Learn to knit love to knit – Anna Wilkinson

Cover

 Learn to knit, love to knit is a book by Anna Wilkinson, published by Quadrille only a few weeks ago. It’s the book I wish I had when I just started knitting a couple of years ago (oh my, how time flies). The styling on the book is great! Both the patterns and styling invoke a bit of a modern retro, quirky feeling, which I really like. I love the use of colour in this book, clearly Anna is not afraid for the use of bold colours and colour combinations, which adds to her signature style. 

Cropped cardigan with cabled sleeves

The book is divided into three parts. The first part is a chapter explaining techniques and the basic set up you need to get started with knitting, I must admit I only skimmed these pages, as I don’t really need an introduction to the craft, but it looks good to me. The second being “learn to knit” which introduces the techniques to get you started and ten designs increasing in difficulty. The third part “love to knit” includes ten designs which require some extra skills, which are all explained in the book.

Lace top with bow

 Some might argue that this book isn’t marketed properly as it targets new knitters, and some of the project might be to difficult. I however disagree. This is exactly what I had needed when I just started knitting. I’m a firm believer in the power of enthousiasm: I think that it’s good to challenge new knitters to progress to more complicated techniques after grasping the basics. It’s no good to scare beginners away from projects they really want to do, like I was scared away from fair isle: Why make knitters afraid to try new thing by keeping it out of the beginner knitbooks?

Now for the patterns, the book contains 12 sweaters (cardigans, tops, vest), 2 collars, 2 hats, 2 pair of mitten/gloves 1 pair of socks, 1 scarf, 1 snood and 1 handbag. So for those who counted, this is indeed more than 20 patterns, this is because some patterns “belong” with eachother and are therefore listed as one, for example a scarf and mittens that form a pair. The book has included simple, plain projects, lace, fairisle, intarsia, cables, bobbles and embroidery. Anna has made a video for her book, this give you a good idea of what to expect from the book and the style it’s written in.

Shawl collar cardigan

Unfortunately Anna is not an active ravelry member, so very little of her designs are registered there.  This really made me aware how much I rely on ravelry for information like what yarn is used for a project, needle size, tension etc. Anna does have a facebook and twitter so you can follow her there if you like.

For the real yarn freaks (of which I proudly regard myself to be one) there are some really great designs by Anna in the relatively new magazine Pom Pom Quarterly, which you can check out here.