Boutique Style Knits

Encouraging knitters to think beyond traditional patterns, this guide offers ways to construct and embellish work with smart and quirky personal touches that combine imaginative trims with hardware accents. Covering a wide variety of knitting techniques such as felting, intarsia, Fair Isle, lacework, and cables, the unique examples in this resource include buckles and bolts to close an intricately cabled belt, a chain handle to finish a felted bag, and grommets to complete a half-felted handbag. This collection of modern, stylish patterns will inspire beginning and intermediate knitters with its uncommon techniques and materials, dressing up quick and easy projects with head-turning flair.

Unique, fashionable knitted accessories can be yours without paying the high prices of expensive boutiques. Designer Brona O'Brien's handbags, hats, belts, and more will add style and flair to any wardrobe. There is something for everyone. Whether you're a beginning knitter, or have years of experience, Brona shows you how to create 14 fabulous knitted accessories that are truly yours. 14 designs: A Rose Is a Rose (pin or accent for ribbon choker), Sea Breeze Wrap, Paradise Bag, Forest Sash Belt, Tote Sweet, Avocado Phone Cozy, Cable Chic Belt, Spring Fling Cloche, Sparkle Plenty Purse, A Bag for All Seasons, Sherbet Delight (hat), Tied Up Tote, and Sweetheart Bag.

A top knitwear designer offers thirty-five retro-inspired patterns that put a new spin on fashion’s timeless trends. In fashion, one day you’re in, the next day you’re out . . . and the day after that, you’re back in again. Designers are always referring to fashion’s rich history as they imagine its present and future, and retro looks remain ever-fresh as they are renewed—and restyled—for the next generation of wearers. That’s precisely what top knitwear designer Véronik Avery is up to in Knitting Classic Style. Mining fashion’s endless archive, Avery has created 35 smashingly contemporary garments that take their cues from decades and designers past. The collection of clothing and accessories Avery presents is organized into four thematic chapters that highlight women’s wear, men’s wear (and its influence on women’s and children’s clothing), traditional ethnic garb, and sportswear. Aimed at both beginning and more advanced knitters, the book’s projects range in difficulty from a simple drawstring purse, French beret, and Afghan-inspired slipper-socks to a shawl-collared cardigan, a geometric ski sweater based on a popular 1950s Native American design, and Avery’s own reinterpretation of the trimly elegant Chanel jacket. The author introduces each project by explaining its historical/cultural roots; Sara Cameron’s moody photos evoke the settings that have inspired Avery’s reworkings of the classics.

Big city. Big style. Discover knitting that's fashionable yet timeless. Knit for uptown or downtown with a trend-setting New York City designer. With these 20 polished, sophisticated projects, knitwear designer Melissa Wehrle has created a collection that perfectly reflects the rhythm, flavor, and drama of city life. From a chunky cabled sweater and hat to a beautiful tunic and gossamer cardigan, Melissa's designs are beautifully shaped, expertly finished, and ready to be shown off on the street. They feature a variety of construction and finishing techniques, including knit-in pockets, tabs, button details, slip-stitch edgings, and small slits and pleats. Projects are divided along three themes: Heart of the City - Designed for those who enjoy sleek midtown in mind. Urban Bohemia - The downtown bohemian goddess will love these looks. City Gardens - Made to inspire a sense of tranquility. These three looks balance out a complete picture of the modern woman. What more could a city knitter need?

Stitch cozy, comfy gifts for little ones! Discover a great selection of nine fun-to-knit projects. Create appealing clothes and accessories in a range of styles, including hats, baby blankets, pillows, jeans and a T-shirt, a cuddly toy, a scalloped-edge jumper, and more.

Knit your own couture wardrobe! As a knitter, you know the appeal of creating a piece that can go from home to office, from weekday to weekend--and, most importantly, that looks flattering on your figure. But that can be easier said than done! Until now. Knitwear designer Alex Capshaw-Taylor has created a collection of 19 knitted garments and accessories featuring timeless, high-fashion designs that are refreshingly easy to wear. In Dressed in Knits, you'll experiment with a variety of techniques including multidirectional knitting, colorwork (intarsia and stranded), cabling, and more. Unique to this guide is helpful information devoted to educating knitters on couture details that produce designer quality finished pieces. Alex will demonstrate proper seeming, picking up stitches, applying beads, turning a hem, creating pockets, steeking, adding zippers to knitwear, and more. Helpful tips on styling finished garments will also be sprinkled throughout the book, like how adding a belt to a piece can change the silhouette giving it a totally different look. Dressed in Knits isn't just another knitting book. It's your fashion-forward guide to a whole new wardrobe.

Unsure how to sew the new knits so they'll look great and fit better than ready-to-wear? Knits for Real People helps readers sort out the differences in fabric types and explains the fitting and sewing techniques for each. Photographs of knit fashions from McCall's, Vogue, and Butterick pattern companies provide inspiration throughout the book and illustrate the many types of knits. The many techniques explained include: layout, cutting, and marking; seaming techniques using sewing machines and sergers, including the use of the differential feed feature; creative embellishments, including piping, flounces, "peepers," and decorative serging; neckline and edge finishes, including bands, collars, and bindings; sleeves, hems and closures; and fitting techniques for tops, pants, and activewear. Knit fabrics are very popular in fabric stores and this book helps people take advantage by teaching how to fit patterns for this versatile material.

Presents instructions for the top-down technique of knitting, along with patterns for such projects as dresses, skirts, jackets, and hats and a description of finishing methods.

Knitting for Dogs, illustrated with full color, will enchant knitters of all levels and dog-owners who want bespoke clothes and accessories for their canines. In Knitting for Dogs, you'll find more than twenty easy-to-follow designs here for every kind of dog, from sequined sweaters for your toy dog princess to a handsome sport coat with racing stripes for your L or XL big boy. But why stop there when you can knit a hat with Fair Isle trim or fingerless Aran gloves to match your pet's jaunty sweater? And because accessories make the dog, there are patterns for everything from a cat-shaped squeaky toy to a walk-in-the-park shoulder bag for carrying keys, doggie treats, and the all-important plastic bags. With foolproof instructions on how to properly measure a dog so that the project comes out just right, Knitting for Dogs will provide hours of entertainment for you and turn even the average pooch into the envy of the dog-run set. So whether you're a beginner or expert knitter, on the cutting edge of fashion or all about what's practical, you'll find something here to please both you and your canine companion.

Educating knitters about fine yarns, this information-packed book features more than 20 stylish and contemporary projects to knit with lightweight yarns. Knitters will learn what fine yarns are, the many advantages of knitting with them, plus tips and techniques to make the knitting process even more enjoyable. Perfect for all skill levels, the projects in this guidebook show that garments knitted with thin yarns not only fit more precisely, but are more flattering to the figure and feel better against the skin. They also offer more versatility for fashion elements such as ruching, ruffles, gauzy layers, and drape. Crafters will find stylish and contemporary patterns, including a drapy silk top, a supple zippered cable hoodie, a bamboo skirt with stunning drape, a bohus-inspired pullover, a wrap dress, a ruffled scarf, and much more.