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    Picture Perfect Knits
    Picture Perfect Knits
    Picture Perfect Knits
    Ebook148 pages56 minutes

    Picture Perfect Knits

    By Laura Birek and Sheri Giblin

    3.5/5

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    About this ebook

    Just what the heck is intarsia anyway? One of the most overlooked knitting techniques, intarsia allows knitters to add graphics—think argyle diamonds or mod motifsto their knits. There's no tricky double stranding and knitters can incorporate intarsia into almost any project—be it a cozy blanket or tiny mittens. This handy guide includes instructions to make 12 projects plus more than 50 intarsia graphs that can be used to customize almost any knit. Clear instructions, helpful illustrations, and finished project photos make it simple to learn the basics. There are even some blank charts so knitters can invent their own patterns. It's easy. It's fun. And the results are totally picture perfect!

    Special guest designers include: Lena Corwin, Jenny Hart of Sublime Stitching, Sarah Neuberger of Small Object, Shannon Okey of Knitgrrl, Denyse Schmidt, and more!
    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherChronicle Books Digital
    Release dateFeb 17, 2012
    ISBN9780811872157
    Picture Perfect Knits
    Author

    Laura Birek

    Laura Birek takes knitting needles everywhere she goes. She lives in Los Angeles.

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    Reviews for Picture Perfect Knits

    3.5/5

    8 ratings2 reviews

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    • 4/5
      This is a well laid out book of patterns for those looking to learn or expand their horizons with inartasia. As well as having 10 patterns there are also several extra charts to inspire you further. It's well laid out but definitely not one for the beginner. This one assumes you know the basics.
    • 5/5
      Very helpful tips and explanations!

      The only thing I didn’t like was Stalin. Why?

    Book preview

    Picture Perfect Knits - Laura Birek

    Picture Perfect Knits

    PICTURE PERFECT KNITS

    Step-by-Step Intarsia with More than 75 Inspiring Patterns

    By Laura Birek

    ---------------------------

    Photographs by Sheri Giblin

    Illustrations by Randy Stratton

    I owe sincerest thanks to my editor, Jodi Warshaw, for all her guidance and help in the process of writing this book. I am also endlessly grateful to Cat Head, Madelyn Cain, my brother and parents, and all my friends who supported me in my knitting and writing.

    Text copyright © 2008 by Laura Birek.

    Photographs copyright © 2008 by Sheri Giblin.

    Illustrations copyright © 2008 by Randy Stratton.

    All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form without written permission from the publisher.

    Chronicle Books LLC

    680 Second Street

    San Francisco, California 94107

    www.chroniclebooks.com

    Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data is available

    Birek, Laura.

    Picture perfect knits / by Laura Birek ;

    photographs by Sheri Giblin ;

    illustrations by Randy Stratton.

    Includes index.

    ISBN: 978-0-8118-7215-7

    CONTENTS

    PART ONE: Introduction to Intarsia

    Introduction

    Intarsia Techniques

    Choosing Yarn

    Creating Patterns

    PART TWO: Full Project Patterns

    Jolly Roger Skull-and-Crossbones Pocket Scarf

    Old School Felted Argyle Bag

    Heart and Bones Dog Sweater

    Armchair Revolutionary Throw Pillow

    Mom Baby Sweater

    Kitten Mittens

    Kitty Hat

    Geek Chic Argyle Vest

    Sweet Treat Felted Cupcake Cushion

    Snowflake

    PART THREE: Stand-Alone Intarsia Charts

    Intarsia Charts by Laura Birek

    Intarsia Charts by Catherine Head

    Intarsia Charts by Kathy Cano-Murillo

    Intarsia Charts by Eunice Moyle

    Intarsia Chart by Knit-Head

    Intarsia Chart by Ed Roth

    Intarsia Chart by Lisa Congdon

    Intarsia Chart by Jenny Hart

    Intarsia Chart by Diane Gilleland

    Intarsia Chart by Sarah Neuburger

    Intarsia Chart by Denyse Schmidt

    Intarsia Chart by Shannon Okey

    Intarsia Chart by Andrea Tomlinson

    Intarsia Chart by Aoife Clifford

    Intarsia Chart by Alice Merlino

    Intarsia Chart by Manuela Tinoco

    Intarsia Chart by Tracy Jen

    PART FOUR: Additional Resources

    Glossary of Abbreviations and Special Terms

    Intarsia Chart Designers

    Index

    Resources

    1 INTRODUCTION TO INTARSIA

    INTRODUCTION

    JUST WHAT THE HECK IS INTARSIA?

    Just what the heck is intarsia? In a nutshell, intarsia is a style of knitting in which you work different colored shapes or designs into a knitted piece. It’s easy. It looks cool. It’s totally worth your while. Best of all, you can incorporate intarsia into almost any knitting pattern.

    If you’re a little dubious, I don’t blame you. Few knitting techniques are as universally shrouded in darkness as intarsia is. Some knitting how-to books give the technique short shrift and many pattern books ignore intarsia completely.

    There are many knitters who, though they enjoy intarsia, can’t find a good pattern to save their lives. I’ll admit it here and now: Many intarsia patterns are kitschy and dated, and they can’t even be worn for ironic value. But it need not be so! You can just as easily knit a skull and crossbones with intarsia as you can a prancing reindeer. It’s just a matter of finding (or creating) pretty and cool patterns—exactly what I aim to provide for you right here in this book.

    Picture Perfect Knits will show you that intarsia can be easy and beautiful. All it takes are a few simple skills, a bit of creativity, and a willingness to throw your preconceived notions out the window.

    In the first section of the book I explain the basics of the technique and show you how to navigate intarsia charts and create your own patterns. Next, you’ll find 10 step-by-step patterns—from an adorable dog sweater to a statement-making Che Guevara pillow. Included at back are over 50 intarsia design charts that you can use for a wide range of projects.

    A BRIEF HISTORY OF INTARSIA

    Before prancing reindeer and snowmen gave intarsia a bad name, argyle was the reigning king of the technique—the noble grandfather of all intarsia work, if you will. It showed up on the scene in the 1500s, when members of the Campbell clan of Argyll, Scotland, rocked the motif on kilts and, later, footwear. The author Sir Walter Scott had a tendency to name-drop the Argyle boys in his novels, and soon the distinctive diamond pattern became known as argyle plaid.

    In the 1940s, American women knit argyle socks en masse to send to their boys fighting overseas. Even after the GIs returned from duty, the style remained popular. And no design defined the preppy 1950s like a smart argyle vest.

    Exactly when knitters took the leap from snappy argyle to what we now

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