Brooke Nico is skilled at taking simple shapes and reinterpreting them in the framework of lace knitting projects. Her books Lovely Knitted Lace and More Lovely Knitted Lace
start with basic geometric shapes, add lace and turn them into shawls, tops, cowls and other garments.
The basic format of both books is much the same, involving four basic shapes converted into 16 projects. Both books use rectangles, squares, triangles and circles as their starting point, but that doesn’t mean the books are repetitive; there’s lots to do within these shapes to make them interesting. (Check out the projects for the original and the new book on Ravelry.)
The books both cover the basic skills you need to know in order to complete the projects, from her favorite cast on (the knit cast on) to how to make yarn overs in different situations, make nupps and short rows and bind off. I’m a little surprised there’s nothing about blocking here; she mentions it but doesn’t explain how to do it.
There are lots of really lovely patterns in here. A few that I would love to knit include the Arbor Triangular Shawl, worked in medium weight yarn with diamond and leaf patterns; the Montauk Sweater, a basic top-down raglan with a bit of lace on the raglan seams, down the sides and at the cuffs and turtleneck; and the Troika Wrap, a wavy lace rectangle that can be worn as a shrug, scarf or cowl.
I’d swear there’s a picture in the introduction of a design that isn’t in the book, but these are pretty patterns using a variety of yarn weights, amounts of lace and shaping techniques. The patterns for the lace are written out and charted, so it’s great for newer lace knitters or others intimidated by charts.
About the book: 128 pages, paperback, 16 patterns, no skill level given (garments that are sized offer three or six options). Published April 2016 by Lark Books. Suggested retail $19.95.
