Knitwear Design Workshop by Shirley Paden

More than just a workshop, this is a workbook! 400 pages!

Shirley starts with talking you through how to plan your design. Already have an idea in mind? Do your layouts, plan the different shapes your design can take. What kind of collar do you want? What kind of sleeves? Armhole shapings? Cardigan or pullover? A certain kind of neckband or collar? How do you want your design to lay? Or is it a skirt or dress? With book, you’ll learn all the tricks of the trade for designing with step-by-step instructions for using measurements, calculations, and schematics.

Augh! I give up! No, no, no! With this book, it’s easy. Shirley walks the walk and talks the talk right along with you and breaks it down step by step. Overwhelming you say? Nope, not with this workshop/workbook by your side. It’s easy to figure out exactly how to get that image from your brain, down onto paper with Shirley’s methods.

Then, once it’s on paper, the fun of choosing your yarns begins, and gauges, and how to knit your repeats, shaping… Again, it’s easy with this book.

After your original design is done, you still have to block it. But Shirley hasn’t left in that canoe without a paddle either. She’s got a whole chapter devoted to finishing techniques. From blocking, to shoulder seams, to necklines, armhole seams, side and sleeve seams, button holes and even zippers, this book shows you how. And then, just when you thought you couldn’t possibly fit any more information into a book, there’s an appendix section with abbreviations, a design process checklist, measurement charts, shaping formula variations and more.

If you’re a knitwear designer wanna-be, this is a MUST-HAVE book. Very much worth the money spent. And you can get it directly from Interweave Press, by clicking on this link!

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

Looking for pullover and sweater patterns? Check these books out.

Next Pattern:

Blankets are a great blank slate project that you can change up in a million different ways. From color to stitch pattern to size, the possibilities are almost endless.

Jared Flood, the designer behind Brooklyn Tweed, was inspired by a log cabin quilt his mother made in 1995 to re-create that design in knitting, which led to more blankets and ultimate Brooklyn Tweed’s Knit and Crochet Blankets, which includes 25 patterns from an array of designers using different skills and techniques to make cozy, pretty blankets.

The patterns are divided into three aesthetic themes: traditions, minimalism and colorplay. The patterns are rated on a scale of one to five, with one being the easiest, and there aren’t any pieces rated five. Two blankets are rated one, 14 are two, eight are three and one is four.

In addition, three of the 25 patterns are crocheted, but they either use single crochet or granny stitch, so they are pretty easy even if you don’t do a lot of crochet. You can see all the patterns on Ravelry.

Some of my favorites include Rattan by Rastus Hsu, a chunky blanket worked in knits and purls with simple crossing stitches to make a raised woven look; Homewood by Seth Richardson, covers in dramatic, loopy cables; Ainur Berkimbayeva’s Tessellate, one of the beginner projects that doesn’t really look beginner but is totally worked in knit and purl stitches; Warp + Weft by Aist? Butkevi?ien?, which is mostly knits and purls but makes a fun woven look fabric that blew my mind a little bit; and the same designer’s Canyonland, a multicolored blanket with wavy stripes.

The patterns tell you how to resize them for different dimensions and include information on pattern repeats where it is possible to make a totally custom size.

Many different techniques are included here such as cables, lace, shadow knitting, intarsia and other colorwork techniques, as well as modular knitting and lots of sewing pieces together. The patterns are all presented with charts, but there are line by line written instructions available on the Brooklyn Tweed website if you need them.

The book ends with a deep dive into log cabin knitting, telling the story of the quilt Jared’s mom made and how he made it in knitting, as well as the multitude of variations you can make if you want your own log cabin style design.

The back of the book includes a little written information about some of the special techniques needed, but there are no photos.

This is a lovely book full of inspiration for knitting and crochet blankets for any skill level. If you like to make blankets as gifts or aspire to have a handmade blanket in every room of the house, these designs would be a great place to start.

About the book: 192 pages, paperback, 25 patterns. Published 2024 by Abrams Books, suggested retail price $24.99.

Next Pattern:

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