Book Review: Wool Studio

I’m in the process of moving my office to another room in my house, and while I’ve been cleaning and clearing I found some long-neglected knitting books that are in need of reviewing. So hopefully this will bring back more regular book reviews over here, at least until I run out of books!

First up, Wool Studio: The knit.wear Capsule Collection. knit.wear is an Interweave publication that launched in 2011. Wool Studio is a pattern collection developed by the knit.wear editors for digital download, and the book includes the patterns from the first two pattern collections (because some people still really like printed books).

The patterns aim to be classic and modern, things you can knit now and feel good in but that won’y look dated next season. Most of the patterns are for sweaters and tops, but there’s also a cowl, a scarf and a wrap.

The projects are named after beach towns, and many of them have a laid-back, casual feel. There are more than a few oversized project (check out all the patterns on Ravelry).

Kate Gagnon Osborn shares a fun, rectangular lace tank in her Monterrey Tee, while Sarah Solomon’s Pacific Grove Tee is a simple, oversized, off-the-shoulder garment worked in a luscious blend of cashmere, silk and wool. I also like the Topanga Canyon Cardigan (OK, I guess they’re not all beaches) from Veronik Avery, with pretty Moss Stitch panels that cascade into super long fronts you can leave open or snuggle up in.

Bristol Ivy’s Hyannis Port Pullover is also fun, with a combo of short rows and colorwork that makes for shifting stripes on the back.

About the book: 144 pages, hardcover, 21 patterns. Published April 2018 by Interweave Press. Suggested retail $27.99

Looking for more knitting patterns for knitted Cardigans? Check out these Knitting patterns we found on Etsy.

Specific to knitters, you can join our Knitting Patterns Only group to get, well, knitting patterns, ask questions and gain inspiration for what to knit next.

Looking for Yarn online? Check out Lionbrand our preferred source for purchasing yarn online.

Not too long ago I did a test knit for another designer that was for a cabled cardigan. It’s really cozy and nice but it just about broke me in a ton of different ways. I couldn’t get gauge, which I suppose is my own problem, but mainly I was somehow both bored and forced to pay attention at the same time.

Because it used the same cable all over, I always had to know what row I was on, but nine out of ten of those rows, nothing in particular was going on. So I couldn’t stop paying attention, but what I needed to attend to was boring.

It may have ruined me for knitting cabled sweaters, but maybe I just need something that’s more engaging. Like this Modern Aran Cardigan pattern from Lion Brand Yarn.

This is a reworking of an old pattern from their archives, and you can tell that form the classic look of the cables and the oversized feel (nothing cropped about this one!). It has allover cables, but like a classic Aran sweater it’s not the same cable, so you’ll have to pay attention to what row you’re on and what cable turns happen for which cables on that row.

Because of this, it’s considered an intermediate knitting pattern, but if you’re comfortable working from multiple charts at once it shouldn’t be a problem for you. There are three different charts and seven different cable moves.

Also because the pattern is so big and boxy there are only two sizes available, with a finished chest measurement of either 49 or 63 inches (that’s 124.5 or 160 cm). It’s up to you to decide how much ease you would like and whether that will work for your body.

The pattern uses worsted weight yarn (and calls for another classic, Lion Brand Fisherman’s Wool). It calls for six buttons and includes pockets to make it extra cozy.

This one looks like a great winter project to make and to wear if you’re up for a bit of a challenge. You can grab the free pattern or buy a kit with the yarn needed direct from Lion Brand Yarn.

[Photo: Lion Brand Yarn]

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