Fresh Designs: Shawls

by Shannon Okey (Editor)

Fresh Designs is a series of pattern books by emerging fiber arts designers from all over the world. In addition to SHAWLS, look for SWEATERS, HATS, BAGS, MITTENS & GLOVES, MEN, SCARVES, KIDS, TOYS and HOME, all available from Cooperative Press.

Why buy this book?

Simple. Cooperative Press has partnered with designers to build a whole new revenue model. Every copy sold means more money in the designers’ pockets. Support design talent and you’ll always have great things to knit. We’d like to thank the generous Kickstarter patrons who helped to fund this series in its early stages: ten books, 70 designers, 100 projects = a lot of time and energy!

Designers in this book

Alice Twain, Anna Dalvi, Bärbel Hurst, Daniel Yuhas, Kathy Norris, Rebecca Blair, Samantha Roshak, Tabitha’s Heart, Terri Bate and Theressa Silver.

Yarns in this book

We love indie! Yarn companies featured in SHAWLS include: Waterloo Wools, Lisa Souza, Sanguine Gryphon, Karabella Yarns, Pigeonroof Studios, A Verb for Keeping Warm, Blue Moon Fiber Arts, Babylonglegs, and Three Irish Girls.

Genres: Nonfiction

54 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2012

About the author

Shannon lives in Cleveland, Ohio with her husband, comic book artist Tamas Jakab and their furry "children," a dachshund and 2 cats who have made several appearances in her books.

Shannon runs her own publishing company called Cooperative Press, which publishes both books and Knit Edge magazine. She writes...a lot.

Reviews

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

I won this book from First Reads! Thank You!

This book has Ten different patterns, One or two pictures of each finished project, the written pattern and some also have the pattern charted. Each one has a difficulty rating, a little bit about the design, the size, finished measurement, materials, gauge, pattern notes, the pattern of course, finishing, and a little about the designer. Two of the patterns are rated as easy, Six Intermediate ones, and Two Experienced ones. This book also has an abbreviation key in the back. In total is has Fifty Two pages(not counting the two blank ones in the back).

I have only been knitting for a year and I've only done one fairly large project so far(A Baby Blanket for my pregnant sister) which I haven't quite completed yet. I have taught myself pretty much all from looking stuff up online so, I was pretty excited to get an actual pattern book. I expected it to be a little bigger and have more designs in it based off of a few I had seen in craft stores, but for a free book I certainly wasn't going to complain! Now, I like most of the patterns, I think the designs are pretty cute and I'm excited to get to try them out. I also feel like, being relatively new to knitting, most of these are kind of out of my league, Not that I don't plan on trying to eventually do all of the ones I like. I wouldn't recommend this book for a beginner if they don't really know anything about knitting unless they wanted something to sit on their shelf a while before they got to the cute patterns they've been wanting to do from it. After I get to actually try out some of the patterns from the book I plan to update this review.

[Janet · Rating 3 out of 5]

I won a copy of this book through Goodreads Giveaways. Since I am an avid knitter and love shawls, I was excited to get it and try the patterns from "indie" designers. There are 10 patterns in the book, 8 of them for intermediate or advanced knitters. Most patterns are lace and therefore, challenging. I would not recommend the book for beginners, although there are 2 "easy" patterns. The yarn recommended for the shawls all comes from independent yarn companies and may not be easy to find. I am sure, however, that a knowledgeable yarn store owner would be able to recommend substitute yarn if the ones suggested were not readily available. Unfamiliar techniques and stitches are explained well and YouTube is always ready if you don't know how to do cables, etc. Pattern designers include Alice Twain, Kathy Norris, Rebecca Blair, and Theressa Silver. There are short designer bio blurbs at the end of each pattern. "Fresh Designs" will probably not become my favorite shawl pattern book but it will be a welcome addition to my library. Thanks Goodreads.

[Sonia · Rating 4 out of 5]

I won this book through the Goodreads giveaways. Thanks!

Its a nice small knitting book with a couple of shawl patterns. The designs seem rather hard (therefore I would not recommend this to a beginner) but look delightful! Well, as I love knitting I'm definitely taking up the challenge and will try some soon! :)

Great book!

[Larissa Brown · Rating 5 out of 5]

Gorgeous.