Miriam Felton

This is the first in a series of Knitting Book Reviews that I want to start posting to this blog. There are a lot of really great books written for our craft, and a lot of really crap ones. I hope to highlight some of the books I think are worth your while to check out.

This first installation is a book by fellow Indie Knitwear Designer, Melissa Wehrle aka NeoKnits. Melissa has some pretty fantastic and versatile self-published patterns under her belt and has contributed many patterns to an increasingly long list of publications 🙂

Metropolitan Knits: Chic Designs for Urban Style is Melissa’s first book, and quite frankly, I love it. Her clean and stylish sensibility shines through with each design. These sweaters and accessories would be fun to knit as well as eminently wearable.

The thing that stands out most in Metropolitan Knits is the finishing details. She touches on a wide range of cast ons and bind offs that would not only broaden a knitter’s repertoire, but also give the finished piece a refined touch. Metropolitan Knits includes 20 patterns for sweaters & accessories for every season and style. I would buy this book if you are looking for some classic sweaters that you’ll want to reach for again and again.

I was able to ask Melissa some questions about the book:

 

You’ve got a wide variety of shapes & styles in Metropolitan Knits. What do you think makes a classic or timeless sweater?

 

A classic sweater is a style that you can wear season after season, and it never feels out of place. However just because something is “classic” doesn’t mean it has to be extremely simple or boring. For my designs, carefully considered details and little surprises keep the knitter engaged, and the finished product is easy to slip into anyone’s normal wardrobe rotation. Most importantly, it needs to fit your style. A “classic” sweater that stays hidden in a drawer and never sees the light of day doesn’t really do anyone any good.

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The photography is great! Did you get to collaborate on the photos? Did you pick locations or get to do any of the styling?

 

Thank you! The team that Interweave chose to work on the photography, styling, and makeup was fantastic. While I certainly can’t take most of the credit, I did have a little bit of input into the process. I was able to consult with the Art Director before the final decisions were made for the photography. We discussed the type of models, styling, and locations I had in mind for each story and the overall feeling I wanted to achieve. Even though I wasn’t involved directly for the final decisions, I’d say that everyone did a really great job understanding the vision that I had in mind with the final product.

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One theme that shines through the whole book is the detailed finishing. You use techniques like tubular cast ons & bind offs, pintucks, button tabs, and contrasting pocket linings. What is your favorite finishing detail? What details just make you squee?

 

I really love tubular bind offs on 2×2 ribbing. It’s takes a little patience to master this finishing technique, but the outcome is so beautiful. For details, the contrast pocket linings on the Magnolia Cafe Cardigan make me so happy. It’s a nice little unexpected pop of color, plus it’s very easy to work. I also love how the contrast lining is tied into the contrast stitching used to sew on the large wooden buttons.

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Your full-time job is in commercial knitwear design. How has your work there influenced your hand knit designs?

 

Because I’m so limited in a price conscious sense by my day job, my hand knit design is a way for me to unleash my full potential as a designer. One of the largest responsibilities of my job is researching trends and colors. As I come across interesting ideas that don’t work for the mass market, I file them away for later when I’m allowed to play with my yarn and needles. Between hand knit and machine knit design, I am always learning new things that benefit my work in both areas.

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How do you choose the perfect yarn for a sweater project?

 

When I’m sketching, I always have a general idea how I’d like the fabric to behave, what type of gauge I’m after and the look I want the final sweater to have. For the book, most of the yarns I used I had previous experience with, so there wouldn’t be any surprises in the process since deadlines were tight. A lot of thought went into matching every design up with the perfect yarn and color that matched each of my three themes. In the Heart of the City, the yarns are a bit more luxurious and polished with a jewel tone color story. In Urban Bohemia, the overall feeling of rustic, heathered yarns is carried throughout with neutrals and a pop of color. Finally, for City Gardens, the yarns are warm weather friendly in a fresh, clean mid-tone pastel pallet.

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I have a lot of handknit sweaters, but there are a couple that I wear far & away more frequently than all the others. Do you have a favorite sweater?

 

Once my trunk shows for the book are over, I expect the Bleeker Street Cardigan and the Washington Square Cardigan will both be worn quite frequently and become my new favorites. I really like wearing cardigans, in fact, when sketching up the designs for the book, I had to make sure there was a nice balance between cardigans and everything else.

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What is your favorite spot in NYC?

 

The Rambles in Central Park. It’s a nice quiet area that I love to escape to from time to time. Plus, it’s a great place to knit!

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I think Metropolitan Knits would be a great addition to your bookshelf!