pretty edgy

Posted on annePosted in book reviews/events

by the time you read this i’ll most probably be in london, but i already know i’ll be way to knackered to write a blog today—i’ll have spent nearly the whole last day getting here.

so i thought it would be fun to fill my recovery day blog slot (try typing that five times fast!) with some bookish fun.

the hot weather we’re having and the need to spend more time outdoors may have already put a dent in your knitting time or caused you to change the kind of project you turn to when you do feel like picking up the needles.

this can be a good time to experiment with something quick and different that you’ve been putting off—such as edgings, which serve several functional purposes in garment construction but have the added advantage of being very pretty or unique. and therefore, fun to work.

since they are generally narrow, edging repeats flow off the needles very quickly and, alone or in combination with other stitches, can make a beautiful little project such as a bookmark or scarf, when knit up in varying weight yarns.

i own several books of edgings, but one of my favorites is nicky epstein’s knitting over the edge, which was made available in paperback earlier this year.

i’ve had a hardcopy version of this book for years and i find it a delight to look at when i need a refreshed viewpoint on edgings. ms. epstein has divided edging and border stitches into a number of categories, mostly based on the type of stitchwork involved, but also on the type of edging or border those stitches produce.

so, while these examples are not technically edgings, these familiar knit/purl combinations do form borders that would be very attractive along the bottom of a piece. what i like about these examples is that we are shown a few ways to think about stitch patterns differently and hopefully, inspired to come up our own combinations as needed.

here is an example of a stitch pattern used to accent the hem of an otherwise very plain stockinette sweater. and beaded, to boot. the result is a complete transformation of the sweater and is extremely effective, yet does not overpower the beauty of the yarn.

and nearly the same sweater again, this time with a different treatment, which proves how effective a change in border can be.

when it comes to styling the edging/border categories, ms. epstein does a terrific job of showing numerous variations of edging types in a variety of fibers and yarn weights. let’s look at the ruffles category for instance—there are a couple of pages of typical ruffle styles (above), the kind that change stitch count drastically to form multiple folds along a garment edge. these are executed in lighter, more delicate yarns.

but she also shows us what this effect might look like in a heavier yarn, in case we are contemplating that. this is really helpful in making a decision and weeding out the possibilities that won’t work.

and finally, she shows us some options for flatter ruffles that might work better in a heavier yarn weight and still look very interesting. i find this sort of progression quite helpful.

of course there is a wonderful section of lace edgings that are knit in the sideways direction, where once again, we see a generous swatch example of what the pattern will look like in various yarn weights. what i love about this part is that it leads my mind directly to scarfs and neckwarmer ideas; i can see which ones have a bias and which ones would spread nicely along the bottom edge. very helpful.

and for more delicate projects, i can also get a sense of how wide a given edging will be (they tend to knit up a lot wider than you’d think; often falling out of proportion to the piece they are joined to, which is a challenge for the designer).

even though i rarely, if ever, use them, haha, my favorite section of all is the one on fringes.

i really feel like ms. epstein gave in here to her whimsical sense of humor for knitting as well as her quirky, fun taste.

the possibilities are wide and varied and lots of fun. some of these take a bit of doing in the execution but the results are totally worth it, when it suits the project.

now here’s the best part—sixth&spring has generously offered to send one lucky reader of today’s review a gift copy of knitting over the edge. if you’d like to be in the running to win it, please leave a comment at the end of this post by 9pm EST on sunday, july 17th. we’ll announce the winner as soon as i can after that (i’ll be in the middle of knit nation; there may not be a lot of time to post).

have a wonderful week; i’ll try to be back with a london post very soon!

273 thoughts on “pretty edgy”

  1. I have been lured by the title of this book many a times and finally got to catch a glimpse of the contents. Thank you for the great review! I would love to try my luck at this draw. Thanks again!

  4. Your review has convinced me that I need this book. Hope you’re having a great time in London!

  6. Love that book! I think I’ve checked it out of the library ten times. Enjoy jolly old England, Anne.

  7. I haven’t done any edgings yet, so that book would be a great addition to my library! Have a great time in England!

  8. Thanks for the review. I have flipped through this book at the library but did not see all those possibilities that you mentioned. Have a safe trip.

  9. I have long coveted this beautiful book, but my pension earnings leave me with no budget for such frivolities! Would be overjoyed to win!!

  11. 😀 That is an awesome book! I never thought I needed it until recently when I was wanting to make a shawl w/a neat edge (worked from the side) and couldn’t find one in my regular stash of books. It would be an awesome addition to my library! 😀

  12. I’ve looked longingly at Ms. Epstein’s books for years now, but my budget seldom allows me to purchase books. I would love to be entered into the drawing to win one. Hope you have a great time in England.

  13. Love stitch collections — they’re so inspiring! This looks like a wonderful one.

  14. Oh pick me knitting gods!!

    I’m just starting to experiment with trying to make a whole project of my own design from scratch.

  15. This looks like an amazing resource. Thanks for the chance to have it on my knitting bookshelf. Have a wonderful time in the UK.

  19. Looks like a great book– one that would be fun to use.
    Thanks for offering it.
    d

  23. I am very intrigued by this book. I would very much like to add it to my collection of knitting books.

  25. Hi Ann, I’m a first time commenter, long time reader :-). I got tempted by your intriguing book review and just had to say something. Have a fabulous time in the U.K. !

  27. Thanks for the great review! I promise it would have a warm, loving home if it came to my house! Maybe its own knitted book cozy!

  28. I would love to add a reference book such as this to my knitting library. Thank you for the review and for hosting this giveaway.

  29. Very inspiring! Thanks for sharing and hope you have a great trip! I’m signed up for your class in California at A Verb for Keeping Warm and I’m look forward to meeting you! 🙂

  30. The book looks like a fantastic one to have in a knitting library. Thank you for offering it! I hope you are having a great time in London. 🙂

  31. I had to add this book to my Amazon wishlist after reading your review. Looks great!

  33. I have been eying this book for awhile. I would love to take one of your classes wish you would do one in the Pittsburgh area.

  34. This is also one of my favorite Nickey Epstein books. Not only are the edgings beautiful and inspirational but the few patterns that are included are lovely. It would be a great addition to my bookshelf!

  37. Have a wonderful trip to England. I have been wanting to add this book to my libary for a long time. I have checked it out from the libary several times. Thank you for taking the time to review it.

  39. Your review is very helpful. I think I want to add it to my library. Edgings make mundane projects beautiful.

  40. I have seen this book and thought that it would not benefit me as I am not a very adventurous knitter, choosing rather to trust the designer and “go with the flow” but your review has really opened my eyes! I may never design something but this book would certainly give me the confidence to change a garment!!

    Thanks again for all of your beautiful designs and inspiration!

  42. My fingers are crossed for luck which makes knitting very difficult… Thank you for the sneak peak into a wonderful book.

  45. I have taken a class with Nicky and learned some her edging.. I would love this book to inspire my own knitting and help me become more creative.

  46. I would love to win this book! The edging ideas might give me that final push to design something on my own.
    Thank you!

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