Knitting Off the Axis: Projects and Techniques for Sideways Knitting [Paperback]

Mathew Gnagy (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: November 15, 2011

A new angle on knitting.

Emerging knitwear designer Mathew Gnagy presents a fresh collection of fifteen projects for women and men with Knitting Off the Axis. The projects are both classic and stylish, incorporating clever combinations of textured stitches and design details.

Each of the fifteen patterns is designed in a one-of-a-kind way, focusing on knitting sideways or in an untraditional direction rather than the usual top-down or bottom-up construction. Knitting at different angles gives the projects unique shaping and fashion-forward silhouettes.

Learn new techniques for knitting sideways and every-which-way and make fifteen contemporary, wearable patterns with Knitting Off the Axis.

Editorial Reviews

Review

Named one of the Best Craft Books of 2011 by Amazon.

"Fall always bring a surprising book or two and this is the one for me, it’s a book of directional knitting, with the direction being mostly sideways, but not always. The garments in this book are more sculptural than most knitted garments both in the silhouette side to side knitting takes on, and in the surface texture that knitting in multiple directions gives. The book starts with a short introduction to directional knitting, tips that Matthew Gnagy has learned through experience – row gauge, blocking, increasing and decreasing and assembling your garment. The sweaters are striking in their unusual look and shape, modern with clean slim-fitting lines. They are knit mostly from worsted weight yarn, giving an added visual weight and structure. My favorites are in the last two chapters, where the knitting is in multiple directions, and any of the sweaters with cables. Cables going in multiple directions, with the added swoop of an interesting and unique way of increasing and decreasing, appeal to my knitter’s hands and brain. Spinners take note: these sweaters would be a great way to showcase handspun yarns." - Jillian Moreno, Knitty.com

"It's an ingenious collection." - Yarn Market News

“Recommended for experienced knitters with a taste for modern design.” – Austin-American Statesman

“Top-down, bottom-up, been there, done that. If you want to get a new angle on sweater design, you've got to go sideways. Learn how to knit sideways, diagonally and every which way to create unique and stunning designs.” – Crafter’s Choice Book Club Sneak Peek

“Sideways knitting is not that uncommon, but Mathew has managed to use imagination and needles to come at knitting from every angle.” – Karen Platt’s Book of Reviews & Crafts

“If you'd like to take your knitting in a different direction, Knitting Off the Axis is an intriguing and fun book with lots of different options for turning your knitting on its side and beyond. The techniques used to shape these garments take a bit of patience and attention to get right, but the lovely results are well worth the effort of twisting your brain to work in a new and different way.” – About.com Guide to Knitting

“This is the coolest book. Talk about knitting outside the box, well this box is sideways!” – CraftGossip.com

“Each of the patterns is designed in a one-of-a-kind way, focusing on knitting sideways or in an untraditional direction.” – JimmyBeansWool.com

"It shouldn’t surprise you that the designs in this book are unique. The designer is literally looking at the concept of knitting a sweater from a completely new angle. These sweaters are full of creative design elements, but they are beautiful, wearable sweaters, not the kind of wearable art you see on high fashion runways." – KnittingScholar.com

“The sweaters are striking in their unusual look and shape, modern with clean slim-fitting lines. They are knit mostly from worsted weight yarn, giving an added visual weight and structure. My favorites are the in the last two chapters, where the knitting is in multiple directions, and any of the sweaters with cables. Cables going in multiple directions with the added swoop of an interesting and unique way of increasing and decreasing appeal to my knitter’s hands and brain.” – Knitty.com

About the Author

Mathew Gagny is an accomplished costume designer and pattern maker. His knitwear designs have been published in Knitscene and by Lion Brand Yarns. He has also made knitwear samples for a variety of fashion designers for runway shows. Mathew resides in New York City with his partner and their two cats.

Product Details

• Paperback: 160 pages
• Publisher: Interweave Press (November 15, 2011)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1596683112
• ISBN-13: 978-1596683112
• Product Dimensions: 8.5 x 0.5 x 9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (22 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #355,357 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

46 of 47 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Belongs on Serious Knitter's Technical Bookshelf November 8, 2011

By Lynne E. TOP 50 REVIEWER

Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase

This book belongs on every serious knitter's technical bookshelf, because author Mathew Gnagy has given so much thought to what can be accomplished with sideways knitting. As experienced knitters know, sideways knitting has one major, built-in problem: it aligns the greatest stretch of the knitted fabric horizontally across the body rather than vertically, so that the finished fabric sags and/or lengthens when worn.

So why knit sideways at all? In the Introduction, Gnagy explains: "I like to knit sideways because there are interesting variations on shapes that are easier to create with sideways knitting."

To achieve good shaping and fit while knitting sideways, Gnagy plays around with the "commonly accepted modes of shaping" used in standard top-to-bottom or bottom-to-top knitting, always keeping in mind that "shaping can occur anywhere in the knitting." For example, in shaping a sleeve, he may use increases centered over a few stitches in the interior of the sleeve--which "forces the active knitting edge into a curve, . . . resulting in better fit and more streamlined finishing." This is heady stuff, if you're as fascinated by advanced knitting techniques as I am.

Unfortunately, Gnagy's collection of sideways-knit designs failed to convert me to sideways knitting. Although I can see that the designs would be interesting and fun to knit, there isn't a single one that I would want to knit and wear. I'm impressed by "Talia", with its lattice of cables all over the body--but I'm not fond of Dolman-sleeve pullovers. I very much like the elegant, textured "Dani", with its graceful V-neck, cable hem, and knitted-in darts--but I wonder whether the neckline will stretch and allow the pullover to slip off the shoulders. My two favorite designs are (1) "Felix", a man's classic, snug-fitting, zip-front jacket with rounded front hems and an interesting, decorative, geometric charted cable treatment; and (2) "Gemma", a woman's capelet with three-button front closing, stand-up collar, and a fancy charted cable running sideways around the hem. Yet I can't help thinking that both "Felix" and "Gemma" would look better if knit vertically rather than sideways.

An adventurous new knitter should be able to knit the garments in this collection. The pattern instructions are clearly written; excellent schematics show the sizes and directional shapes of the garment pieces; and the many full-color photos (printed on glossy paper) are a treat to look at. I rate the book at 5 stars for technical achievement, and 3 stars for the collection of unusual knitting patterns; averaging the two, I rate it at 4 stars overall.

46 of 52 people found the following review helpful

1.0 out of 5 stars These Patterns Will Makes You Crazy (Not in a Good Way) November 25, 2011

By Prunella Jones

Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase

I started one of the projects and thought I was the one making the errors. After three tries at starting a capelet, I looked more carefully at the pattern. It's badly laid out. Also, the capelet as pictured is not the same as in the pattern. The collar is completely different.

Making things even more difficult, the typeface for the instructions is very light and hard to see. You need bright light (or a magnifying glass) to read them. Not good.

This book is full of pattern mistakes on overly long lists of instructions that make the completion of these garments nearly impossible without tying yourself in knots. And in a book about side-to-side knitting, the sweaters have ugly, obvious seams at the back and sides. Very disappointed in this publication.

34 of 42 people found the following review helpful

1.0 out of 5 stars Knitting Off the Axis: POOR DESIGNS-POOR AND UNATTRACTIVE FINISHING! November 8, 2011

By B. Friesen

Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase

I returned this book! This was full of obvious mistakes and very poor finishing for these garments. The garments themselves are not that inspiring and bordering on ridiculous! Some of the cabled and lace designs in the sweaters were interesting but nothing new. Seams for these garments were so obviously done that it makes the entire garment look cheap and poorly made. I was very disappointed in this book! Would not recommend.