Omdahl - Knitting outside the swatch : 40 modern motifs

As you become a young man instead of my baby boy, you continue to inspire me and challenge me to be the best person I can be. I only hope I make you proud, too. I love you with all my heart and soul.

This book is an exploration of techniques for creating flowers, circles, squares, and other shapes and combining them to form visually stunning two-dimensional fabrics and three-dimensional garments.

I love knitting motif swatches. Theyre small and quick to make, allowing you to experiment with new stitch patterns and techniques without a big commitment in time and yarn. Best of all, theyre so versatile. Create a beautiful embellishment to a sweater with a single flower motif; seam together an assortment of squares to create an afghan; transform a circular motif into the crown of a hat; trim a shawl with a lacy motif for a striking edging. The possibilities are endless.

The motifs Ive designed are different sizes and shapes, involve a variety of construction approaches, and support a range of stitching styles. Some are worked in the round from the center out, some in the round from the perimeter in, and some in rows. The motifs are organized by shape, with chapters on flower and star motifs; circles, squares, and rectangles; assorted unusual shapes; and motifs that join as you go to create seamless fabric. Within those shapes, Ive explored various stitch patterns, including cables, lace, short-rows, and more.

Inspired by the geometry of some of the forty motifs, I created a ten-project collection of garments and accessories. There are far more motifs than projects, so feel free to mix and match them to create your own original designs. For some of the projects, Ive included tips to help you make substitutions.

This book is only the beginning. You can follow the patterns, interchange the motifs used in the patterns with slight modifications, or explore and create your own fabric and garments for complete creative control. Grab your needles and start Knitting Outside the Swatch!

Tindra Herringbone Scarf

IVE TAKEN TEN OF MY FAVORITE motifs and used them as the basis for the projects in this book, but there are so many more possibilities. Here are some ways to approach designing with motifs.

The most obvious way to use the motifs is to join a large number of them together to create fabric. Squares and rectangles butted together will form a solid fabric, reminiscent of a patchwork quilt. Circles, flowers, and other irregularly shaped motifs will form open airy fabric. If you prefer a more dense look, you can fill in the open areas with smaller motifs. Use the fabric to make pillows, afghans, baby blankets, shawls, and elements of garments. Several projects in this book are created this way, included the (page 114).

Many of the motifs in this collection would make beautiful edgings. Ive used a number of the motifs as edgings in projects, including the (page 94). The motifs can be sewn on after the main piece is complete, knit as an extension of the garment, or even knit first then joined to create the edging. If you plan to substitute motifs, make sure they have the same number of stitches and/or sides or make adjustments to compensate, such as using more or fewer motifs.

On their own or grouped together, motifs make wonderful embellishments to handknits or even purchased garments. Many of the motifs in the section (page 12) are ideal for using as embellishments. A single flower motif would transform a simple beanie into a chic accessory. Several flower motifs clustered together could liven up an otherwise plain sweater. Dress them up even more by adding beautiful beads or buttons as centers.

A striking motif creates a dramatic focal point for a project. For the (page 82), I joined together four large motifs and designed a shrug around them, but one large square motif would have worked just as well. Try using a circular or hexagonal motif as the crown of a hat or as an inset in a sweater. Join two large motifs together to create an accent pillow or a cute purse. Enlarge a single circle into an unusual afghan. This is a great opportunity to think outside the swatch.

Zuna Starburst Shrug

JOINING METHODS
Just as there are many different ways to work with motifs, there are a number of methods for joining them together. See the (page 129) for illustrations of these joining methods.

The most basic way to join motifs is to knit them separately, then sew or crochet them together. The advantages of this method are that you can work on a number of motifs over time and put them together when youre ready. If youre combining motifs knit in different colors or with different stitch patterns, joining them all together at the end allows you to rearrange them until you find the perfect arrangement. A crocheted join can also make a nice accent if you use a different color yarn. For the motifs (page 39) separately, sewed them together, then picked up stitches all around the motifs to knit the shrug.

If you leave the stitches on the needles, or live, you can join them using Kitchener stitch or three-needle bind-off. Either of these methods creates a virtually invisible join.

This is one of my favorite joining methods because it creates a cleaner join than seaming but requires less planning ahead than joining live stitches. I used this method for several projects, including the Scarf (page 114). Try to pick up evenly across a length of fabric for a neat look.

For my (page 120).

Siri Mbius Cowl

Living in Florida, I spend a lot of time outdoors. Im constantly inspired by the beauty of nature and often incorporate natural shapes into my designs. Flowers and stars are fun motifs to knit because they can stand on their own or be joined together to create gorgeous lacy fabrics.