Where do you find inspiration for knitting sweaters? For me it can be anything from plants to textures to beautiful pictures on Pinterest. This list is comprised of five great books and magazines that I look at to find inspiration for my next sweater project. A few of them are specifically knitting books and a couple are less directly related but inspiring nonetheless.
From color to texture to fresh designs off the runway these books have it all! I didn’t have too strict of criteria for this collection of books other than they had to 1) make me want to knit beautiful sweaters and 2) have wonderful pictures. I hope you find them to be as inspiring as I do!
VERY EASY SWEATERS by Vogue Knitting
$18
This lovely book is made up of 50 very simple yet stylish sweaters and their patterns. If you’re looking for which kind of sweater to knit next this book could very well hold the answer! The sweaters are knit in a variety of fibers, weights and styles so there truly is something for everyone.
KNITWEAR DESIGN by Carol Brown
$27
Knitwear Design looks at sweaters and knitting from a more high fashion and art perspective than from a hand knitters perspective. It is a wonderful look into more conceptual knitwear and the processes behind creating it. I found the bold overstatement of classic design and textures to be incredibly inspiring.
THINGS WE LOVE by Kate Spade
$24
As you may have guessed from the title this book is not a knitting book. In fact, I don’t think there is anything knitted in the whole book. But if you want inspiration in the form of great color combinations, shapes, and patterns this is the book for you. As a special perk almost everything in this book is brightly colored, you’d be hard pressed to look through it without a smile on your face.
INSPIRED TO KNIT by Michelle Rose Orne
$20
This book is made up of four workshops, one for each season. Each one challenges knitters to find inspiration in their surroundings, build color palettes, swatch creatively through knitting and sketching, and finesse their style and fit.
RUNWAY by Marie Claire
$6
I don’t know if this one really counts because it is in fact a magazine instead of a book. This special publication of Marie Claire details all of the new style and color trends for the upcoming season based on the runway. If you get an Autumn/Winter edition it is sure to be packed with tons of knitwear inspiration!
So there you have it, my top 5 inspiring books for sweater knitters!
Do you have a favorite book or website where you find sweater knitting inspiration? What do you find inspiring about it?