New Knitting Books for Spring 2023
While we wait for spring to sprung, let's take a look at new knitting books coming out in the next couple of months. There's not a huge amount of titles to choose from but these seven soon-to-be-out books caught my eye.
Colorwork Traditions
The first three books all deal with traditional colorwork patterns from the coastal regions of the North Sea. The first two come from Norway; the third from Shetland's Fair Isle. Both have centuries-long history of knitting and colorwork styles unique to the region.
In Norway's Knitted Heritage: The History, Surprises, and Power of Traditional Nordic Sweater Patterns, renowned designer and teacher Annemor Sundbø examines the history and influences in Norwegian colorwork designs.
Nordic knitting designs have long enchanted the world. What makes their allure and beauty so timeless? The answer is fascinating, and author Annemor Sundbø, known as "Norway's Sweater Detective," welcomes you on a wild ride to discover it. She's the foremost expert on the subject of these designs' history and evolution and reveals how the centuries of Norway's culture, prehistory, history, myths, and more have created the patterns we love to knit.
Norway's Knitted Heritage comes out on May 28, 2023.
This second book is a modern take on Norwegian knitting traditions.
Nina Granlund Sæther—the best-selling author of Mittens from Around Norway, Socks from Around Norway, and Knits from Around Norway—is a fan favorite of knitters worldwide for her attention to detail, her engaging color combinations, and her talent for breathing fresh life into Norwegian textile history. Now, she’s brought together a selection of her personal favorites from her previous titles, plus a handful of brand-new patterns, in this one-of-a-kind collection of two-of-a-kind projects: over 40 patterns for both mittens and socks, inspired by traditional designs from every corner of Norway.
Nina's Favorite Mittens and Socks from Around Norway: Over 40 Traditional Knitting Patterns Inspired by Norwegian Folk-Art Collections by Nina Granlund Saether is scheduled for release on March 14, 2023.
The third book in this lot, although focusing on Fair Isle knitting, was actually written by a Swede.
The centuries-old art of Fair Isle knitting evolved on the Shetland Islands, inspired by colors and forms found in nature, for a distinctive look that’s instantly recognizable. Now, Carina Olsson, one of Sweden’s leading experts in Fair Isle knitting, is here to guide you through this technique’s fundamental principles: how to choose and combine colors in vivid, organic palettes, with over 20 sample patterns for sweaters, mittens, hats, and gloves, ready to adapt to your favorite motifs—plus inspiration and instructions for designing a Fair Isle sweater of your own.
Cast away with Fair Isle Knitting: 22 Traditional Patterns from Where the Atlantic Meets the North Sea by Carina Olsson on May 16, 2023.
Elemental, My Dear Watson
This second set of two books are both built around a distinct design element. If I were to summarize Veera Välimäki's design style in a few words, the terms "short rows" and "stripes" are the first two things that come to mind. In Stripes: 20 Contemporary Knitwear Projects she explores the simplest form of using multiple colors in your knitwear.
For years, Veera Välimäki has been fascinated by playing with colors and textures – and striping with them. In Stripes, she encourages you to discover the endless possibilities, incredible techniques and stunning effects of striped knitwear, with patterns including sweaters, cardigans and shawls, as well as a relaxed dress, a beanie and your new favorite pair of socks.
Get your stripe on on April 11, 2023. And check out the MaireKAL on Instagram, running from March 1 to June 31.
Gabrielle Vézina of Gabrielle Knits focuses on lace in her book Lovely Lace Knits: Learn the Art of Lacework with 16 Timeless Patterns.
For anyone who has ever been intimidated by the intricacies of knitting lace, allow designer Gabrielle Vézina to teach you all you need to know to successfully tackle this timeless technique. With Gabrielle’s extensive knowledge at your disposal, including essential wisdom for choosing the ideal yarn and needles, correcting mistakes with ease and using lifelines to keep your hard work from unraveling, lace knitting beginners will feel confident casting on every project in this book. And if lacy patterns are already your bread and butter? You will be absolutely enthralled by the exquisite variety of designs that await you!
The release date for Lovely Lace Knits is March 21, 2023.
Getting in Shape
The last two books both deal with the structure and shape of knitted garments. In Only Yoking (a pun-ny name for a knitting book if there ever was one!), designer Olga Putano focuses on creating seamless top-down yoke sweaters.
Knit beautiful top down sweaters with no seams with 12 different decorative yokes. This is a collection of knitting patterns for 12 different yokes that can be used on three basic sweaters patterns made from different yarn weights: DK; fingering and worsted. The designs feature stunning colourwork designs so you can get really creative with your favourite colour palette; lace patterns for a more subtle yoke and textural designs with cables.
Only Yoking: Top Down Knitting Patterns for 12 Seamless Sweaters comes out on April 4, 2023.
The last book in this quarter's bunch is the most designer-y of them all. In Shaping Knitting, designer and teacher Alison Ellen explores how stitch structure can be used to shape knitted garments.
Shaping Knitting delves into stitch structure and how different stitches work together to alter not just the thickness of the knitting but also its shaping, and how this can be harnessed when making both fabric and garments. Written for knitters and designers, it encourages exploration and experimentation with the aim of gaining a greater understanding of knitted textures, patterns and shaping. This book looks at the reasons for knitting in different directions and at the advantages of beginning at the top, the side or at any point, as well as the traditional bottom edge. It can also be used as a reference book or as a starting point on a journey into knitting. Alison Ellen takes a special approach to designing, playing with stitches and the direction of knitting to allow the structure of the fabric itself and the three-dimensional form of the garment to emerge seamlessly together.
Shaping Knitting: A Designer's Guide to Understanding Stitches will also be released on April 4, 2023.
What do you think of the Spring 2023 knitting books? Let me know in the comments!
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