Reviewed by Meri
ATELIER to nani IRO
Naomi Ito
Published in 2021 by Bunka Publishing
95 pages. ¥1700 JPY
ISBN: 978-4579117260
Sequel to the 2018 book (English version was published in 2019), Naomi Ito's new pattern book is full of wearable patterns with a little bit of a modern twists, and is a great starting point for planning your summer wardrobe for the next couple of years. I particularly love the dress on the cover and a gathered skirt.
There are several basic patterns included, with different customization options, for a total of 18 pieces you can make.
Norah Gaughan's Twisted Stitch Sourcebook: A Breakthrough Guide to Knitting and Designing
Norah Gaughan
Published in 2021 by Abrams
272 pages. $29.99
ISBN: 978-1419747564
An eye-opening book to give you new insights on how to understand and create knit fabric. It is amazing to see that, even after hundreds of years of innovation, there is still a new approach to stitch patterns. Twisted stitch is where two adjacent stitches cross without changing the order of the stitches, and it can create complex patterns when combining horizontal and vertical lines. A must-read for knitwear designers.
Funny Shape Knits
Asuka Hamada
Published in 2020 by Bunka Publishing
87 pages. ¥1500 JPY
ISBN: 978-4579117185
Asuka Hamada is a Japanese fashion designer based in Berlin, and an author of several sewing books. This is her first knitting pattern book, containing 15 garments and 2 accessories. Each piece has a simple yet unconventional shape, which looks very modern and fashionable when worn. Most patterns have charts, so if you are an experienced knitter, you can probably piece them together without understanding Japanese.
Magical Woodland Knits: Knitting Patterns for 12 Wonderfully Lifelike Animals
Claire Garland
Published in 2020 by David & Charles
127 pages. $24.99
ISBN: 978-1446308103
I have been following this designer and admiring her beautiful work, such as fairly realistic-looking squirrels and rabbits, on Instagram and Ravelry. This book contains full-color, detailed step-by-step instructions of 12 animals and birds. I love how subtle mixes of colors create realistic textures of furs and feathers. My favorite from this book is the badger.