Traditional Swedish knitting patterns 40 motifs and 20 projects

Karlsson, in her first book, follows a tried-and-true format. She features color photographs (sometimes in a gallery, often as accompaniments to design, and occasionally both); full instructions for each pattern; and references. Focusing on two-color stranded knitting, she has adapted classic patterns for today's wearables, from cardigans and pullovers to a dress and winter accessories. Her delight in the art of knitting permeates each page, including personal stories (at six years old, she learned the fundamentals from Grandmother Greta), a few myths (never knit your boyfriend a sweater, since, before it's finished, you'll break up), and introductions to each of the designs. Her Rosa cardigan, for instance, plays on the 1940s fashion for rose panels, while Persian slippers get their pizzazz from streamlined star motifs. The pattern library, pulled from her vintage magazine collection and elsewhere, and the helpful back-of-the-book inclusions (abbreviations, knitting school, yarn sources, and pattern graph template) enable knitters to begin to master what's considered a fairly advanced skill.--Jacobs, Barbara Copyright 2017 Booklist

The knitting traditions of Scandinavia are often associated with stranded colorwork, and this collection of Swedish knitting designs features traditional motifs on a variety of contemporary garments and accessories. While knitters will find some of the typical yoked sweaters familiar, Karlsson also includes several cardigans (and only one includes steeking) as well as pullovers with all-over patterning. For knitters who aren't ready to commit to a stranded colorwork sweater, there are plenty of small accessories to knit, including cowls, mittens, socks, and slippers. The yarn weights used vary from light fingering to bulky, so there's a little something for every knitter. Written instructions with charts for the colorwork are provided for each design. -VERDICT Knitters seeking contemporary takes on traditional Swedish colorwork will enjoy Karlsson's beautifully styled projects. © Copyright 2017. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.