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Review: New Lace Knitting

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new lace kntiting book reviewI have a strange relationship with lace. I like the idea of lace knitting, I love the look of a lot of it, and yet I resolved long ago that my lifestyle is not that of a person who knits or wears a lot of lace. I don’t have the patience for complicated patterns, long repeats or the seemingly unending length of time an intricate lace knitting project would require.

Yet I still love the idea that you can make shapes with holes, and I can get behind using lace as an accent on projects (and though completely unrelated to knitting I just today bought two shirts featuring lace trim).

If you like the look and the idea of lace but maybe not so much the traditional patterns like giant lace shawls that take forever to knit, check out Rosemary (Romi) Hill’s book New Lace Knitting: Designs for Wide Open Spaces.

In it, she looks at some traditional lace motifs like waves, leaves and diamonds and uses them in different ways, sometimes enlarging or editing the pattern, other times leaving it like the original. The motifs are then used on tops, sweaters, cowls, shawls, hats and other projects.

These designs are pretty and often a great way to use a little bit of lace to great effect (though there are some larger, detailed and more advanced patterns here, too). A couple of my favorites include the sweater on the cover, called the Manzanita Tee, featuring a chevron lave pattern on the yoke and picot edgings; the Hope Valley Flounce, a knit denim skirt; and the Crystal bay Shawl, which uses a Print o’ the Wave edging on an otherwise Garter Stitch shawl.

You can check out all the patterns on Ravelry. You’ll also love Romi’s rules for lace knitting, which are important for new lace knitters and those with experience.

This is a fun book for people who like lace but who maybe don’t want another lacy shawl (though there are some of those here, too) or who want to knit a project that’s a little different from traditional lace. If you’ve looked at this book or knit anything from it, I’d love to know what you think!

About the book: 168 pages, paperback, 19 patterns (no skill levels given, but some knowledge of lace knitting is helpful, garments have between five and seven sizes). Published by Interweave/F+W, September 2015. Suggested retail $24.99.

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Comments

  1. I really love his book, but haven’t purchased it yet. I like to knit (and wear) lace garments… During the past couple of years I have made a number of lace tops (with sleeves) to wear during the summer over a tank. I think it’s a good modest look with a little glamour. Like the top on the cover, it’s pretty and feminine even if you’re wearing it with capris.

Have you read?

Book Review: Knitovation Stitch Dictionary

There’s always room for more stitch dictionaries on your shelf, but Andrea Rangel’s Knitovation Stitch Dictionary is unlike those stitch pattern books you might already own. That’s because this one is full of colorwork stitch patterns rather than textured stitches, lace or cables, so the designs are ripe for adding to hats, sweaters and other projects with a stockinette stitch background. 

The book starts with a quick introduction to knitting colorwork that’s also unlike what you’ve probably seen before, because it’s less about the colors themselves and more about the kinds of fibers you choose, how the yarn is prepared and the gauge you’re working at and how those things all change the look of a design. 

Most of the book is filled with motif designs and swatches. The motifs were designed and named by Andrea’s husband Sean, who is an artist and brings a bit of whimsy to the designs. 

You’ll find some classic looking leaves and flowers, mosaics and waves, but also rubber ducks, penguins, puzzle pieces, cherries and cows, snails and teapots, eyeballs and chess pieces, to name a few. Many of the designs also have funny names, like a fish named toilet bound, or cats in suits called corporate fat cat.

Of course you can use the designs in any way you want on any project you like, but there are also three patterns in the book — for a hat, a sweater and a pair of fingerless gloves — plus discussion of how the motifs were added, adjusting patterns for a different size or gauge, and adding your own motifs. 

If you like adding a bit of colorwork to otherwise plain projects that other people have designed, or you’re ready to start making your own designs with fun motifs, this book is a great place to start. The fun and funny motifs are sure to inspire you to want to pick up your needles and add a little more color to your projects. 

About the book: 160 pages, hardcover, 150+ motifs and three knitting patterns. Published 2023 by Interweave, suggested retail $28.