Book Review: Mosaic Chart Directory for Knitting and Crochet

I’m a big fan of mosaic knitting, which is a way to make colorwork designs in two colors while knitting with only one strand of yarn at a time. You slip the stitches that show as the second color, and each “row” is what you’d normally consider a row and the return on the wrong side.

It’s pretty logical once you understand how it works and there are lots of designs you can make with this technique. (One of my favorite patterns of mine that uses mosaic knitting is this mosaic knit cowl.)

Anna Nikipirowicz is a crocheter and knitter who loves the look of mosaic, too, and her book, Mosaic Chart Directory for Knitting and Crochet, includes 75 different charts you can use on projects for both knitting and crochet.

The book opens with an overview of mosaic knitting and crochet, basic tools and how to read charts. The main thing with reading and following a mosaic knitting chart is that each row has two numbers. If you’re working flat you work from right to left first, then left to right on the wrong side. Each of the patterns in this book includes written instructions for both the knit and crochet versions, but it’s good practice to learn how to work from the charts.

The 75 designs are arranged into themes: geometric, Aztec, general, nature and seasonal. I guess they had to be organized in some way but these classifications are pretty vague. You’ll just want to flip through and see what you like.

Patterns are also given skill levels from 1 to 3 needles or hooks. Many of them are level 3, but there are few in each section that rate a 1 or 2. I would have liked an index of projects by skill level, or just having them arranged by skill level, but you’ll want to look at all of them anyway.

Some of these designs are classics (like the little squares I used on the cowl linked above, brick stitch and chevrons) while others Nikipirowicz developed. There are no patterns in the book showing how the stitches look in a finished project, just the swatches to use as inspiration for adding them to your projects.

It’s fun to see how different the same pattern can look when worked in knitting or crochet (this is mostly due to the stitches being different shapes/sizes). If you know how to both knit and crochet you can play with these designs in different projects and in different kinds of stitching to come up with the perfect project to make!

About the book: 176 pages, paperback, 75 patterns. Published 2024 by David & Charles. Suggested retail price $26.99.

Adding a bit of knitting to your fall decor is a lot of fun, whether it’s knit pumpkins or a bunch of adorable knit ghosts like these.

Knit ghosts can be super simple like this free ghost knitting pattern from Trixie Zynch on Ravelry. Using about 50 yards of worsted weight yarn, they’re worked from the bottom up and are super cute as a pair.

This fuzzy little ghost from Forest Knitting Toys is holding a pumpkin and wearing a witch hat, though of course the accessories are optional, as is the fuzzy yarn. The main yarn is chunky and the ghost measures about 10 cm/4 inches tall. It’s worked in the round.

Another fuzzy ghost in more of a Pacman style is this ghost plushie form South Stitch Girls. It’s worked in the round with bulky yarn and includes a sweet little bow you can make in whatever color you like.

The ghost doll from Edith Grace Designs has little arms and a curl at the top of its head. The body is worked flat using DK weight yarn and you could also work it in glow in the dark yarn for extra fun. The body and head are worked in one piece with the arms knit separately.

The Grim Grinning Ghosts from Susan Claudino are super cute and you can knit them in any yarn and gauge you like to make ghosts of different sizes. These are worked in the round with the body done in one piece and the arms are knit separately. The ghosts shown were knit in sock yarn, DK and worsted weight yarn. You can find the pattern on Ravelry.

Make a ghost with funny striped legs with this ghost shelf sitter design from Claire Fairall Designs. It’s worked in three colors of DK weight yarn, and the letters spelling out boo are made with strips of garter stitch sewn into shape.

Have you read?