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Knitting California: 26 Easy-To-Follow Designs for Beautiful Beanies Inspired by the Golden State

Weldon Owen. Oct. 2023. 192p. illus. photos. ISBN 9798886740219. pap. $32.50. CRAFTS
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In this collection of knit beanie patterns, Bates (Knitting the National Parks) celebrates the nature, history, industry, and culture of her home state, California. The patterns are organized by region, each with a narrative introduction that describes the locale that inspired the design. The majority of the patterns use stranded colorwork to create motifs that bring to mind diverse California settings such as Hollywood, Napa, the Central Valley, and the Mojave Desert, as well as iconic images associated with the state, such as palm trees, the state flag, and the Golden Gate Bridge. The beanies are knitted with worsted-weight yarn, which makes for a durable, quick-to-knit fabric. Suggested yarn brands and colors are provided as well. The designs are charted—the standard for stranded colorwork—with clear instructions for decreases, duplicate and slip stitches, bead placement, cables, and bobbles, as needed. A glossary of techniques provides basic instructions for a long-tail cast-on, a duplicate stitch, and bead knitting.
VERDICT Bates’s collection of patterns will appeal to knitters who enjoy stranded colorwork, nature-inspired motifs, or knitted hats.
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