Mother-Daughter Knits: 30 Designs to Flatter & Fit


Sally Melville - 2009
    30 detailed and easy-to-follow patterns for garments and accessories are presented including a slimming Jackie Kennedy-style Camelot coat and a reversible tank top with scoop neck.

Increase, Decrease: 99 Step-by-Step Methods; Find the Perfect Technique for Shaping Every Knitting Project


Judith Durant - 2015
    Approachable and insightful, Judith Durant provides clear instructions and step-by-step photographs that showcase swatches for each technique. From working shaped lace to adjusting necklines, you’ll soon have a go-to strategy for successfully tackling knitting challenges of all shapes and sizes.

Draping for Apparel Design


Helen Joseph-Armstrong - 1999
    This book describes the drape of the basic dress and its relationship to every garment in a clothing collection.

The Magic Pattern Book: Sew 6 Patterns into 36 Different Styles!


Amy Barickman - 2014
    Imagine a pattern. A pattern for a simple skirt. Let’s call it “The Skirt.” Now, imagine that this pattern is magic—it not only yields one stylish skirt, but in fact can be used to make six stylish skirts. By following different markers on the pattern, “The Skirt” can be: 1) an A-line skirt; 2) a maxi skirt; 3) a flirty pleated hem skirt; 4) a smart-looking pencil-wrap skirt; 5) a flared bias skirt; 6) a ruffled mini. But wait, there’s more! Following each look are six fabric recommendations, some of them easily repurposed. So now, not only does each pattern turn into six patterns, but each of the six patterns can turn into six different garments. With six magic patterns in the book, the end result is 216 original designs! The skill level is basic, and there’s a complete sewing primer included, with recommendations for basic tools, step-by-step instruction, a guide to fabrics, and a sizing reference chart.Includes 36 downloadable patterns on a CD.Express your fashion sense, look great, be creative—and save money. Now that’s magic.

Knitwear Design Workshop: A Comprehensive Guide to Handknits


Shirley Paden - 2009
    The four exceptional projects demonstrate the level of uniqueness and beauty that can be achieved with these expert techniques and how to achieve the elusive “perfect fit” that defines a successful end product. Knitters will gain a clearer understanding of commercial pattern instructions, improve their attention to detail with a meaningful test swatch, and acquire a stronger knowledge of proper body and garment measurements.

Knitted Lace of Estonia: Techniques, Patterns, and Traditions


Nancy Bush - 2008
    Nancy Bush, an Estonian knitting authority, helps knitters deepen their knowledge of knitting in Estonia, home to some of the oldest knitted artifacts in northern Europe.

Knitting Brioche: The Essential Guide to the Brioche Stitch


Nancy Marchant - 2009
    This complete guide will take you from your first brioche stitches to your first (or hundredth) project, and even to designing with brioche stitch, if you desire. Whether you're new to brioche knitting or experienced at "brioching," author Nancy Marchant provides the information and inspiration you need.Inside "Knitting Brioche," you'll find: Detailed instructions and step-by-step photos that will guide you through all of the techniques you'll need for brioche knitting.A stitch dictionary including 60 beautiful stitch patterns with many multicolor options.25 patterns for garments and accessories, all made with brioche stitches, some combined with other design elements including cables, lace, intarsia and more Grab your needles and yarn and take a bite out of brioche knitting.

How to Use, Adapt, and Design Sewing Patterns


Lee Hollahan - 2010
    The book's opening chapters present an illustrated guide to the tools, equipment, and fabrics needed for making garments, while also serving as a miniature textbook to teach basic sewing techniques. Chapters that follow offer detailed instruction in adapting and altering a store-bought pattern to suit individual tastes. Alterations include adding flare, and modifying the shapes of bodices, arm holes, neck lines, sleeves, and skirts. The book's concluding chapters instruct on designing one's own patterns from scratch. Author Lee Hollahan demonstrates to her readers that once they understand how to adapt a store-bought pattern, they are well on their way to custom designing their own wardrobe. More than 500 instructive illustrations.

Finishing School: A Master Class for Knitters


Deborah Newton - 2011
    Some even abandon projects rather than complete the necessary steps to achieve beautiful, wearable garments. Now, notable knitter and designer Deborah Newton shares her expertise and love of finishing techniques in an on-the-page master class. Deborah patiently takes her student-readers step by step through the ins and outs of blocking, seaming, edging, and embellishments, giving them the confidence and skills to create professional-looking knitwear. In addition to Deborah's expert instructions, the book includes patterns for 12 sweaters, jackets, and scarves, many with variations.

Custom Knits: Unleash Your Inner Designer with Top-Down and Improvisational Techniques


Wendy Bernard - 2008
    Herein lies the beauty of Custom Knits, which teaches knitters how to use improvisational techniques to achieve spectacular results—and to unleash their inner designers. Wendy Bernard, creator of the popular blog Knit and Tonic, provides 25 original designs for sweaters of nearly every type, plus variations, most knitted in one piece starting at the top, a method that allows you to try on as you go, alter as desired, and essentially design on the fly. “Make It Your Own” prompts in each pattern suggest easy alterations to suit your style and body type. And an in-depth reference section teaches how to alter key sweater elements, for example, change a crewneck to a V-neck, add sleeves to a vest, and much more. For the truly adventurous, the book concludes with guidelines for knitting sweaters with no pattern at all. Bernard’s friendly writing style and photographer Kimball Hall’s lively images create an inviting book of beautiful designs and key techniques that a knitter can use to customize nearly every garment she knits from now on.

The Knitgrrl Guide to Professional Knitwear Design


Shannon Okey - 2010
    Written by an industry insider, the Guide takes a comprehensive, unflinching look behind the scenes that no knit or crochet designer can afford to be without. Includes 30+ interviews with top designers, editors and professionals who tell it like it is so you can hit the ground running, a guide to responsible social media use, information on distribution, printing, online publishing and much, much more.

Knitter's Handy Book of Top-Down Sweaters: Basic Designs in Multiple Sizes and Gauges


Ann Budd - 2012
    Answering to a growing interest in knitting sweaters from the top down and knitting seamless sweaters that require little finishing, this handy book offers instructions for knitting five basic sweater types: circular yoke, raglan, modified-drop shoulder, set-in sleeve, and saddle shoulder. Patterns are offered in multiple sizes and yarn gauges and for a broad age group.Following the basics for each of the five sweater types are three diverse patterns from top designers that illustrate some of the many ways that instructions can be used as springboards for creative expression, including color, texture, and shaping variations.Also included for intermediate to advanced knitters are personal design touches, detailed charts, clear instruction, and quick tips to expand knitting possibilities and maintain creative originality. A key reference for knitters of all skill levels, this is the new essential knitting resource on your bookshelf.

Cast On, Bind Off: 211 Ways to Begin and End Your Knitting


Cap Sease - 2012
    This beautifully organized treasury is ideal for all skill levels.•Find each technique presented with step-by-step written instructions, clear how-to illustrations, and a photo of the finished edge•Learn the advantages and disadvantages of each method, including suggestions for when to use it•Discover workhorse and specialty cast ons and bind offs for colorwork, cuffs, ruffles, fringe, lace buttonholes, and more

Merchant & Mills Sewing Book


Carolyn N.K. Denham - 2012
    Making curtains neednt be left to the professionals ; withEasy to Make! Curtains & Blinds you, too, can create stylish window dressings for your home.

Sweater Design in Plain English


Maggie Righetti - 1990
    In clear, straightforward terms, Maggie Righettie shares her knitting know-how and good fashion sense so that, no matter what your knitting level, you can overcome the fear of failure, avoid costly mistakes, adapt already-existing patterns, and plan and create sweaters that really fit and look terrific-sweaters that will be worn for many years to come. Topics and techniques include:-Understanding the nature of yarn and pattern stitches-Choosing the most flattering color and design for the wearer-Taking accurate body measurements-Estimating the amount of yarn you'll need-How to tell whether or not a sweater will look good on you-before you start to knit-How to alter printed patterns so they really fit-How to understand the mathematics of gauge and pattern design-Plus start-to-finish instructions for thirteen classic sweatersEach technique is illustrated with clear diagrams, sketches, or photographs. Complete with conversion charts and a personal-measurements record-keeping section, Sweater Design in Plain English takes the guesswork out of every creative knitting effort.