Color Knitting, Gina Wilde, creative director of Alchemy Yarns of Transformation, unlocks the secrets of color theory for knitters. An acclaimed teacher on the topic of color and transformation, Gina is uniquely able to shed light on color theory as it applies to knitting–her knowledge is both authoritative and informed by an artist’s eye.

The Alchemy of Color Knitting begins with a concise, complete description of the fundamentals of color theory, outlining the basics of the color wheel and color relationships. Knitters can easily brush up on the essence of color theory–which colors are primary, secondary, and tertiary, for example–and the relationships among those colors. From complements and split complements to elegant arrangements of analogous hues, all color relationships are explained from a knitter’s point of view. Additionally, the central concepts of hue, value, and intensity are discussed–the subtle (and often not-so-subtle) shifts of color that can be used in a knitted
garment to gorgeous effect.

What’s more, in The Alchemy of Color Knitting Gina delves deeply into the ideas of color and meaning. Choosing just the right color for a given project is a ritual for knitters that should be savored, but sometimes
is fraught with anxiety. Gina helps liberate knitters to think creatively in their color choices by considering a color’s origins, lore, and myriadmeanings.

Inside, knitters will find 25 patterns for show-stopping garments that cover a variety of skill levels, from beginner to experienced. A brief “color exercise” description before each pattern explains which color relationships are illustrated in that particular garment. But make no mistake–with the lessons of The Alchemy of Color Knitting in hand, a knitter’s possibilities of color choice are truly endless.

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