Have you heard of Knit, Swirl yet? No? Well, be prepared to be amazed!
Knit, Swirl by Sandra McIver is a book about knitting “swirl jackets”. Sandra has developed a wonderful technique of knitting these jackets in a large circle and then making sequential decreases. In the center, half the stitches are bound off and the bodice and sleeves are worked back and forth. After the garment is blocked, only one seam is needed to complete the swirl! When you are done, the large circle drapes around the collar as well as forming the lapels and bottom of the swirl.
Confused? That’s OK! It sounds complicated, but the techniques that are used to make the swirl are well within the reach of anyone who can knit a sweater. Sandra includes helpful charts and diagrams with stitch counts to keep you from getting lost.
You might wonder why she has a whole book of patterns based on just one technique. The reason is that she has created some cool variations. I made the very first swirl which has a circular shape with a circular opening set in the center. The variations in the book include circular or oval shape, circular or oval opening, and center or off-center opening.
I loved making my swirl. I followed directions carefully and was a little concerned because it looked like I was using more yarn than I was supposed to. It did block a little larger than it should have, but ended up turning out well. (Definitely block your swatch!! That’s a step you really do NOT want to skip!) My swirl is made from Cascade 220, so it’s plenty warm.
This is a great book for some new and innovative project ideas, if not for you, then for another knitter in your life!
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