Knockout Knits
Knockout Knits by Laura Nelkin
ISBN 10: 038534578X
ISBN 13: 978-0385345781
Publication date: 2 September 2014 by Potter Craft
Category: Adult nonfiction
Keywords: Knitting, crafts
Format: Paperback, ebook
Source: Finished paperback copy from publisher
You guys! This book! I can't contain myself. I can't even right now. It's SO good.
You have to understand, I love cables. I love lace. I love dropped and elongated stitches. I love twists and wraps... and they're all in here.
It has not one, but two--TWO!--tams. My favorite kind of hat to knit.
I even learned something new after 13 years of knitting. I'd never heard of a life line before, but now it makes total sense to string a piece of thread through your work at intervals so that if you have to rip out a few rows, you won't lose too much ground.
There is also a great but somewhat scary section on beading. But don't worry, the book reassures me, "All these designs will be beautiful without beads!" So I can maybe attempt the Laden Cowl without before trying my hand at beading.
Ahem.
Laura Nelkin's book of accessories has everything I look for in a knitting book. Gorgeous photography shows off the designs, almost all of which are something I would not only make for myself (no gifts! all mine!) but also look fun and interesting to knit. it's well-organized and easy to read. It offers helpful information about choosing yarn fibers and colors for each project, and the looks are very modern and wearable. I think the techniques in this book will definitely flex my lace and cable muscles. I can barely believe this is her debut book, though I do recognize her style (my friend Stephanie teaches the Mudra Cuff in one of her Knitting University classes).
I'm not a huge fan of knitted jewelry, but I can definitely see myself knocking out a few of the cuffs and bracelets for holiday gifts. Ditto the tams and the great Folly Cloche (which reminds me of something the fabulous Miss Fisher would wear).
The fabulous Miss Phryne Fisher
For more photos from the book, go to nelkindesigns.com
For myself, the Laden Cowl and Las Cruces Shawl are high up on my list to cast on. Really, the only project I don't ever see myself making are the Bootsy Boot Toppers (only because I am not a boot-wearer, and not anything to do with the pattern itself).
I would definitely recommend Knockout Knits to an intermediate knitter who knows how to read a pattern and has the basics down pat, maybe someone who is a little bored with the same-old same-old drill. You have to be willing to drop and pick up stitches, a scary trick for a beginning knitter who isn't yet comfortable with tensioning and pattern repeats.
I received this book for free from Blogging for Books for review purposes.
For photos of the projects, visit nelkindesigns.com.
