Creative Reading: The Knitter – Knitting Masterclass
When it comes to learning new knitting skills I find that the best way for me is through seeing the techniques in context. I mean, yes it’s great to know how to do stranded colourwork – how to hold the needles and how to balance the working and non-working yarns. Discovering how to read a colourwork chart, how to work with stranding and joining in new yarns. Mastering the art of slipping stitches to create magical colourful designs.
Yes. Learning all those things are fantastic. It’s always great to add a couple more skills to your repertoire. But personally, I find that I can test knit swatch after swatch to try out a new technique, but I find that I only really, properly get to grips with a technique when I work it in context. I mean, there was a time when you couldn’t take a step in our home without coming across a spidery square of a test knitted lace swatch. Picking out the lacy stitches, learning how to follow the repeats, rip back mistakes, these were all pretty useful things to practice. But, I never really feel in love with lace knits until I took the plunge and, threw caution to the wind, and cast on a knitted lace shawl. I found that right away, seeing the techniques in the context of the finished piece made it instantly more satisfying, clarified the techniques and gave me a clearer understanding of how the whole ‘lace thing’ worked.
I’m a firm believer in learning new things, trying out something different and taking on a challenge, but I think that the best way for me to learn techniques is through checking out the principles and then getting stuck into relevant project. This is the main reason that I have fallen in love with The Knitter: Knitting Masterclass edited by Juliet Bernard
So many knitters describe this as an essential for any knitting library and with the collection of 20 technique workshops and a series of 15 stunning patterns that put these skills into the stylish creative context that I crave, I have to agree. The clear step-by-step technique illustrations are second to none – which is great if your learning something new, or if you’re in the middle of a project and have been struck with some kind of skill-blackout and need clear reference guide to provide a quick visual reminder.
Even with the range of techniques including cable knitting, lace work, Fair Isle, shaping tutorials, steeking (not for the faint hearted!), kitchener stitch and adding stripes in the round – to name but a few – my very favourite thing about this book is the patterns and projects.
As you would expect from The Knitter, these patterns are a joy to behold! This book is one to keep close to hand – I don’t doubt that I’ll be dipping into this over and over again, for a quick skill recap, or to find a fab project to make. In fact with this book around, I doubt there will be much knitting-block for me this year!
♥ – ♥ – ♥
The Knitter – Knitting Masterclass, £20, edited by Juliet Bernard is published by Collins & Brown – is packed with over20 technique workshops and 15 beautiful patterns.
Made Peachy readers can buy a copy of Knitting Masterclass (RRP £20) for only £16 including free UK p&p. Call 0844 576 8122 and quote offer code CH1804. Discount code is good until the 10 February 2014.
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