NEW ENGLAND knits

t im el es s k ni t wea r
with a m o d e r n t w i s t

Cecily Glowik MacDonald

and

Melissa LaBar re

welcome to

new engla nd
winds found here. We pictured walks in the woods in crisp fall weather and days spent in the park enjoying the midst of spring. We were drawn to transitional weather clothes. New England is notorious for sudden weather shifts, so we thought of cardigans and pieces for layering. You know that favorite cardigan, the one you reach for again and again, that you throw on instead of a coat on a crisp fall day? We hope youll find one of those among this collection: classic pieces with a modern detail or two that youll enjoy making and want to keep forever. And so New England Knits was born. Thinking of the farms scattered across the region and the fiber-producing animals that reside here, we chose natural fibers such as wool. Its ability to repel water and provide warmth made it the perfect canvas for the projects we envisioned. We shared our plans with a few designers who hail from New England and asked them to join us and contribute designs that felt like perfect New England knits. We think youll find that theyve succeeded.

It seems entirely fitting that the idea for this book was born on a perfect fall day. One October morning, we left our homes in wool cardigans and hats. As the day went on, the hats came off and the cardigans hung open until the sun went down. It was then that we found ourselves scrambling for woolly layers again. Handknits get lots of use here; the weather gives us many opportunities for that. As knitters and native New Englanders, its hard not to be inspired by our surroundings when thinking about what we want to knit. That afternoon, while talking about what we wanted to knit next, we realized that we had strikingly similar visions for a perfect New England wardrobe. Comprised of six states, New England offers inspiration in many forms. With winter approaching, we were drawn to cold weather first and brainstormed knits for snowy dayswarm pieces that would keep out the brisk cold air as for the shortest days. As five of the regions six states border the ocean, the New England coast inspired us, too, but not in the beach-going sunbathing way. Instead, we thought of the colors and cool coastal

new england

knits

me lr os e

peac oat

This cropped peacoat-style sweater has a classic double-breasted shape with a modern length. Covered buttons evoke the details on the traditional peacoat, but sew-on snaps concealed beneath the front panel keep the lines crisp. A rose pattern worked on the upper back adds an interesting and slightly feminine detail.

finished size
36 (39, 42, 46, 49)" (91.5 [100.5, 108.5, 117.5, 126.5] cm); to fit a womans size small (medium, large, extra-large, 2XL).

needles
U.S. size 10 (6 mm). Adjust needle size if necessary to obtain correct gauge.

yarn
Bulky (Bulky #5). shown here: Brown Sheep Lambs Pride Bulky (85% wool, 15% mohair; 125 yd [114m]/4oz): Spice M-145, 8 (9, 10, 11, 12) skeins.

notions
Stitch markers (m); six 78" (2.2 cm) buttons; three size 4 sew-on snaps; matching thread and sewing needle; tapestry needle.

gauge
14 sts and 19 rows = 4" (10 cm) in St st.

new england

knits

gallery
around

the town

Fall on

the farm

Montpelier Jacket

Groveland Bag Greenfield Cardigan Providence Hoodie

along

the coast

Chelsea Skirt

Old Port Pullover

Cranston Coat
Northampton Kerchief

Salem Jacket

new england

knits

capture the spirit of New England

Inspired by the vivid seasons of New England, where a sweater or cap is always at hand to chase off a breeze, this collection of knitwear by young Northeast designers is full of flattering, wearable sweaters and accessories (including hats, mittens, scarves, bags, and shawls). Choose among projects from the books three themes: Around the Town, Fall on the Farm, and Along the Coast. In addition to irresistible designs, the authors offer tips for knitting and designing with finesse, such as knitting in the round with the Magic Loop method, adjusting patterns for a better fit, and adding details such as button plackets and subtle embellishments. Patterns from the authors are complemented by four projects from New England guest designers. Lushly photographed on the New England coastline, New England Knits is full of timeless projects that knitters will want to make and wear, as these up-and-coming designers present their fresh take on classic knitting.

contents
around the town
Auburn Top Hampton Cardigan Chelsea Skirt Ashfield Cardigan Groveland Bag Northampton Kerchief Greylock Tunic Fairfield Top Whale Watch Hat

fall on the farm

Portland Mittens Greenfield Cardigan Providence Hoodie Augusta Cardigan Melrose Peacoat Mystic Pullover Montpelier Jacket Brattleboro Hat

Cecily Glowik MacDonald is part of the design and Webletter teams at Classic Elite Yarns. Cecily has published more than 80 designs in books, magazines, and Classic Elite Yarns Collections. She has designed for Interweave Knits, Knitscene , Knit.1 , Knit Simple, Vogue Knitting , Cast On , Knitters , and Creative Knitting. Her designs have appeared in Interweaves Color Style, Simple Style, and Knitted Gifts as well as Vogues Knitting on the Go series. She lives in Lowell, Massachusetts. Melissa LaBarre has published patterns in Vogue Knitting, Knit.1, and Classic Elite
Yarns Webletters and design collections. She lives in western Massachusetts and blogs at knittingschooldropout.com. Paperback, 8 1/2 x 9, 152 pages 100 photographs, 30 illustrations, 10 charts ISBN 978-1-59668-180-4 $24.95 Available July 2010

along the coast

Salem Jacket Derry Raglan Old Port Pullover Lewiston Vest Middlefield Pullover Wakefield Scarf Cranston Coat Montague Vest Windsor Warmer