Beginner’s Guide to Colorwork Knitting: 16 Projects and Techniques to Learn to Knit with Color

I’ve been knitting for years but have always avoided colorwork patterns because, well, they just looked complicated. I knew that colorwork can involve specific techniques and that I didn’t know those techniques, so I figured it best avoided altogether. This book, as the title would indicate, is aimed at knitters like me who don’t know where to start with colorwork. In a clear and encouraging voice, author Ella Austin introduces different techniques alongside a specific project that will allow you to apply that same technique. And, as a bonus, she even describes how to read knitting charts, another thing I avoid like the plague. Happily, I can now say with a fair degree of confidence that I can make colorwork projects and even read a chart when necessary.

Austin explains all of the included concepts with clear, straightforward language and helpful photo illustrations. The projects she includes are encouragingly easy to follow and, for projects like socks, Austin also walks the reader through the particular shaping techniques needed to shape the heel. I’d recommend the book to similarly intimidated knitters and to those who could use a helpful reference for both colorwork and color theory (Austin includes a good tutorial on the color wheel and concepts like hue, value, saturation).