The New Stranded Colorwork [Paperback]

Mary Scott Huff (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: November 1, 2009

Classic Norwegian knitting techniques are reinvigorated with a modern twist in this clear and concise handbook to stranded colorwork. Featuring 20 innovative and fun projects—such as the Lotus Blossom Vest, the Go for Baroque Tote, the Counting Crows Pullover, and the Wedding Belle Cardigan—this guide accompanies each with detailed instructional outlines in the tutorial section and is perfect for a variety of skill levels. Going beyond the usual snowflake and reindeer motifs of traditional Norwegian patterns, this modern resource addresses a niche few other knitting guides have explored and offers a technique section that is enjoyable thanks to its conversational tone. Advanced techniques are also highlighted, such as managing two balls of yarn, adding steeks, and finishing cut edges.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"Let Mary Scott Huff lead you to color knitting glory with this book stuffed with techniques and tips to make color knitting stress free. She’ll set you straight on standing, tension, hems, sleeves and steeks. The patterns in this book are wholly original, the motifs, and the colors." — Knitty.com

"A nice variety of yarns are specified in the patterns and there's a range of objects from a quite-cute child's hat to a tour de force Wedding Belle jacket." — KnitNet

"This book is a good choice for people with some experience with stranded knitting or for the adventurous knitter who's ready to jump into the technique head-first." — About.com Guide to Knitting

"5 out of 5 stars. The detailed instruction in the back of the book is absolutely wonderful and very detailed. An excellent book!" — Knitting News

About the Author

Mary Scott Huff is a lifetime knitter who teaches knitting classes using her elegant, whimsical designs. She lives in Fairview, Oregon.

Product Details

• Paperback: 144 pages
• Publisher: Interweave Press (November 1, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 159668111X
• ISBN-13: 978-1596681118
• Product Dimensions: 8.5 x 0.4 x 10.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (10 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #737,385 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Mary lives with her husband and children in Portland, Oregon. There may also be a few skeins of yarn at their house...

Mary stops knitting long enough to play with children or Scottish Terriers, write, teach, spin, or ride motorcycles.

Find out what's on Mary's mind and on her needles at www.maryscotthuff.com

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

56 of 59 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars For experienced colorwork knitters only October 12, 2009

By C. Freeman

Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase

Mary Scott Huff's newly published The New Stranded Colorwork was immediately grabbed off my bookshelf by members of my family, and within a few minutes orders had been placed for several of her designs. The three-year-old wants "the bee sweater right now," and one of her parents asked for the frog vest to be adapted for her size. "Kjersten," too, received favorable comment and a request for future consideration. Although some of the designs don't suit any of us, most of them are attractive and a few are downright compelling.
As for Ms. Huff's sections on technique, how one reacts to them depends, I think, on how experienced a knitter one is. Just about all of her designs are steeked, and that technique can be very intimidating for those who have never taken scissors to knitting. She does provide instructions for the reinforcing and cutting parts of steeking, but some of her methods, if not downright odd, are ways of doing things I haven't encountered in decades of steeking. She doesn't offer alternatives for many of her techniques; she simply assumes the knitter will follow her instructions. For example, if you don't want to knit "Siamese sleeves" (I don't and I won't), no alternative is offered. That means some rewriting of her patterns by those of us who have used other methods of knitting and attaching sleeves in circular designs and intend to continue to use those more familiar methods. (BTW, all of her designs are rendered on circular needles, which is how I have knitted everything for more than 50 years. For those who have never knitted in the round, much less done stranded colorwork on circular needles, her designs are not a good place to begin.)
There are clearer and more detailed descriptions of stranded colorwork and steeking on circular needles than Ms. Huff's book provides in books by Alice Starmore and Meg Swansen. Elizabeth Zimmermann's long-in-print Knitting Without Tears would be an even better place to start for the rank beginner to stranded colorwork on circular needles. But for those of us who are experienced in this style of knitting and have looked for fresh new designs in this tradition, Ms. Huff's book provides considerable inspiration. I have already ordered the yarn for "The Bees' Knees" and will begin knitting that sweater as soon as the yarn arrives--none too soon for my three-year-old granddaughter.

18 of 18 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars one of the best October 22, 2009

By M. Poller VINE™ VOICE

Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase

The book is mainly Norwegian knitting but yarns used are also the fairisle yarns and certainly some of her patterns are fairisle although not perhaps strictly so as she will use more than 2 colors in a row at times. As a longtime steeker, I will probably just do it my own way but she does have a lot of useful information for the new knitter or as a refresher. I really liked the adult sweaters and vests. I wouldn't bother doing the children's items or the bags. Most of the yarns are in the fingering weight to the dk weight. Most of her color choices are interesting as in the zebra sweater in black and white but with a brilliant touch of pink for contrast. Some of the sweaters are pretty time consuming but definitely I rank this book very highly along with the best of the fairisle and Norwegian books. It would be pretty easy also to substitute yarns as long as they get the gauge called for. There's a lot of material here to read and ponder and I felt the author really put herself into this one. This is not one of those quickie books that are coming out these days so it's in the category of best knitting books. Definitely recommended to anyone interested in this type of knitting.

13 of 13 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Knitting with Color October 14, 2009

By Bonnie Brody TOP 100 REVIEWERVINE™ VOICE

Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase

The New Stranded Colorwork by Mary Scott Huff has some beautiful designs and patterns. She includes a nice section on techniques for color knitting including steeks, charts, split-splice, different kinds of knots and finishing techniques.

There are several lovely patterns in this book. I especially like the mens' Timberline sweater in a beige color with a border of trees in brown, red and orange. The Queen of Scots vest is lovely in shades of purple and green with tulips bordering the bottom edge. The children's hooded vest in green, orange and yellow has frog motifs that any child would love. Perhaps my favorite pattern in the book is Norwegian Blue, a lovely cardigan in light brown, with blue and orange accents and a peacock border on the bottom. I can't wait to knit it. The Lotus Blossom Vest has a very Japanese feel to it and has an interesting neckline. It's knit in shades of terra cotta with burgundy and orange accents - - very beautiful. The Bee's Knee's is a perfect gift for that child you love. It is knit in Dale of Norway Baby Ull in yellow with brown, cream and green accents. Naturally, there are bees on the border.

This book is a good investment for those who like to do color knitting. There are at least a couple of patterns in this book for any intermediate or advanced knitter. As usual, I asked myself these three questions.

Does the book contain patterns that I want to knit?

Are the patterns easy to read?

Can I use the book as a resource?

The answer is yes though not as resounding a yes as some other books. I rate this a '4' and know that I'll have some fun knitting the patterns from this book.