25.03.2005 | 16:36

Rowan patterns, old and new

It's time for confessions: yes, I've been ordering books. Let's start with five Rowan pattern books.

A Yorkshire Fable is an older book, published in 2003. It's classic Rowan, just the way I like it. You can take a look at the designs on the Knitting Garden web site.

I don't know if I would knit anything from the book now, no pattern spoke to me (maybe some of the cardigans would be nice), but don't get me wrong. I'll return to this book for inspiration and to admire the fairisle and the cable patterns. Besides, the photos are beautiful.

Shore lines, on the other hand, is a brand new book made to promote the new Harris yarns with 15 designs. You can see the patterns at the Shoreham Knitting and Needlecraft / Englishyarns web site as well as the yarns.

This book was a bit disappointing. Of course, it looks beautiful. The photos are great. The layout is great. There are excerpts from poetry to put you in the right mood. However, you cannot see the actual knitwear that well! The sweaters and scarves are shown properly only on the instruction pages in fairly small photos.

So, does that make you miss something? No, unless you're a fan of the 80's revival. You can see the 80's in the shapes and designs and colours throughout the book. Dropped shoulders, intarsia, patterns that remind me of Kaffe Fassett. I'm a bit disappointed, I was waiting for classic designs in the good old Rowan style.

Then I ordered the new Classic Cafe and Classic Garden books as well as the Cotton Rope Collection.

If I start from the Cotton Rope Collection... You can look at the designs on the Colourway web site. The designs are quite minimalistic but they look nice and I like the bright colours of the yarn. Abi became my favourite, that's a sweater I would most definitely like to knit for the summer.

I wish Novita would still make Maxi because it occurred to me the first moment I saw the booklet that it would be a good substitute yarn for Cotton rope.

Classic Cafe and Classic Garden promote the new Cashcotton and Cashsoft yarns. I just can't help thinking of money (cash, you know) instead of cashmere when I look at the yarn names... But the names came from cashmere, both the yarns are cashmere blends. The Knitting Garden has pictures of both Classic Cafe and Classic Garden.

What can I say? Frills, frills and frills! I like the frills and flared sleeves. (OK, there aren't that many of them.) I also like the details that put the finishing touches on the designs - there are different edgings and a plaid in three colours and...

The books make me want to get my Visa card and order the yarns and start knitting. (I won't, though, because it's been only a week from my pay day and I've already spent all my money. That happens when you travel.)

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