Customer Reviews

Knitting Color: Design Inspiration from Around the World

5 star:		(5)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

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.

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.

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.

In the 1980s, Kaffe Fassett took the knitting world by storm. He revolutionized the way that knitters worked with color, giving us permission to let our creativity free and use twenty or more colors in a single piece. The second sweater I knit was Kaffe Fassett's Ribbon sweater from his 1985 book, Glorious Knitting. His gift to knitters was helping us believe that we could do anything, even undertaking one of his sweaters soon after learning to knit.

Brendon Mably took over running the "Color in Design" workshops and the Kaffe Fassett studio. Most knitters will never be able to attend one of these workshops in person; however Knitting Color: Design inspiration from around the world explains Mably's three-step process, then illustrates it by showing garments alongside the scenery and/or indigenous fabrics which inspired them. Throughout Mably puts into practice his process: 1) look at the color combinations and the proportion of each color in the design; 2) assess the tonal range and 3) put in the subtle transitions from shade to shade to bring the piece to life.

The Kaffe Fassett Studio is known for loose-fitting, over-sized garments and Knitting Color does not break with tradition. Mably's designs are suitable for novice knitters, the challenge comes in managing the multitude of colors. Patterns range from children's vests to pillows to oversized coats.

If your penchant is for minimal ease in your clothing, then this book will function as inspiration in planning a garment better suited to your individual preferences. The colors are worked Fair Isle and intarsia style, although knitters can easily utilize another knitting method and all twenty patterns are designed using Rowan yarns.

Armchair Interviews says: The most compelling component of Knitting Color is Mably's reflections on his travels, the inspiration for each garment and how he sees color in the world around him.

This book is a work of art. Not only does it contain beautiful and complicated patterns of the most beautiful colors, it has travel photos representing the country that the designs are inspired from. It reminds me of the lay-out and design of Kaffe Fassett's books. It is a smorgasbord of knitting color for the eyes. It is a book to look at again and again. It makes me hungry for yarn, for color, for texture, and travel.

The book contains designs inspired from different countries: Australia, Great Britain, Guatamala, India, Italy, Peru, South Africa, the United States, and Vietnam. It also has small (and I mean very small) sections on color theory and techniques of knitting color.

The patterns are for experienced knitters but the book is for any knitter who wants inspiration, loves color and appreciates beauty.

Lovely book packed with gorgeous designs, but what was even more exciting for me was the opportunity to see the sources of inspiration together with the patterns, sometimes in several different color combinations and the final garment.

will cover the special techniques for creating and finishing garments .
Brandon has a natural instinct for color and design.
He will show you how to create a color palette to your liking.

You'll gain confidence to make a sweater design uniquely yours.

This is an interesting book. I like it because it takes ideas from what we see around us. We are different from each country -- only we are the same as each other., Thanks for a great book. Patterns given and the colors are wonderful. It makes the imagination start to flow.

KNITTING COLOR: DESIGN INSPIRATION FROM AROUND THE WORLD provides the author's innovative use of color gained from his world travels and workshops for knitters. Knitters of all skill levels will learn the keys to his color pairing techniques, with 20 original patterns discussing sources of inspiration, cultural influence, and how new patterns for knitting can be discovered from everyday life. The full-page color patterns and insights make this a unique, perfect acquisition for any serious knitter's library.

Diane C. Donovan
California Bookwatch

Brandon Mably's new book invites you to explore color in your knitting. I was just content to look at the glorious pictures for inspiration! Although this book would be daunting to a beginning knitter, the color guides and pictures of his travels are enough to satisfy anyone who loves knitting, color, or a travelogue around the world. I have this book in my living room and guests love to look through it and always comment that maybe they should start to knit!