flower girl

Posted on Posted in interviews

say what you will about the month of march; so far, it’s been beautiful here—no lions in sight. yes, it’s still cold (mostly in the 20s still), but we’ve had sun and luminous blue skies and breezes instead of wind. breezes carrying that particular softness which tells me spring is approaching.

while we are far from the day when actual flowers might appear—there is still a great deal of snow cover in the yard—this change in temperament does make my mind turn to gardening and my fingers itch for soil.

without the actual cooperation of the season, one must look elsewhere to satisfy the urge to cultivate garden color and, as luck would have it, the solution landed on my doorstep in the form of a new paperback book release from sixth&spring books

nicky epstein’s knitted flowers reads like a very beautiful garden catalog.

the creations within represent a wide range of floral shapes and varieties which are surprisingly delicate and lifelike, with a good dose of whimsy added for fun.

nicky has also used a variety of knitting styles and constructions to produce these little lovelies; techniques such as felting, beading, lace, and i-cord are all represented.

likewise, she has made great use of a range of fibers and yarns here—small amounts of novelty yarns (don’t we all have a tub full of them somewhere?) are transformed into pieces that add a focal point to any plain project.

ribbons, fur, eyelash, ladders, and chenille—you name it, it’s in here.
nicky’s penchant for embellishment is fully realized in these pieces, with many examples showing embellishments on the embellishments with surprisingly tidy outcome.

the book is not just a catalog of flowers, however—many full-scale projects are included as well. some use a single example of floral embellishment to add interest and some are made up almost entirely of floral texture.

in many instances, the reader is led through the construction of single flower projects which are completely attractive on their own

then shown how to use them in multiples to trim a larger project

flowers and projects alike are presented at every skill level

from simple lace to more complex combinations of colorwork and structure,

though i don’t think any one of them requires very advanced knitting skills. patience and a willingness to work in a smaller stitch space are probably most important here, along with good finishing technique.

now, here’s the part you’re going to like: sixth&spring books is offering a free copy of nicky epstein’s knitted flowers to one lucky reader. to be included in the drawing for this book, please leave a comment at the end of this post by sunday, march 7, no later than 9 pm. the winner will be announced on monday morning.

many thanks to nicky epstein and sixth&spring books for sharing this publication with us today.

and hopefully, i’ll be back in business soon with my camera to resume regular blogging (the new spare battery arrived yesterday; i have high hopes that today’s mail will bring me the charger i desperately need . . .)

205 thoughts on “flower girl

  1. Today is the first “no-jacket” day for me in MN, so spring flowers seem utterly appropriate to me! (To be clear, we still have lots of snow on the ground, but it’s 40 degrees!). I think I may go home and force a few bulbs in celebration.

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