That one would be "Inspired to Knit" and it is very inspiring! I don't like it when people say a book is a must, because I feel like they are telling me how ti live my life, but this book is certainly a wonderful resource for anyone who wants to ever (not just in the near future) design their own knitted garments, or any garments, really. Yes, it is mostly patterns, but there is a lesson in four parts on how to design your own sweaters, from inspiration to sizing and schematics.
As for the patterns, they are gorgeous! They are divided into four groups, (autumn, winter, spring, and summer) and use many different techniques. The groups contain not only patterns for wearing in the given season, but inspired by it as well.
Autumn is filled with patterns inspired by leaves, wheat, and fall flowers. There is a gorgeous cardigan with beautiful intarsia flowers all over it, a caplet and gauntlet (long fingerless glove) set inspired by intricate fair isle sweaters, and a jacket with an amazing knit-and-purl leaf design.
Winter has more color than you might think, though it is mostly blue. At least you won't be stuck knitting endless gray sweaters in the gray months. There is a beautiful holiday cropped jacket with lace and softly sparkling yarn, an interesting jacket inspired by snowdrifts with gently sloping cables (the cover garment), and an oversize simple pullover which, while not exactly my style, embodies the spirit of sitting by the fire with a warm drink perfectly, and I might make it for exactly that purpose.
Spring is embodied perfectly in this section, though there are no real florals, as opposed to Autumn, which had two rather intricate ones, and Winter, which had an embroidered one. There is a jacket with an attached lace scarf as a collar, which I think is just plain cool, an intricate Victorian lace blouse, and a fabulous and figure-flattering top inspired by vintage lingerie.
Summer has much better knit designs for warm weather than I've seen in most books. There is a camisole with cables that look like netting over the top, and a creative knit-seven-purl-one rib that together suggest a mermaid to me, although this is not mentioned in the book. Also there is a beautiful but simple body-conscious halter top, that would look great in a variegated yarn (I am always interested in that point), and an absolutely stunning wedding skirt that uses increasingly more intricate lace and lighter yarn, so that the skirt that was solid at the top, is quite sheer by the bottom (which lands around the ankles). It is gorgeously shaped, and could easily be worn to any formal occasion, especially in a different color. There is a top too, but it is t-shirtish and quite boring. Such a fabulous skirt deserves better than that, so I am going to deepen the neckline (maybe turn it into a halter) and shape the neck better. It would look wonderful with the shrug from the latest Vogue Knitting (the one without the freaky hairstyles and weird colors on the front) or alone if it is a halter. Hey, maybe I can combine the previously mentioned halter and this skirt!
This book is wonderful, and the patterns are nearly all flattering and figure-hugging. Those few patterns that are not to my taste employ interesting techniques or ideas to be used in invented patterns. I have not yet knit one of these (obviously, since I only got it yesterday) but I have read through some of the instructions and they seem to be clear. I did have one complaint, but I forgot it. I will write it down later when I remember.
Thank you! Thank you!
