I really liked the fresh pattern ideas in the first 3/4 of the book. They update a lot of classics and provide some new ideas. I especially like that many of the patterns are small, not requiring long floats. And some are out there (pooping pig!). I didn’t find the clothing ideas in the last part of the book at all exciting. The patterns were just hohum for me. I did enjoy the pattern ideas and have already started on a sweater using the “bubble” pattern.

If you enjoy knitting with different colours and complex patterns, this book is for you. Some of the patterns were at my skill range, others would be more suited for some other knitters I know. The designs were definitely interesting, and make beautiful fabric in the pictures. I could even see adapting some of the patterns for cross stitch borders. If you like interesting and maybe a bit complex knitting, definitely give this a try.

I am an avid knitter and a huge fan of colourwork, this book is tremendous! I love the modern approach, and the support for making the designs your own. Andrea Ragnel has a great eye for both graphic patterns and interesting ephemera to make your knitting stand out from the rest. This is a solid addition to any knitters library. I was provided with a copy for my honest review. #indigoemployee

I love this book! It's a fantastic resource for knitters who want to learn how to stitch charted patterns. With over 200 different patterns, many very cheeky, and a few projects, it will spark plenty of creative ideas.

But it's more than just a pattern resource. The introductory sections include lots of information to help you with color knitting. Not only are there basic instructions on knitting and reading charts, you'll also find sections on color, how to knit with multiple colors, and topics rarely covered such as color dominance.

I recommend this book as a great resource if you do any form of charted needlework. These stitch patterns are so great and so generally useful that I can see them being used in all kinds of designs.

Buy this book -- you won't regret it!

Thank you to Netgalley, the author and the Publisher for this review copy, given in exchange for an honest review.

I love knitting and crochet books, so couldn't wait to read this one. I'm more of a crochet girl, but as by chance I have recently bought a new pair of knitting needles as I wanted to give knitting a try again. To be honest, I'm not a very good knitter and can just about manage to do a few straight lines in one colour, so this book will definitely be a challenge!

It begins with clear instructions on how to knit the swatches, with instructions on how to carry the extra colour across the back of the work. There are lots of swatches to try, with all different patterns. The grid that comes with each swatch looks easy enough to follow and are simple with the squares being in one of two colours. Some of the patterns of the swatches are great - spiders, paw prints, cats, elephants, sheep, owls, bikes to name a few. My imagination went into overdrive thinking how cute the paw prints would look on a knitted dog blanket or the sheep would look on a baby bonnet.

There are also lots of projects at the back using the stitch motifs to try, from hats to mittens to cardigans, all with clear instructions, colour pictures and in different sizes.

A really fun book, and you don't need to be an expert knitter to give this a try!