Our favourite knitting books
BOOK REVIEWS
THIS SUMPTUOUS, clothbound hardback book is a shawl knitter’s dream - with an exquisite shawl pattern for every week of the year, or enough to keep you entertained and delighted for years to come.
The collection showcases the work of designers from all around the world, and there’s a fantastic range of styles, shapes and techniques to try. Lace, for example, is used in creative, contemporary ways by many of the contributors, both on its own and in combination with colourwork. ‘Limelight’ by Anna Johanna mixes bands of lace, garter stitch and stripes for a modern look. The half-pi ‘Leveza’ shawl by Paula Pereira has a delicate bobble lace fabric, while little nupps sprinkle the surface of the ‘Windy Fields’ wrap, and Jeanette Sloan’s ‘Marje’ wrap features dramatic dipped lace clusters.
There is a glorious array of cabled and textured stitch patterns, too. Designs include a curved shawl featuring an intricate central cable panel with a highly textured fabric; the ‘Quicksand’ shawl with its rippling cable-brioche pattern; and a sweet little cowl with a pointed front finished with a big tassel. The triangular ‘Silta’ has an understated look, with its bands of contrasting textures, while stunning, organic floral patterns appear on the fringed ‘Wild Flowers’ wrap by Katya Gorbacheva. Other designs feature knit-and-purl relief textures, and delicate travelling twisted stitches.
If colourwork is your thing, there are plenty of fascinating styles to explore. Aleks Byrd uses the Estonian inlay technique of roosimine to produce flower motifs with a woven look. ‘Rainbow Road’ is formed from short-row wedges and marling effects, while ‘Stairway’ has a geometric tiled brioche nd fabric, and the steeked ‘Älv’ plays with three colours and was inspired by Bohus knitting. Other colourwork styles to enjoy include mosaic patterning, intarsia, two-colour brioche in the round, and mitred striping.
This book is very substantial, with 52 patterns and 272 pages, but for even more project photographs and information about the various techniques used, readers can visit the Laine website. It’s a truly wonderful collection that deserves to become an instant classic.