Knitting Color: Design Inspiration from Around the World [Hardcover]

Brandon Mably (Author), Kaffe Fassett (Introduction)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 28, 2006

Throughout his years working as a knitwear designer, Brandon Mably has had the good fortune to journey around the world presenting his hugely popular “Color in Design” workshops. Wherever he went, Mably took inspiration from the local crafts and colors. Now, he shares some of the ideas he’s gathered in a collection of unique projects bound to tempt any knitter. Beautiful as these pieces are, they’re also straightforward, with most featuring a basic stockinette stitch and his own simple color technique. The 20 items include a Guatemalan bird-patterned slipover, Indian felted bag, Apache waistcoat, South African hands cushion, and Australian zebra swing jacket. In addition, Mably provides a lively account of his adventures in a visual travel diary that pays homage to the countries he’s visited.

Editorial Reviews

From Booklist

Forget the flat two-dimensional color wheel. Avoid the primary, secondary, ad nauseam principles of color theory. In his first book, Mably, manager of Kaffe Fassett's studio, dramatically revolutionizes any stitcher's perspective on color by applying the three steps used in Fassett's global workshops. Eyes are critical; by copying an upside-down painting on a postcard in thread, knitters begin to realize that more than 12 hueful combinations are possible. Here, his inspiration starts with his world travels; nine countries, from Australia to the U.S., provide enough visual stimulation to fill at least a dozen books. Personal anecdotes and indigenous color travel photographs open each section; 20 patterns and the specific objects that inspired them follow. Hand motif pillows echo the kidlike designs on South African garbage cans. Brickwork on Venice's Doge's Palace provides the design for his St. Mark's jacket. Stitches are simple (stockinette); what's a bit more complicated is the working of the colors, whether stranding or intarsia techniques are followed. His ideas and designs are addictive but are for experienced knitters. Barbara Jacobs
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

Product Details

• Hardcover: 144 pages
• Publisher: Sixth&Spring Books (October 28, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 193302707X
• ISBN-13: 978-1933027074
• Product Dimensions: 11.3 x 9.4 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.4 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (11 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #842,024 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

45 of 52 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Another Kaffe Fassett rip-off, November 27, 2006

By 

B.G. Karlow (New York, New York) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Knitting Color: Design Inspiration from Around the World (Hardcover)

I hesitated before ordering this book and should have gone with my gut and waited for it to be remaindered (which it will be very quickly). There's about ONE style in the whole book that's just repeated with different colors from allegedly different world wide inspirations. As usual many of these deisgns can be done much more simply and effectively with Horst Schultz's patchwork method but Mr. Mably continues the Fassett mistake of only using Fair Isle techniques. Sorry but I found it a waste of money.

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Try before you buy, September 13, 2007

By 

Irene Fuerst (San Francisco) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Knitting Color: Design Inspiration from Around the World (Hardcover)

I'm glad I picked this up at the library. It's a beautiful book, with lovely pictures and interesting information. The charts are big and actually in color instead of stupid little symbols.

On the other hand, many of the women's garments seem unwearable--the jacket shown on the cover has a 72" bust. Two of me could wear it. The xs/sm would weigh over 5 lb. Nearly everything is oversized, or worse. I don't think any thought went into garment design other than getting these great colors and patterns onto a wearable.

Besides sweaters, jackets, and vests, women get a lackluster purse. Sofas get some pillows and a throw. Men get two vests and a basic sweater. Girls get an extremely charming vest. With your leftover yarn you can make a striped throw, but no total yardage or weight is given--just "various 4-ply yarns and colors from Rowan Yarns". The throw in the photo looks as if it is lined and then given a crocheted edging, but the instructions don't say anything about lining it. I can't think of a way to get that edging over a lining without excessive hand sewing. I really like this idea, because I can't wear wool next to my skin. (I wear a lot of turtlenecks in winter.)

Get this book if you love Kaffe Fassett and have a primary interest in color and pattern; don't get it if your interest is in garment design. People like me will check it out from the library or buy a used copy.

15 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Really quite good, January 8, 2007

By 

M. Poller (Israel) - See all my reviews
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Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Knitting Color: Design Inspiration from Around the World (Hardcover)

The big problem with this book is that the sweaters are too big so you have to redesign them to fit (in most cases!).The cover sweater is a case in point. Also, some of them are needlessly difficult. But still there are enough to make it a worthwhile purchase plus I enjoyed the travelogue comments. Is that KF wearing the Steps vest on p.158? He's aged a lot if that's him. Mably, whom I've never met, seems like a very nice man and he's learned a lot from his friend Kaffe. The sweaters I like, and might even make: Landscape jacket, p.52, Squares jacket, p.84, Striped throw, p.94 (no pattern needed really). St.Mark's jacket, p. 100, Peruvian vest, p.110 (really nice one), Diamond throw, p. 118, Harvest vest, p.140, glacier jacket, p. 150.

So that's 8 projects. Everything is charted out and lots of schematics too. Also, the color choices are good and photos lovely.

Having once made his Checkers sweater, I was really burned out by that complicated design so the ones I like here are easy to make. The yarns are all Rowan but one can easily substitute other yarns in the same weights.

Feeling adventurous? go for it.