If you long to knit stunning fair isle jumpers and brightly colored blankets for your home this is the perfect book. Learn all the techniques for how to start knitting with color and create really desirable projects as you learn. Choose from brightly colored stripy socks and work your way up to a patterned beanie hat and even a stunning sweater with a colorwork yoke. Even if you can only knit and purl--with this book you'll be making gorgeous colorwork accessories before you know it!
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Liz's four rules for a knock-out knitting book:
1. Don't skimp on the pictures! Take them outside, for starters, and do it somewhere gorgeous and simple.
2. Feel with your eyes. Make sure the textures come to life. I want to feel gossamer laces between my fingers, caress the delightfully full and smooth touch of silk and the sturdy crunch of wool simply by looking.
3. Balance the pictures with a well composed layout. Keep it simple (my eyes aren't as young as they used to be.) Guide me with a grand font, keep me turning the pages, and reassure me nothing has been left out.
4. Make sure it's something I'd trash that wooden bowl thing on the coffee table for. If I'd leave it in the centre of the table for everyone who came through my door to see because I want them all to know about it, you've put together something special.
5. (I know, right!) Make me want to put confidence in my craft and pick up "real yarn" to realize everything the book has inspired in me.
Ella Austin's Beginner's Guide to Colorwork Knitting earns points for me in all four (five) categories. I found it an indispensable resource on basic colour theory. I usually find a variegated that I a) like, and b) has a matching solid. The book gives an easy to understand why when it comes to mixing colours and tones to come up with a balanced and beautiful palette.
I also look for a knitting book that will enhance the skills and resources I already have; one which will fit in to my way of doing things without forcing me to re-write anything. I was able to enhance my understanding of steeking and double-knit with an online video, then jump back to the book to help reinforce my understanding.
A great addition to anyone's knitting library. The pictures are beautiful and the patterns are easy to read.
Thank you to Netgalley for my review copy.
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