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Color by Kristin: How to Design Your Own Beautiful Knits
Don’t fear color—embrace it! That’s the message woven all through this illustrated guide to knitting with multiple colors. Aimed at advanced beginners through intermediate knitters, the 20+ projects provided here include clothing, blankets, bags, and lots of home décor items, each bursting with rich hues and textures. Lavish photographs showcase each of the required techniques, while designer Kristin Nicholas’s text explains the theory behind using colors to maximum effect. From the magnificent Fair Isle Pullover to the coordinated Mother-Daughter Mittens to the fun and fabulous Snowflake Pillow, these projects will bring color to every aspect of a knitter’s life.
- GenresKnittingNonfictionCrafts
172 pages, Hardcover
First published November 3, 2009
About the author
Kristin Nicholas
19 books4 followersKRISTIN NICHOLAS is a knitwear and stitchery designer who lives in western Massachusetts on a working sheep farm with her husband and daughter and 400 sheep, three border collies, two great pyrenees guard dogs, ten cats, thirty chickens, one guard donkey, and one guard llama.
Kristin learned to knit and sew when she was nine years old. Following her passion for creating, she received a BS from University of Delaware and MS from Colorado State University in Textiles and Clothing. She has worked in the American needlework industry for over 25 years as a creative director and a stitchery and knitwear designer. She is the author of 8 books including Color By Kristin, Kristin Knits, Colorful Stitchery, Kids Embroidery, Knitting for Baby, and more. Her specialty is working with color and she is known as a color expert within the needlework industry. She has her own line of yarn named “Julia”, after her daughter, which is distributed throughout North America by Nashua Handknits (a Division of Westminster Fibers). She has been also been featured as a knitting expert on PBS's Knit and Crochet Now for the three seasons.
Kristin's home and work have been featured in Country Home, Country Living, Vogue Knitting, Interweave Knits, Knitters Magazine, and many other national publications.
http://us.macmillan.com/author/kristi...
Kristin learned to knit and sew when she was nine years old. Following her passion for creating, she received a BS from University of Delaware and MS from Colorado State University in Textiles and Clothing. She has worked in the American needlework industry for over 25 years as a creative director and a stitchery and knitwear designer. She is the author of 8 books including Color By Kristin, Kristin Knits, Colorful Stitchery, Kids Embroidery, Knitting for Baby, and more. Her specialty is working with color and she is known as a color expert within the needlework industry. She has her own line of yarn named “Julia”, after her daughter, which is distributed throughout North America by Nashua Handknits (a Division of Westminster Fibers). She has been also been featured as a knitting expert on PBS's Knit and Crochet Now for the three seasons.
Kristin's home and work have been featured in Country Home, Country Living, Vogue Knitting, Interweave Knits, Knitters Magazine, and many other national publications.
http://us.macmillan.com/author/kristi...
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
December 27, 2022
I'm torn on this one. I'm just not a color knitter (cables and lace all the way, baby!) but I am always impressed by Fair Isle patterns and what one can do with color. So, it's an inspiration book, rather than one I'd pick up to add to my shelf and make tons of patterns from? The problem is that the use of color is much the same throughout the book, and the color combinations that she uses throughout are definitely all of the same palette. So less inspiration there.
What I didn't like?
* Like I said - not totally my taste. Lots of very busy patterns, and not just the stitches - lots of extra embroidery and picots and flutters and such. Not really my taste.
* Not my taste in colors in the samples either, but that's more forgivable. It's easier to picture a project in a different color palette (at least for me) than picturing different shaping or pattern details. The catch was that she used the same colors throughout. Lots of orange and fuchsia and olive and navy. It would be nice to see at least swatches in different color combinations. The whole point of the book is to spark you thinking about patterns in color combinations, but then the whole book is using lots of the same colors. Throw in some jewel tones! Pastels! Neons! Even as sample swatches, it would have been helpful for the less color-inclined to start brainstorming combinations.
* I know that the yarn used most throughout the book was Julia, the yarn she herself designed/created. So it makes sense that it's the one that she goes to in the book. But it would be nice to see patterns in different textures and gauges, and/or have good suggestions for alternate yarns (extra true since Julia by Nashua is now owned by CEY and goes by a different name).
* As in any color pattern book, she likes her steeks. Steeks scare me. You cut your knitting!! I get that once you're confident, yadda yadda, but to intentionally throw in steeks to unravel for a fringe? That just seemed to want to make things complicated. But that's completely a "Me Issue." Again - cables and lace - I try to avoid steeking and 8 million ends to weave in.
On the plus side:
* I did like the notes. After my grumping about the steeks, she does give a good explanation of them, so hopefully, someone reading the book wouldn't be too intimidated.
* I really liked the different pattern repeats she provided at the end, sorted out by the size of the pattern repeat. A great way to mix and match a little more to make the pattern really your own.
* Colorways that I couldn't pull off in a thousand years aside, I did like the projects provided. There were some simpler ones (not beginning knitters, just beginning color knitters - simple shapes that you can play with the color patterning) as well as more complicated sweaters and jackets. Even an ottoman!
Thinking of projects, what would I actually make?
I liked the practice sampler pieces the most. The draft dodger (Chill Chaser) and the curly-edged adult scarf are both pieces I'd probably make to practice stranded knitting, though in other color schemes. And I really liked the patterns on the Norwegian Dream Pullover, though that would mean facing the Dreaded Steek...
Usual warning on my knit book reviews. Haven't actually made any projects here yet, so don't know how complete or coherent her directions are to actually follow, but they seem pretty good at a basic read-through.
Overall, it's not one I'd get for my own library, but it's one I'm glad my local library has to use as inspiration/reference when I'm either tackling something new or trying to break out of my usual ruts.
What I didn't like?
* Like I said - not totally my taste. Lots of very busy patterns, and not just the stitches - lots of extra embroidery and picots and flutters and such. Not really my taste.
* Not my taste in colors in the samples either, but that's more forgivable. It's easier to picture a project in a different color palette (at least for me) than picturing different shaping or pattern details. The catch was that she used the same colors throughout. Lots of orange and fuchsia and olive and navy. It would be nice to see at least swatches in different color combinations. The whole point of the book is to spark you thinking about patterns in color combinations, but then the whole book is using lots of the same colors. Throw in some jewel tones! Pastels! Neons! Even as sample swatches, it would have been helpful for the less color-inclined to start brainstorming combinations.
* I know that the yarn used most throughout the book was Julia, the yarn she herself designed/created. So it makes sense that it's the one that she goes to in the book. But it would be nice to see patterns in different textures and gauges, and/or have good suggestions for alternate yarns (extra true since Julia by Nashua is now owned by CEY and goes by a different name).
* As in any color pattern book, she likes her steeks. Steeks scare me. You cut your knitting!! I get that once you're confident, yadda yadda, but to intentionally throw in steeks to unravel for a fringe? That just seemed to want to make things complicated. But that's completely a "Me Issue." Again - cables and lace - I try to avoid steeking and 8 million ends to weave in.
On the plus side:
* I did like the notes. After my grumping about the steeks, she does give a good explanation of them, so hopefully, someone reading the book wouldn't be too intimidated.
* I really liked the different pattern repeats she provided at the end, sorted out by the size of the pattern repeat. A great way to mix and match a little more to make the pattern really your own.
* Colorways that I couldn't pull off in a thousand years aside, I did like the projects provided. There were some simpler ones (not beginning knitters, just beginning color knitters - simple shapes that you can play with the color patterning) as well as more complicated sweaters and jackets. Even an ottoman!
Thinking of projects, what would I actually make?
I liked the practice sampler pieces the most. The draft dodger (Chill Chaser) and the curly-edged adult scarf are both pieces I'd probably make to practice stranded knitting, though in other color schemes. And I really liked the patterns on the Norwegian Dream Pullover, though that would mean facing the Dreaded Steek...
Usual warning on my knit book reviews. Haven't actually made any projects here yet, so don't know how complete or coherent her directions are to actually follow, but they seem pretty good at a basic read-through.
Overall, it's not one I'd get for my own library, but it's one I'm glad my local library has to use as inspiration/reference when I'm either tackling something new or trying to break out of my usual ruts.
August 22, 2023
Kristin Nicholas seems fearless in her color choices but is she really just stuck in her own usual color palette and fearful of going monotone or pastel? I loved Classic Elite Yarns (the yarn company she worked for) and their patterns and mourn the loss of yet another great yarn brand. I do love the exuberance of the colors here but it's a shame that other color palettes aren't explored. I well doubt that I will ever embroider my finished knits to the extent that Nicholas shows. That said, the patterns are fun and there are numerous photos, graphs, and schematics to help you along. The only pattern I earmarked is the Family of Slipper Socks, as I'm also looking to bust my yarn stash. Inspirational, but one-sided.
March 20, 2024
Another book about design and color. Definitely food for thought, and the motif library is very useful.
June 8, 2010
Color by Kristin is an awesome knitting book, great for knitters who love to design their own projects. My realm is free-forming to create patterns, so flipping through this book was a lot of fun and very inspiring. I have a passion for color, and this book made my mouth water and my fingers twitch.
There are 25+ patterns—very colorful patterns—and a variety of graphs in the back for creating your own variations. The patterns range from very beginner to advanced, but they all have similarities: using graphs, embroidery, and several colors to create beautiful knits. There are mittens, socks, hats, scarves, shawls and wraps, pillows, sweaters, ottomans… the list goes on and on.
In the back is a "designer sourcebook" full of ideas for color changing, stitch patterns, color mixing, edges and trim, and of course graphs galore. The graphs are sorted by how many stitches your project has to have: several graphs for multiples of 2 stitches all the way up to multiples of 30.
If you love color, love fair isle, or love creating your own unique knits, this is the ideal book for you.
There are 25+ patterns—very colorful patterns—and a variety of graphs in the back for creating your own variations. The patterns range from very beginner to advanced, but they all have similarities: using graphs, embroidery, and several colors to create beautiful knits. There are mittens, socks, hats, scarves, shawls and wraps, pillows, sweaters, ottomans… the list goes on and on.
In the back is a "designer sourcebook" full of ideas for color changing, stitch patterns, color mixing, edges and trim, and of course graphs galore. The graphs are sorted by how many stitches your project has to have: several graphs for multiples of 2 stitches all the way up to multiples of 30.
If you love color, love fair isle, or love creating your own unique knits, this is the ideal book for you.
December 15, 2010
Renewed the library's copy of this book so many times I finally bought it.
The color charts at the back of the book are invaluable, as are the various techniques and edgings the author explains.
The explanation of how to chart your own colorwork designs is excellent! That, combined with the tips & tricks in Elizabeth Zimmermen's books is probably just about anything a designer would need to put together really outstanding color pieces.
The author's examples of colorwork, in the patterns she shares, definitely whet my appetite for expanding my colorwork. While I've tried a couple of the patterns, I'm finding the best use for me in this book is applying her ideas to other things. For instance: I'm having a ball adding color and interest to old standard patterns, such as the basic dorm boot pattern that's been around since my grandmother's day. Using basic patterns, each item I make can be an adventure in individuality.
Too much fun! :-)
The color charts at the back of the book are invaluable, as are the various techniques and edgings the author explains.
The explanation of how to chart your own colorwork designs is excellent! That, combined with the tips & tricks in Elizabeth Zimmermen's books is probably just about anything a designer would need to put together really outstanding color pieces.
The author's examples of colorwork, in the patterns she shares, definitely whet my appetite for expanding my colorwork. While I've tried a couple of the patterns, I'm finding the best use for me in this book is applying her ideas to other things. For instance: I'm having a ball adding color and interest to old standard patterns, such as the basic dorm boot pattern that's been around since my grandmother's day. Using basic patterns, each item I make can be an adventure in individuality.
Too much fun! :-)
May 7, 2010
Same old, same old. Everything in here is in a yarn by the company she works for, the wonder is that it was published in hardcover. Her design tips, which is why I wanted to read it, are nothing new.
August 21, 2013
Has some interesting inspirations for color. Patterns are playful versions of some basic items and directions are clear and easy to follow. . Not a bad book to go to when you need to be inspired or want a quick refresher on intarsia. Recommend checking out at least once.
July 28, 2011
Lots of beautiful color photos of gorgeous color work with how to's and patterns.
September 5, 2012
Lots of colored knits and how to use color. I would love to have the SW styled wrap! Pillows, scarves, hats and sweaters are in this book. They almost look like needlepoint.
September 15, 2012
WOW! Beautiful!
Read
May 10, 2013interesting - focuses on fair isle knitting
March 17, 2015
Sorry, Kirstin, very basic.
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews