Must Have Books for Knitwear Designers
If I have a hobby, I have a book for that hobby. With knitwear design, there are so many to choose from! Knitting reference books help us with everything from design, to pattern writing, to colour.
Here are some of my favourite books for knitwear design.
For Stitch Patterns
A stitch dictionary is the ultimate source of pattern inspiration. It can all start with one stitch pattern, and then very quickly spiral into an intricate design.
As a very basic, do-it-all stitch dictionary, I recommend Vogue Knitting: the Ultimate Stitch Dictionary. It has a strong range of stitch patterns separated into five categories: knit and purl, colorwork, cables, lace and edgings. It has an incredible large range of stitch patterns and is certainly a great place to start.
Once you’ve grown some confidence in your own style, you can branch out into more focussed stitch patterns such as, my honourable mention, The Japanese Knitting Stitch Bible.
For Pattern Design
Designing and writing up a pattern is incredibly technical. Even the most experienced of designers need a resource for recommended stitch counts, standard construction and the notation used for stitches.
Once again, Vogue sits on top as my absolutely bare minimum requirement for pattern writing. Vogue Knitting: The Ultimate Knitting Book takes you through all the basics (which can be useful to keep in mind what less experienced knitters may get stuck with in your designs) as well as listing a whole host of techniques and constructions for garments. There are helpful guides for ‘standard’ sizing to use for grading too.
Once again, you can always get more specialist with your pattern writing reference books. My honourable mention for this is Little Red in the City by Ysolda which perfecting fit for a range of body sizes and shapes.
For Colour
Colour can be a daunting element to approach, especially if you are looking to break out of your comfort zone. There are some colour palettes that can seem very straightforward to explore. But even pastels can be a scary thought to some.
Sarah Hazell’s Exploring Colour in Knitting is a fantastic resource for everyone who knits in any colour palette beyond monochrome. Even you monochromatic lovers out there have something to gain from this book. She explores colour theory, what is meant by warm and cool tones and how to pick the perfect colours for a cohesive project.
As an honourable mention, while not focussed on knitting, The Complete Color Harmony, Pantone Edition: Expert Color Information for Professional Results is a fantastic deep dive into all things colour.
Bonus Tip!
The library is your best friend! At least, it is mine. You can get so many great knitting reference books at the library at no cost. I have even used the library app to access knitting magazines. The library is a great way to have a look through a book before you know if it is going to be a permanent and well used fixture on your own shelves.
