I’m the first to admit I’m a junkie for stitch dictionaries, and I was pleased as punch to receive a review copy of Andrea Rangel’s AlterKnit Stitch Dictionary.
The first 20 pages or so are devoted to quick lessons on color theory, how to hold the yarn for stranding, how to read charts, how to lock floats, and other tips.
The next 100 pages are all swatch-y, charted goodness, with stitch patterns (200 of them!) ranging from bold graphics to whimsical representations of animals and other objects.
The last bit of the book includes an essay on how to use the stitch motifs for various projects (including doing a bit of math), and then patterns for a beanie, mittens, cowl, pullover and cardigan.
Some of my favorite stitch patterns are Escher Bats, Bees, Sonora, Spiders, and Gecko. My absolute favorite is her Masked Bandit pattern, with an adorable raccoon and trash cans. She has some lovely geometric patterns as well.
If you’re looking for something a bit different that traditional Fair Isle or other regional colorwork stitch patterns, I bet you’ll love this book. I know I’m going to have fun playing with some of the motifs!
Do you want a chance to win your own copy? Interweave has offered to give away a copy to one of you! Just leave a comment on this blog post about your favorite types of stranded projects, by midnight PST December 11th, and I’ll draw a winner from the comments. US and Canada only, please!