Graphic designer, blogger and knitter Emma Robertson loves mood boards, bright colors, vintage fashion photos and bold knitted accessories. These elements come together in her first book, Knitting by Design, which includes 15 projects ranging from chunky color-block mittens to a slinky dip-dyed ombré tank top.
Robertson's playful esthetic and her love of color shine through in these pages, which feature design sketches and fabric swatches galore. Each pattern includes not only the basic instructions for knitting and finishing, but also "design inspiration" pages where Robertson shares her creative process through project notes and bulletin boards. Even more informative are the "trial & error" notes for each project, where the designer shows that her initial ideas go through many stages before reaching their final form. Budding designers and DIYers will especially appreciate these behind-the-scenes peeks.
While each project is explained fully, the book is intended to inspire knitters to improvise or even create their own accessories from scratch. Robertson offers plenty of helpful (albeit basic) tips on materials, techniques and craft terminology. With a breezy, accessible writing style and dozens of bright, whimsical photos, Knitting by Design infuses a traditional craft with a vivid palette of colors and a hefty dose of easygoing can-do spirit. --Katie Noah Gibson, blogger at Cakes, Tea and Dreams