Walker in her renowned tome Knitting from the Top. But never have the results looked as glamorous and city-chic as they do in Modern Top-Down Knitting. In this sophisticated wom­enswear collection, designer Kristina McGowan presents streamlined, feminine dresses, tunics, and skirts; elegant cardigans and pullovers; and stylish go-to accessories such as hats and mitts. Also included are step-by-step photo tutorials that make top-down techniques easy to understand and sizing and style adjustments a cinch to achieve. Detailed instructions are also included for finishing garments with couture-quality trims and linings, so they look just as elegant on the inside as they do on the outside.
"Kristina McGowan presents a charming collection of original designs in knitwear, to inspire knitters of all levels of skill. Her work incorporates the two essential qualities of good knitting direction: (1) her ideas are fresh, fashionable, and interesting; and (2) her instructions are clear and easily followed. Hers is an excellent book." Barbara G. Walker

    American knitters can finally learn the traditions behind Estonian knitting and the techniques necessary to recreate it. Illustrated step-by-step instructions guide readers through unfamiliar techniques. Detailed instructions for 25 gloves, mittens, and socks plus charts for traditional lace and multicolored patterns are included. A brief history of Estonia itself and a section on the folk culture provide a background to the technical instructions.

    Begin by exploring a variety of weave structures, including finger-manipulated laces, tapestry, and color play with stripes, plaids, and multicolor yarns. Then move on to more complex designs and irresistible projects, from pillows and curtains to bags, shawls, and even jewelry. Explore warp-face patterning, weft-pile weaving, weaving with fine threads, woven shibori, shadow weave, and the textural effects you can create with different yarns and with wire and conductive thread. Everything you need to know is here, with fully illustrated step-by-step instructions to ensure success.

    This exceptional collection combines lighthearted essays with more philosophical pieces from authors and experts such as Meg Swansen, Perri Klass, Lily Chin, Teva Durham, Lela Nargi, Susan Gordon Lydon, Suzyn Jackson, Amy Singer, Greta Cunningham, Laura Billings, Kay Dorn, Betty Christiansen, and Jennifer Hansen, who put down their needles long enough to share their thoughts and musings about the popular pastime. In these entertaining yarns, the authors provide insight into the warmth and enjoyment of knitting and crocheting. Join one writer as she shares a poignant Sunday afternoon in March shearing sheep with her father; travel to Sant ’Arsenio, Italy, where women gather on their door steps to knit, crochet, embroider, and chat; laugh at one woman’s memories of learning to knit in an uncomfortable classroom chair beside a World War II vet named Max; and smile at the essays that delve into the psyche of the knitter. If you live to knit, enjoy the companionship of other knitters, or appreciate the intricate handiwork of a handmade sweater, Knitting Yarns and Spinning Tales is a must-read!

    Ten original and enjoyable knitting projects--each complemented by a meditation exercise.

    This title teaches knitters how to read charts - and better yet, how to make the most of them: to seet the a chart is a picture of knitted fabric; to make sense of the symbols in a chart without being tied to its key; and to handle chart quirks.

    Scarves, Shawls & Shrugs is the first in a new series by renowned designer Iris Schreier that showcases the many possibilities of working with just two skeins of yarn. Mixing yarn types, weights, and colors, she presents a dazzling array of stylish and sophisticated wraps. Schreier created about half the projects herself, while other prominent designers provided the rest.  The projects range from easy to unique and offer new ideas for blending yarns and creating pieces with high appeal, beautiful drape, and practical functionality.

    Perfect for Beginners level and get awesome ideas and techniques for you experts. Have lots of images to help you easily follow through the pattern.

    As more and more crafters are discovering, dyeing your own fabric can yield gorgeous colors. Now master dyer Rebecca Burgess identifies 36 plants that will yield beautiful natural shades and shows how easy it is to make the dyes. Pokeweed creates a vibrant magenta, while a range of soft lavender shades is created from elderberries; indigo yields a bright blue, and coyote brush creates stunning sunny yellows.Gathering Color explains where to find these plants in the wild (and for those that can be grown in your backyard, how to nurture them) and the best time and way to harvest them; maps show the range of each plant in the United States and Canada. For the dyeing itself, Burgess describes the simple equipment needed and provides a master dye recipe. The book is organized seasonally; as an added bonus, each section contains a knitting project using wools colored with dyes from plants harvested during that time of the year. With breathtaking color photographs by Paige Green throughout, Gathering Color is an essential guide to this growing field, for crafters and DIYers; for ecologists and botanists; and for artists, textile designers, and art students.

    Forced to change direction, Kate took a radical new creative path. Handywoman tells this story.This is not a book about Kate's triumph over adversity. Rather, it is her account of the ordinary activities and everyday objects that stroke and disability made her see differently. From braiding hair for the first time to learning how to knit again; from the lessons of a working-class creative childhood to the support of the contemporary craft community; from the transformative effects of good design to developing a new identity as a disabled walker; in this engaging series of essays, Kate describes how the experience of brain injury allowed her to build a new kind of handmade life. Part memoir, part personal celebration of the power of making, in Handywoman Kate reclaims disability as in itself a form of practical creativity. Kate Davies is an award-winning knitwear designer and author writing on many topics from disability and design to textile history and women’s history. She’s published eight books about hand-knitting, lives on the edge of the Scottish Highlands and is inspired by her local landscape every day.

    A mother hen and her chicks (and their adorable knitted eggshells), three little piglets, and a black lamb full of good intentions are just some of the appealing projects in Spud and Chloë at the Farm, the latest innovative work from author and world-class knitter Susan B.Anderson. The projects in this book follow Spud, a feisty pet sheep, and Chloë, his perky owner, as they travel to a farm and meet the inhabitants of the barnyard, including a brown cow, some mice, a dog, and a barn cat. To continue the theme, and set the stage for loads of interactive play, the book also offers instructions for making an assortment of farm props, such as a picket fence, bales of hay, dainty baskets, and even a three-sided foldable barn.Meanwhile, witty full-color cartoons (presented one per spread throughout the text of the book) tell the story of Spud and Chloë’s visit to the farm, which starts with an invitation from Spud’s cousin Little Lamb. Featuring charming full-color photographs of the knitted toys, this book is a must-have for knitters and their loved ones.

    Anarchists generally do not like to do what they are told."

    Choosing the right material for your project is made easy with plenty of helpful advice on the qualities of different yarns, including what feels best, what holds its shape, and what really lasts. You can also take advantage of fiber substitution charts and make your own creative variations on these timeless patterns. Slip your toes into one comfortable and cozy knit masterpiece after another.

    Most of the projects involve knitting in the round, so a thorough overview explains the technique, as well as basic hat forms, choosing a yarn, and accessible techniques such as felting. Try a shaped ribbon yarn hat with equally decorative and functional earflaps. A simple brimmed felted wool hat becomes a fashion statement with a brightly colored decorative edging. Whip up a chunky seed stitch cap in just a matter of hours. Even the simplest designs are stylish, using great color combinations and yarns with irresistible textures. And, because the patterns come with both medium and large sizes, you can knit to fit.

    In "Around the World in Knitted Socks," you'll travel through world cultures by foot and try your hand at new patterns and techniques.Using stitch motifs and colors, knitting techniques and construction details, the socks blend regional knitting traditions with Stephanie's unique design flair. Drawing inspiration from signature local textiles such as Turkish kilim carpets, Japanese sashiko embroidery, Belgian lace, American quilts, and Scottish argyle tartan, each pattern is distinctly tied to both country and culture. You'll also learn traditional knitting techniques including Estonian and Latvian braids, Norwegian stranded knitting, and Austrian twisted-stitch designs.Though each pattern in "Around the World in Knitted Socks" draws on a different global inspiration, the thoughtful construction and attention to detail are signature elements of Stephanie's work and are showcased in both detailed photography and an illustrated glossary.