Book Review – Twisted Stitch Sourcebook

The essential guide to using simple twisted stitches to add interest and beauty to handknits

Master the simple and addictive art of the twisted stitch. The basics are easy to learn, and the design possibilities (and twist combinations that come to light once you begin) are almost endless. The book starts with a treasure trove of twisted stitch variations, starting with patterns made from diagonals and building from there—adding horizontal and vertical elements, combining twisted stitches with lace or polygon knitting, and pushing boundaries with patterns that twist stitches in every row for more advanced textures.

The book Twisted Stitch Sourcebook o?ers 125-plus stitch patterns, along with guidance on how the twists are engineered and how knitters can create designs of their own. Norah’s always-clear instructions are presented in a conversational, easy-to-understand voice that proceeds naturally as one twisted stitch leads to the next. Readers can test their newfound skills with the 15 garment patterns included—irresistible designs for hats, wraps, sweaters, and more.

Next Pattern:

If you’re looking for a fun project to play with brioche knitting, check out the My Buddy knitting pattern/recipe from Casuarinagirl on Ravelry.

This project doesn’t include a brioche tutorial, so it’s good to know the basics, including how to increase and decrease, but you can always practice on a swatch before you start the project if you want.

The design is meant to be flexible for the yarn you have and what size and shape of project you want to make, from a skinny neck scarf to a asymmetrical triangle or a more classic triangular shape.

The shape you end up with will depend on how often you increase (and then decrease on the other side). The pattern mentions increasing every fourth, fifth or six row (and the one shown increases and decreases every sixth row) but you can do it even more or less often depending on the shape you’re looking for an how much yarn you want to use.

You can work to whatever depth you would like, or use almost half of the yarn you have set aside for the project and begin decreasing.

When it comes to yarn, she used three strands of yarn held together to make a super fluffy shawl, but you can work it with whatever yarn and needles you like to make a wrap that’s all your own.

If you are new to brioche (or to increasing and decreasing in brioche) it might be a good idea to make a little scarf or head wrap first before diving in to the bigger pattern, just so you’re more comfortable with the technique. Or just give it a go; nothing about brioche knitting is that difficult. (But you might want to use a lifeline because I find brioche hard to rip out or fix mistakes in properly.)

You can grab the free pattern for the Buddy Wrap on Ravelry.

[Photo: Casuarinagirl]

Next Pattern:

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