I suspect many of you will now know that my good friend Felicity Ford’s fabulous new tome, The Knitsonik Stranded Colourwork Sourcebook has just been published!
Felix is a close friend of mine, and, as I also played an editorial role in the production of her, ahem, masterwerk, I have, as you’d imagine, only positive things to say. But I have to briefly say them anyway, because I just know that you will love this book.
I have never met anyone quite so full of joy as Felix, anyone quite so enthusiastic and energetic, or anyone who, in quite the manner that she does, is able to appreciate and celebrate the sheer wonder of quotidian things: snacks, plants, spaces, socks, beer, bricks, wool. In this book she enables you to turn the last thing on that list – wool – into all of the items that precede it. Using the fabulous shades available in the Jamieson & Smith jumper weight palette, and some really innovative methods of sketching and swatching, Felix shows you how to develop the aesthetic skills to translate everday objects into glorious knitting.
With Felix you can learn how to knit a fruitcake . . .
. . . discover how to look anew at the ordinary spaces that surround you . . .
. . . develop a luminous palette with which to celebrate an extraordinary building . . .
. . . or translate the vintage aesthetics of a favourite tome into a pair of fabulous fingerless gloves.
Felix is many things: talented artist, lyrical writer, innovative designer, and all-round good egg. You’ll find her with all of these hats on in this book, and one of the things I love so much about it is just how Felix it all is.
This is certainly a personal book, then, but it is also a precise and professional tome too. The book is beautifully produced: the layout (by Nic Blackmore) has an elegant simplicity and the photographs (by Fergus Ford) not only clearly illustrate Felix’s work but enhance its rich context. The book has useful patterns too: after teaching you how to create beautiful colourwork swatches, Felix carefully shows you some simple methods of incorporating your original stitch patterns into wearable items, such as legwarmers and gauntlets.
The Knitsonik Stranded Colourwork Sourcebook is both enabling and inspiring. It will change the way you look at your knitting and the world. There’s not another book anywhere like it. It is truly original – just like its author.
Felicitations, Felix!
The Knitsonik Stranded Colourwork Sourcebook is now available!
KDD & Co 
A wonderful recommendation. Looks like an excellent book to further enhance the stranded color work interest that you have kick started. Definitely an addition I look forward to :-)
Thanks to you both!
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Thank you for alerting me to this book (which I have now ordered, even though my books are pushing me out of the house demanding more room for themselves) and also for alerting me to Felicity’s blog – the post on the virtues of a boring weekend really resonated!!!! I am also looking forward to your book on yokes. Hang housework – I want to read and knit!
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what a beautiful book, thanks so much for sharing
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I’ve been looking forward to the publication of this book ever since Felix announced it on her blog!
I’m glad people can now order it through her website. I wanted to be backer on her Kickstarter campaign, but couldn’t as Kickstarter only allows for people with a credit card to back a campaign. Glad that her vision became reality and I’m looking forward to its arrival.
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I read your review of Knitsonik then hopped on over to Felix’s webite and checked out the book there. Wow, I love both her color choices and her use of every day visuals for inspiration. I have ordered the book (available from her site) and am eagerly awaiting it’s arrival. I agree with the previous two comments from the Pacific Northwest, it has definitly brightened this rainy morning. Cheers.
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I Really love all her amazing work!! This book looks so cool, and even if I promise to shut down expenses for the next two year or so, this seems a must a have and a worthy one in my knitting library.
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Can’t wait!
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This book looks amazing!
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I love the idea of incorporating your surroundings to your knitting. It makes it even more personal – your vision of the world on a piece of fabric. After several years of knitting I still haven’t got to the stranded colourwork. Maybe this book is a perfect start. Thank you, Kate, for the review!
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Just ordered my copy. Can’t wait for it to arrive.
Jacqui
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My copy just arrived in today’s mail (and only five days’ travel time from England to California). So much absorbing swatching and experimentation ahead!
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What fun. Thanks for sharing this on what is a very dreary day on the Pacific Northwest coast of Oregon!
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Also delighted to have been a part of the funding of this book all the way from Switzerland – the resultiing volume is fascinating for any enthusiastic knitter interested in colour! Very highly recommended – also the crowdfunding aspect is something I will do again.
(glad to know Felix is also NICE!!)
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It is on my Christmas list and I can’t wait to read it. It looks like a real treasure trove of a book!
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I am unable to order the book. Is it only available in UK?
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I am shipping it Internationally and it should be available to buy through this link on my site:
http://knitsonik.bigcartel.com/product/knitsonik-stranded-colourwork-sourcebook
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When I first read about this (I think on Ysolda’s twitter feed) I immediately wanted this book. How ingenious of Felix, to think of a book to translate everyday views into colourwork patterns! Thank you for reminding me that it’s available now. Of course I went straight over and bought it. Now I look forward to seeing more of Felix’ colourful world!
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I got mine in the post earlier in the week (I, too, made a small contribution to the kickstarter campaign) and it’s a fab book. One of the very best for colourwork that I’ve come across.
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immediately ordered a copy, what a wonderful book
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That looks wonderful, I want one….soon!
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WOW, that is a TREAT to behold!! I want it and will get it……….thank you so much for all the work you both did. And I just went thru her Estonian wool blog…wonderful photos and comments.
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I always enjoy @knitsonik’s Instagram posts so had been looking forward to the book, and now more so after reading this post, thanks Kate.
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I just ordered a copy too. How is Yokes coming along?
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And she’s from Reading so there are some wonderful images of the town translated into stranded knits. Lovely book and warmly recommended.
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that was one of the happiest — little photo posts I’ve seen during this gray month of rain.
yes, cheerfuLness in wooL does exist !!!
x x x x x x x thank you, ms Kate x x x x x
teri
Oregon
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Fabulous book, just ordered mine now to keep me going until Yokes is out!
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My book arrived 4 days ago and it is truly gorgeous. I am so happy to have been a part of the Kickstarter program. Each page is filled with inspiration. I think every knitter needs this book in their library.
Bravo, Felix!!
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My book arrived 4 days ago. It is truly gorgeous and calls for a large cup of tea and easy chair. I’m so happy to have been a part of her Kickstarter program Every page calls for much thought and is full of inspiration. Every knitter needs this book in their library!! I’ll wear my Knitsonik button tomorrow to Vogue Knitting Live.
Excellent job Felix!!
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Ordered the book as it looks fantastic. Melts see how long it will take to get here.
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Wow, this book seems amazing. It went straight to my wishlist :)
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Couldn’t agree more, and as I’ve never had the pleasure of meeting Felix/Felicity there is no favouritism here. I was intrigued enough when I saw the blog tour asking for support to get the book produced to add my halfpence to the support, and I’m so glad I did because it is a beautiful, inspiring and creative piece of work that has made me think about how I can capture experiences I love in wool in a completely new way. it’s been a privilege to be even a tiny part of it, every knitter should have a copy whether they can do stranded colour work or not( and at the moment I can’t but have booked to learn).
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Thank you! I did not know about this book. It looks wonderful and inspiring. I shall certainly look for it to add to my knitting library. How’s your Yokes book coming along? Is it in the shop yet?
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