Worth a Second Look

I've always liked cables. More than complicated colour combinations (I love the look of - and I love knitting - Fair Isle and other coloured knitting, but probably wouldn't wear a sweater of that type) or variegated yarns, I like classic (no fur or ladder yarns, please), basic yarns in solid, heathered or tweedy colours, knitted with interesting details and textures. I love textures.

So I was really excited when I learned that this book, Cables Untangled (by Melissa Leapman) was coming out. I'm always on the lookout for a good techniques book and, simple though cable knitting really is, I felt like I had more to learn. With a limited budget, my strategy is to check out a potential craft book at the local library thoroughly, if possible, before committing. Usually, more than once over a period of several months.

Somehow, the first time round, it didn't really impress me too much. I can't really remember why. But, recently, I gave it another look and I have decided: I want this book!

Apart from lovely sweaters like the one above, I guess what caught my imagination this time was the home decor. Not being the fastest of knitters, I've tended to concentrate on apparel, figuring that, if I wanted a pillow cover, or a blanket, I'd get it much more quickly if I sewed it. And, with the still unfinished baby afghan, I didn't think I would ever attempt another knitted/crocheted afghan again.
But look at these pillows! And the cabled sampler afghan on the cover is gorgeous. Even if knitting that would result in extremely delayed gratification, I don't imagine that I would become bored with it. I can definitely imagine these pillows, and that afghan, being more huggly and snuggly that anything I could sew or crochet.
So, this is definitely on my wish list now. My favourite sweater design in the book is the child's cabled sweater shown below. I was going to figure out how to knit it in my size, when I looked at the pattern and saw that the largest size provided IS my size! Yay! Sometimes, it pays to be small, especially when you're knitting for yourself. Smaller size = faster knit, less yarn.