Knitting in print

Hanging on to the edge

As you might guess, I have a fairly impressive collection of knitting books. Pattern books, how-to books, philosophical books and history books in the hundreds.

Only three of these are chained to my bookcases.

They're Nicky Epstein's "edge" books and every knitter who comes by wants to take them home. I'd let them — maybe — if I thought they'd come back without drool marks.

They're Knitting on the Edge, Knitting Over the Edge and Knitting Beyond the Edge, all published by Sixth & Spring books.

If we're talking embellishment — and we are in this edition of KnitNet — nothing can top these three amazing books.

They are beautifully designed, beautifully photographed — I can see every stitch, thank you — and deliver the bonus of very pretty, very practical patterns to illustrate.

More important, they make clear the impact of factors like scale and texture on borders and edgings, a lesson you can extrapolate to all of your knitting.

The first two books are about edges and borders, the third book takes us into new territory, focusing on cuffs and collars. Collectively, they make you hope you live long enough to try them all.

Perhaps the most important thing about these wonderful books is that they are remarkably free of what can sometimes be the oppressive voice of the designer. You know, the creative brain that wants us to do things just as he or she has demonstrated in the sample. That's often what we want to do as knitters — just follow instructions while we watch Grey's Anatomy.

But sometimes the impulse that took us to knitting in the first place — "I want to make something" — is louder and bigger. Nicky Epstein's "edge" books simply show us the possibilities and hand us the ingredients to cook up our own creations. Most of us aren't skilled enough to design a whole sweater, given the rigors of sizing and shaping and drape and fit, but any one of us can select a border or a cuff to embellish a plain jane pullover or cardigan and make it our own.

I could go on, but, really, just save your pennies, buy the books and chain them to your bookcase.

Have you added one of Nicky Epstein's borders to something you've knitted? Show us!