Pop Knitting: Bold Motifs Using Color & Stitch [Paperback]

This book combines various types of texture, color and motif knitting techniques in a novel fashion. If you want to add something VERY fresh to your knitting, this book can give you a lot of wonderfully fun ideas. Author Brit-Marie Christoffersson, who is Swedish, takes her inspiration from designs out of the traditional and vintage folk textiles of Scandinavia (small prints, those folkloric prints that were so popular in the Thirties through Fifties decades) along with the bright, blocky almost child-like colorwork from the Sixties and Seventies a la Marimekko.

The techniques range from adding beads, knitting motifs in the style of modular knitting (aka domino knitting aka mitered squares and more) and adding textural and colorful bands, tubular accents, linked motifs with holes, round holes, square holes, diamonds, bricks, checks, and bands linked by yarn strands imitating those thread insertions in French handsewing. The photos are large, well printed and have a lot of detail. The ideas are very fresh and exciting.

So, this book is sort of a stitch dictionary demonstrating these unusual techniques--and the cover gives you a good idea of the type of textural color work you'll find inside. There is a sweater schematic (flat shapes of a cardigan) and you can use that as a template to overlay with the netted motif knitting to make a mod lacy jacket, or you can essentially knit fabric with dense texture or colorful small repeats, almost a print, in a way, to make a printed cardigan. This is not a "knit me" pattern book of garments, however. Very few garments are demonstrated in the book. Instead, you are focusing on FABRIC. So you could adapt any of the ideas that catch your eye to, say, pillows or afghans, too. This book is about Texture, Pattern and Fabric.

Who will like this book? Designers and adventurous knitters who want to branch out and create something unique will find this a terrific resource. Or, someone who wants to make accents and appliques--you will be able to make some really creative designs. Who will want to pass on this book? If you are the type of knitter who finds motif knitting slow and boring, or if you want patterns to follow to create a garment, complete with sizes laid out for you, or if you like classical knitted lace, this is probably not for you.

The book is laid out as a typical stitch dictionary; the chapters are listed by technique:
two color garter, four rows
two color garter, three rows
apron designs (small print-like designs as on vintage apron and dishtowel fabrics)
slipped stitches and stockinette
slipped stitches and garter
slipped stitches that form welts
casting off and binding off within rows
cords on outer edges, bind off designs
braids, honeycombs, braided bands
holes and buttonholes
surface motifs
knitting in different directions
joining stitches in succession
vertical increases and decreases
shortened and lengthened rows

This is the most over-the-top knitting book I have ever seen. I see great knitting adventures (and probably some frustration) ahead. I had visions of pillow covers and scarves dancing in my head the day it arrived. She works in a very fine yarn and very small needles but as you know that is all adjustable. I intend to make a collection of swatch samples to go with the book. This is a gourmet delight for designers.
Highly recommended. Not for beginners.

As you can see from the cover, this isn't an ordinary knitting book. It isn't even full of patterns which yield a finished product. But if you love to use color (and interesting texture) in your knitting in new ways and aren't afraid of going outside of the box, then this book could be for you. There's a lot you can do with just simple stitches in this book, but it's the manipulation of these stitches that makes the color 'pop'.

The actual stitch pattern is printed in a clear font and yes, yes, the author uses double spacing between each row of instruction. This layout really helps me to keep track of what I'm doing. When applicable, multiples are listed right at the top (how many stitches one needs to complete the pattern on one row). This makes all the difference in being able to transfer this into your design. If blocks are used, the amount of stitches is listed right at the top of the pattern. In addition, in the latter part of the book, there are instructions to lead you through the technical end of all this color work.

This is all about design. If you have an idea for a sweater that needs something to jazz it up or if you just want to make a one of a kind blanket (or afghan if you prefer), then this book will guide you along the way. I am a beginner at knitting so I'm not too sure this would be for me, just yet, but with time and the instructions included, I can see that one day I could make my own knitted fabric. But for now, all you intermediate and advanced knitters, have at it!