The Power and The Glory The Knitting Experience: Book 3: Color

by Sally Melville, Alexis Xenakis (Photographer), Elaine Rowley (Editor)

The closest thing to a knitting coach, this primer on knitting describes simple approaches to choosing, using, and wearing color. Knitters move from being intimidated by the choices to being excited by the possibilities as the skill-building chapters put color into practice. Clear, step-by-step photographs lead knitters through a progression of new methods punctuated by fabulous and fun projects to knit. The 36 designs range from simple to classic to unexpected and are presented multiple times showcasing different techniques, mixing and matching to yield more than 80 total projects. With advice, tips, and techniques, this tutorial inspires learners to take their craft to the next level.

Genres: Knitting, Crafts, Reference, Nonfiction

246 pages, Paperback

First published November 1, 2005

About the author

This is the space where you are to hear about me, Sally Melville—knitting designer / teacher / author. These spaces are usually written by people other than the person who is written about—for objectivity and all that good stuff. But I suspect what you’d then get is my story as told from the end and with all its ‘high points.’ And I don’t think that’s either inspiring or particularly truthful. Because while the ‘high points’ may define us (to the eyes of the world and in our obituaries), isn’t it really the early stuff with its ‘low points’ that make us who we are? So here are the truly important events that made me a knitting designer / teacher / author. (I’ll write about these in detail in my first five blog entries, but here are the bare bones.)

As a young girl, I couldn’t get gauge so had to write my own patterns.


As a young woman, I made a truly weird sweater that, when fixed, was oddly appealing . . . enough that I could begin selling my work.


The subsequent purchase of a knitting machine taught me how much I truly did not know.


I enrolled in a one-day, knitting design class . . . where everyone wanted to know about the sweater I was wearing (referred to in point 2) and where I was thrown out for passing notes (the pattern for the sweater referred to in point 2).


Back to my knitting machine where my math and writing (both studied in university) got to work and taught me what that class should have.


Soon enough I started my own knitting design class . . . from which no student would ever be thrown out! This became an ongoing group and then the K-W Knitters’ Guild.


I developed more classes—to stay one step ahead of the guild members.


One of our guest teachers pushed me into the light of the public of knitting world.


In 1993 my husband died, and all knitting came to a halt. I took a job as Study Skills Advisor at my local university.


But my daughter asked me to knit a sweater for her boyfriend. So I did—out of leftovers. And it became the centre piece of my first book: see Styles in books.


Styles was wonderfully successful. But what would I do next?


I had a desire to teach the world to knit. The result is The Knit Stitch, which sold really really well and probably led you to this website.

So thanks for coming. Keep in touch, play safe, and keep knitting!
(from her website, listed below)

Reviews

[Linda · Rating 3 out of 5]

The patterns in this book are pretty, but nothing that I choose to knit. The central idea in this collection is to "let the yarn do the work."

[Ashley Lambert-Maberly · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another great introduction to knitting by Sally Melville.

(Note: 5 stars = amazing, wonderful, 4 = very good book, 3 = decent read, 2 = disappointing, 1 = awful, just awful. I'm fairly good at picking for myself so end up with a lot of 4s). I feel a lot of readers automatically render any book they enjoy 5, but I grade on a curve!

[BookMouse · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good instruction on working with color. Of Sally's Knitting Series books, this one is the best. Her other two (Knit Stitch, and Purl Stitch) could easily be covered by getting the big Vogue Knitting book, but this one really excels at explaining how to add color to your knitting.

[Suzanne · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the third book in the series and it was even better than the first two. I read this book for knitting information even if I am not knitting a pattern from it. Sally Melville is a terrific teacher.

[Margarita · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was my least favorite in her series. Not that informative, either in technique or theory, and the patterns are not appealing to me.

[Lain · Rating 3 out of 5]

Many of the patterns are unwearable. I have had this book for several years but have never made anything! I loved her first two books but this one didn't quite make the cut.

[Rebekah · Rating 3 out of 5]

This series is a wonderful tutor for new knitters, and a great refresher for old. I'm an old knitter, but I don't work with color much, so this book was great as a how-to, if not for the patterns.