Contents
Guide
Published 2018IMM Lifestyle Books
www.IMMLifestyleBooks.com
IMM Lifestyle Books are distributed in the UK by Grantham Book Service, Trent Road, Grantham, Lincolnshire, NG31 7XQ.
In North America, IMM Lifestyle Books are distributed by Fox Chapel Publishing, 903 Square Street, Mount Joy, PA 17552, www.FoxChapelPublishing.com.
2018 by IMM Lifestyle Books
Produced under license.
The patterns contained herein are copyrighted by the authors. Readers may make copies of these patterns for personal use. The patterns themselves, however, are not to be duplicated for resale or distribution under any circumstances. Any such copying is a violation of copyright law.
Print ISBN 978-1-5048-0103-4
eISBN 978-1-6076-5561-9
Party Knits is a collection of new and previously published material. Portions of this book have been reproduced from Party Knits (978-1-84773-224-8).
The Cataloging-in-Publication Data is on file with the Library of Congress.
We are always looking for talented authors. To submit an idea, please send a brief inquiry to .
This book has been published with the intent to provide accurate and authoritative information in regard to the subject matter within. While every precaution has been taken in the preparation of this book, the authors and publisher expressly disclaim any responsibility for any errors, omissions, or adverse effects arising from the use or application of the information contained herein.
Shutterstock photo credits: Esin Deniz ().
Contents
Introduction
This is a collection of simple, inspired ideas to set your imagination racing. Knitwear can be curvy, cozy, decorated, textured, classic, clinging, see-through, or sophisticated. It can flatter your best features and gloss over the areas you want to hide. It can signal your individuality, whether you want to dress up or dress down. Best of all, hand knitting gives you the opportunity to create unique, luxurious clothes.
Here youll find everything you need for that special occasion. From simple accessories to stunning sweaters and jackets, there are 25 up-to-the-minute stylish fashion items all of which can be made using the basic knitting skills outlined in the clear and concise Getting Started section (see ), which includes extra explanation to help with any less familiar techniques.
There are three style sections to explore. All include designs for extra special evenings and for those daytime occasions when you want something a little dressierfrom sexy shapes and daring body-conscious garments to fashion knits in fancy yarns; from subtle beaded decoration to all-over sequinstheres something for every type of party.
Choose the style that enhances your look and make it in the color that suits you. Mix your makes with basic black or fabulous fabrics, pile on the jewelery, or leave them plain. And when youve invested the time and care in making these knits, youll find that they are fashion classics that will last many years, precious possessions that you wear over and over again.
Equipment
All you need to create beautiful hand knits is some yarn, knitting needles, simple sewing equipment, and patience!
YARNS
The designs in this book feature classic and fashion yarns. Enjoy the feel of luxury mixes such as cashmere, alpaca, and silk; choose shimmering metallic, smooth cotton, or man-made fibers with fabulous furry textures. Each design has been created with the particular qualities of the chosen yarn in mind. Ideally, you should always use the yarn specified, although the choice of color is up to you. Fashion yarns and colors change with the seasons, so if you do need to find a substitute yarn, check that the fiber content, yarn type, texture, and number of meters in a ball match the original as closely as possible.
These are the yarns used in this book (Note: Some brands may be difficult to locate in stores or online. You may either substitute it with a different brand similar in fiber content, or do an online search; Ebay is an excellent source for such instances.):
Debbie Bliss Alpaca Silk DK: 80% baby alpaca, 20% silk. 115 yds. (105 m) per 1 oz. (50 g) ball.
Debbie Bliss Cathay: 50% cotton, 35% microfiber, 15% silk. 110 yds. (100 m) per 1 oz. (50 g) ball.
Debbie Bliss Pure Silk: 100% silk. 137 yds. (125 m) per 1 oz. (50 g) hank.
Elle True Blue DK: 100% cotton. 118 yds. (108 m) per 1 oz. (50 g) ball.
Jaeger Fur: 47% wool, 47% kid mohair, 6% polyamide. 22 yds. (20 m) per 1 oz. (50 g) ball.
Rowan Lurex Shimmer: 80% viscose, 20% polyester. 104 yds. (95 m) per 1 oz. (25 g) ball.
Rowan Kid Silk Haze: 70% super kid mohair, 30% silk. 229 yds. (210 m) per 1 oz. (25 g) ball.
Rowan RYC Cashsoft DK: 57% extra fine merino, 33% microfiber, 10% cashmere. 142 yds. (130 m) per 1 oz. (50 g) ball.
Rowan RYC Soft Lux: 64% extra fine merino wool, 10% angora, 24% nylon, 2% metallic fiber. 137 yds. (125 m) per 1 oz. (50 g) ball.
Sirdar Boa: 100% polyester. 102 yds. (93 m) per 1 oz. (50 g) ball.
Sirdar Foxy: 100% polyester. 44 yds. (40 m) per 1 oz. (50 g) ball.
Sirdar Pure Cotton 4ply: 100% cotton. 370 yds. (338 m) per 3 oz. (100 g) ball.
Sirdar Town and Country 4ply: 75% wool, 25% nylon. 224 yds. (205 m) per 1 oz. (50 g) ball.
Sirdar Wash n Wear 4ply: 55% acrylic, 45% nylon. 510 yds. (466 m) per 3 oz. (100 g) ball.
Sirdar Zanzibar: 86% nylon, 14% polyester. 137 yds. (125 m) per 1 oz. (50 g) ball.
NEEDLES
Pairs of straight needles are the type most often used but for some of the projects you will also need a circular needle, a set of double pointed needles, or a cable needle.
Experiment with different lengths of straight needles and try out needles made from bamboo, plastic, or wood as well as classic aluminum to find the type of needles that are most comfortable for you. Remember that circular needles can be used for flat knitting as well as working in the round.
The needle size given in the instructions is the size that the knitter used to get the tension given when the sample garment was made. This needle size should be treated only as a guide; the size you need to use is the size that gives you the correct tension. If youre going out to buy needles, it makes sense to get one or two sizes above and below the recommended size, this way youll soon build up a collection.
ACCESSORIES
Youll need a tape measure to check your tension and garment measurements and scissors to cut the yarn. A stitch holder can be useful, but you can always improvise with a circular needle or a length of yarn. Markers help keep track of the rows when shaping, or the stitches when working pattern repeats. Use the plastic hook-on type, safety pins, or loops of smooth contrast yarn. A blunt-pointed wool needle is essential for sewing up, a sharp pointed needle will split the stitches. Largeheaded pins set at right angles to the seam keep the pieces in place when sewing up, especially when fitting a sleeve head into the armhole, and a slim tapestry needle will slip through the holes more easily when sewing on buttons.