Angela Tong Designs: bookreview

Friday, April 28, 2017

Knit Noro Accessories 2 + Interview + Giveaway

Knit Noro Accessories 2 has just been published and it has 30 beautiful accessory patterns. I was proud to be in the first Knit Noro Accessories with my Tulip Scarf and even prouder now to have 3 designs in this book. Noro Yarns' colorways are really great for accessories. Knit with it once and you can see the appeal of the long vibrant self-striping colors. There are 30 projects which include gloves, socks, hats, shawls, ponchos, and more. You can see all the patterns on Ravelry.

I designed a shawl, a scarf and a hat for this book. It was a pleasure to design and knit them for Noro Yarns and Sixth & Spring Books. I hope you will enjoy knitting the patterns from this book. Happy Knitting!

The Garter & Lace Diamond Shawl is knit with alternating strips of garter and lace, knit on the bias to create a diamond with vibrant color and texture. It is knit with 4 balls of Noro Silk Garden Sock in #84 Orange/Red/Pink. You start at one corner and end at the other corner.

The Garter Ridges Scarf is knit with 3 balls of Noro Taiyo in #67 Neutrals/Black/Carnations. It has a subtle knit and purl stitch pattern. It is easy to memorize and quick to knit up.

The Lace Beanie is a slouchy beanie that incorporates simple lace and stockinette. It is knit with 2 skeins of Noro Silk Garden Solo in #12 Forest. After knitting with Silk Garden Solo, I want to knit this hat in every color they have. Even though it is one color and not like their usual self-striping colorways, the colors are deep and vibrant. You can have a new hat knit up in a weekend.

INTERVIEW + BOOK GIVEAWAY

Jen Lucas Designs recently contacted me to interview me for the Knit Noro Acessories 2 book. Plus, she will be giving away one copy of the book to one lucky winner! Head on over to her blog to read my interview and enter to win the book. The deadline to comment on her blog post for a chance to win the book is 5/7/17. Good luck!

Monday, April 10, 2017

Book Review & Giveaway: Mosaic & Lace Knits

Today, I am reviewing Barbara Benson's book, Mosaic & Lace Knits. It's hot off the presses and I am thrilled to have a copy in my hands. Lace is a very popular technique in knitting. Basic lace knitting is as simple as creating yarn overs. Have you ever tried mosaic knitting? Mosaic knitting is also known as slip stitch knitting. It's a fun and easy way to add some colorwork to your knitting. The easy part is that you are only knitting with one color at a time. There is no need to carry multiple yarns. Barbara took lace knitting and mosaic knitting and combined it together. GENIUS!

Isn't this gorgeous? I think Ves really shows off the combined techniques of mosaic stripes and lace very well.

If I had to pick a favorite piece from the book, it would have to be Isochronal Arc. The color combinations and the stitch pattern creates a dramatic and stunning look. The arc design is carried all the way up the yoke which really completes the design of this piece.

I think the Lozengy Scarf is a perfect project to get you started with mosaic and lace knitting. It uses a super bulky yarn, simple motif and lace and it is knit flat. You can work up this scarf pretty quickly while learning this new technique.

These techniques may look intimidating, but fear not. Barbara has added a instructional section in the book that covers the basics of knitting slip stitches, how to read lace and mosaic charts, how to work mosaic in the round, and tips and tricks to help you avoid potential troubles. She includes clear photos to help you learn the techniques that will lead you to success in knitting mosaic and lace. I really like the part where she goes into detail about carrying the colors up the sides and what kind of selvage it would create. Barbara took the time to knit a swatch to show the different examples and how it would like like if you chose one technique over the other. I am a real stickler about details and finishing techniques and that kind of information is so important, in my opinion.

As a knitter, I just love trying trying new techniques. What would I cast on from Barbara's book? Right now, I am trying to choose between Sailing Diamonds or Lacy Pinstripe Cowlette.

If you like what you see, you can check out Barbara Benson's Ravelry designer page and her YouTube channel, Watch Barbara Knit. You can purchase Mosaic & Lace Knits from Amazon, your local book store or your local yarn shop.

GIVEAWAY

Are you intrigued by mosaic and lace knitting? Would you like to win a copy of this book? Luckily, Stackpole Books is offering to give one of my blog readers a free copy of the book. To be entered to win, leave a comment below letting me know which pattern is your favorite. You can see all the patterns from the book HERE. Enter before April 17, midnight EST time. Don't forget to leave me your Ravelry ID or email so I can have a way of contacting you if you win. Good luck!