Product Description

Get inside the artistic mind of talented knitwear designer Michele Rose Orne and discover her secrets to creating beautiful handknits for any season of the year."Inspired to Knit" features four mini workshops with twenty-four patterns and spectacular photography conceptualized to help knitters think creatively, find inspiration in their surroundings, and shape those elements into garment design. Along the way knitters will pick up invaluable tips and tricks of the trade plus a wealth of inspiration.Stunning patterns are arranged by season, reflecting the colors and beauty of nature that inspires Michele's feminine designs. From an amber beaded cardigan that captures the feeling of hay fields drying in the sun to a long, belted coat with a spray of feminine coral roses inspired by flowers in her local market to an intarsia jacket that evokes memories of a fall hike in a forest, each pattern is rich with color, detailing, and romantic knitting style.The design workshops throughout the book guide and challenge readers to find inspiration in their surroundings, build color palettes, swatch creatively through knitting and sketching, and finesse their style and fit. Think more creatively about knitting and unleash your inner designer with "Inspired to Knit!"

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #19147 in Books
• Published on: 2008-05-29
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 152 pages

Review
Karenplatt.co.uk: This book is subtitles Creating Exquisite Handknits. I love the cable sweater on the front of this book and it alone invited me to take a closer look. Divided into seasons, there are nineteen stunning, contemporary design to handknit. Cardigans, sweaters and tops are sumptuous. In addition there is a fabulous coat and a lovely wedding ensemble, shorten this and knit it in black for a cocktail dress. I like Michelle's style, this book is worthy, dotted as it with her professional tips. Besides the patterns, there are design workshops as well as a how to knit at the back of the book. The photographs and diagrams are clear, the instructions are easy to follow. This book is an inspiration. I'm sure you will want to knot quite a few of these patterns. Yarns are mainly American, so check your tension and knit. This is an attractive collection of 19 patterns for women, based on the seasons in the country, and mostly worked in single colours at a time. All the patterns are detailed and complex and the book concludes with an ensemble in fine white cotton for a wedding dress. Each pattern carries a small section about the inspiration for the design, and then there are separate sections encouraging readers into designing for themselves, from developing a theme through to the styling and fitting of a knitted item.-Lesley O'Connell Edwards, SlipKnot

About the Author
Michele Rose Orne has been designing for more than twenty years in the garment and handknitting industry. She has designed for Vogue, Classic Elite, Tahki, and was a design director for a large sweater importer. In addition, she has designed for many publications including Interweave Knits, Vogue Knitting, Westminster Fibers, and Holiday Handknits. Michele lives in Camden, Maine.

Customer Reviews

Inspirational and beautiful
I have just received this book from Amazon and instantly fell in love with some of the designs. I don't often buy pattern books as there are so many available online but this one is a joy to own. Beautifully presented, gorgeous designs with something rather special about them. Even the ones I wouldnt personally make for myself have set off my thinking about adapting them E.g. The Wedding ensemble!

My only bugbear is that the yarns recommended are quite difficult to track down here in the Uk. It is getting easier to buy the more esoteric ones online however. Books like this are great for those who have some experience of knitting and want to make lovely garments a cut above the old-fashioned cardis and sweaters associated with the craft. The author invites us to be creative and develop the patterns for one's own taste. Buy it if like me you want your work to bear your own signature. I have already started on two projects using wool Ive been saving for a design worthy of it!

Refreshing & inspiring.
I recieved this book last week, and have hardly put it down since!
Such beautiful and imaginitive designs and all wearable. I don't think there is a single design that I would class as unwarable in a way-out fasion sence.
Each design is refreshing and modern, such a change from the boring 'every-day' styles most often seen in the knitting books of yesterday.
Every page brings gasps of delight. Infact I can't decide which I will start to knit first!
All instructions are clear and easy to follow with lots of additional notes, hints & tips assosiated to each design as well as several photographs and design drawings too.
I'm so pleased I now own this book, it's a 'keeper'!!!

Do you feel the lure of the cardigan on the cover? Then read this
I bought the book for one single reason: The beautiful cardigan on the cover. I do not regret my purchase but want to point out that the zipper does not look so good where it meets the collar, almost like an afterthought. Also, the cabled part of the sleeve is sown to the upper sleeve in a way which makes the sleeve sag just a little bit. Neither of these issues is visible on the cover page given how the model poses, but it's obvious from the photographs inside the book.
Ah, well...it should be possible to improve both zipper and sleeve joints with a little bit of thought and effort. I WILL have this cardigan ;-)

I also thought the design workshop was on the thin side (only 8 pages). Other than that, it's a great book. I concur with most of the five star raters on these pages. Some beautiful and unusual designs, clear instructions, nice pictures, nice quality paper, inspiring, and so on. If you like romantic knits, I certainly recommend this book.

If you prefer more subtle, classy knits, I recommend "custom knits" by Wendy Bernard instead. This book also contains more information about the technical aspects of making one's own designs.