The love of Connie Chang Chinchio’s patterns is hardly a secret here at fibre space. We hosted the Austin Hoodie knit-a-long in 2010, and Danielle has knit the Metro Cardigan, Henley Perfected, and the Geodesic Cardigan since the store opened. These sweaters get more wear then probably any of the others in her wardrobe! It should then be no surprise that we were ecstatic when we heard that Connie was writing a book, and even more thrilled when it showed up on our doorstep!
Textured Stitches is an amazing resource that stays true to all that we love about Connie’s designs; beautiful patterns and elegant details that lend to a more polished finished garment. There is also a wealth of information on how different stitch patterns can affect your gauge, how to choose the right yarn for the right pattern, and some special cast ons and bind offs that give your garments a more tailored appearance.
Naturally, we want to make everything in this book, but here are a few of our favorite designs!
Henley sweaters are infinitely wearable, and the Tulip Henley is no different. The tulip stitch pattern is adorable, and would look great with jeans or dressed up for the office. It would look great in Berroco Pure Pima, and could be finished before it warms up outside!
Everyone needs a new cardigan this time of year, and the Raindrop cardigan could not be more perfect. The front is simple and elegant, but the back is just gorgeous. The stitch definition from Miss Babs Northumbria DK is absolutely ideal for this project.
Most of the shawls that we knit are lace, so it’s awesome to see a shawl with some texture to show off the wonderful sock yarns that we hoarde stockpile away until we find the perfect pattern. The Olivia Shawl is delicate and guaranteed to keep you warm in the colder months. We have so many sock yarns in, it’s hard to choose, but Skein Top Draw Sock or Merino Cashmere fingering would be the perfect complement to this pattern.
It will be getting colder and colder over the next few weeks, so knitting a jacket is more and more tempting. The Albero Cowl Jacket has an amazing textured collar that will keep you warm when it’s not quite cold enough for a coat, but too warm for a sweater. I’d be tempted to make this extra-luxurious in the Blue Sky Worsted Hand Dyes, or even Swan’s Island.
It seems that a book from Connie would not be complete with just one Henley, so she’s given us two to choose from! The Intagliata Henley is my personal favorite. It uses a stunning combination of stitches and cables to create a sweater that you will want to wear every day. It seems almost planned that our shipment of Mad Tosh Light arrived just before this book did. There are still plenty of colors to choose from for this top…
Last but not least, who can resist a sweater with pockets! The Cecily pullover has simple knit/purl patterns, accentuated by perfect little pockets in just the right spot. We have such a great selection of tweeds in the shop right now, it’s almost hard to chose the best one. SHELTER, Tara Tweed, and Donegal Tweed would each give this pattern a slightly different, but equally awesome look. This would also be stunning in a hand dye, like Dragonfly Fibers Bluefaced Worsted.
Which one will you knit first?
