In the digital era, where everything is a click apart from our hands, buying books is an act of rebellion. However, people who love working with their hands value physical objects that will stay forever regardless of internet connection. I’m not the only one that cherishes getting lost in a cabin in the middle of the woods without an internet connection and relying on natural light, a bunch of candles, and a chimney. Of course, that hypothetical adventure comes seasoned with needles and yarn to imprint the experience in a knitted garment that will stay forever. I don’t know when my wish will become true, and I want to be ready, so in the meantime, I became an avid knitting book collector.
When I knew that Aimée Gille was preparing her second editorial work for Laine Publishing, I knew I wanted it in my collection. In collaboration with Laine Publishing, Worsted, her first curated knitwear collection, was awarded the prize as one of the most beautiful Finnish book editions in 2021.
Neons & Neutrals will catch your eye in most nordic yarn shops, poping-out on the book table with a vibrant magenta cover. Nevertheless, never judge a book by the cover… it is even more interesting on the inside.
An invitation to swatch with freedom
The book concept is surprisingly novel: play with different yarn thicknesses, textures, and colors to find a matching swatch that fits each design. To help you accomplish such a task, the specific yarn used on each piece and the detailed composition are moved out from the page to a back index, so you don’t get distracted by the designer’s options.
Previously, when I was going to knit a design that required combining fingering with lace yarn (typically merino and mohair blends), I would look for matching shades, giving the lace a minor role in the final fabric, relegated to provide a hairy finishing to the piece. Not anymore!
Patterns that highlight each fiber’s properties
These are some of the examples that make your mix and match.
The Punkt Shawl is one of the many intarsia proposals in the book. It alternates a lace background with scattered fingering or double-lace intarsia dots that stand out against the background. Click here to check out the yarn bundles La Bien Aimée has prepared for the Punkt Shawl.
The herringbone stitch in the Yu Vest designed by Valeria Ng lets the mohair pop out to be the main character of the piece. Check out the yarn bundles for Yu Vest here.
The Stries Hat esigned by Marie Régnier alternates three different sections with and without lace-weight yarn for a texture game-changer. Click here for Stries Hat's bundles.
So yes, Aimée did it again. She is stirring a revolution in the knitting industry, making us use fibers, explore their whole potential, and reminding us: “Yes, honey, you are free to decide!”
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