Funky Knits

Book excerpt: Knitting comes out of the parlor in this edgy collection of modern designs for knitters who want their personalities to come through in their projects. More than 30 patterns, including a cozy hoodie, a key chain, and an easy-care cactus stretch a knitter's repertoire beyond simple scarves and hats. The themed sections take intrepid handcrafters from an "Urban Playground" to "Home Comforts" while an introductory chapter covers knitting terms and techniques so novice knitters can skip the fuss and get right down to the knitty-gritty. A variety of yarns are used, fueling mix-and-match creativity, and there is even a market tote to knit from old plastic grocery bags. Always unpredictable and never square, the new projects in this book will spark creativity in hip knitters everywhere.