Knits Three Ways: Mix and Match Design Elements to Create a Custom-Made Sweater

Take 12 basic sweater patterns, add 3 exciting options for each, and watch as your sweaters take on entirely new personalities—for a total of 36 different designs! In Knits Three Ways, expert knitter and designer Melissa Matthay presents a dozen core sweater designs and explains how simple changes in elements like yarn type, stitch pattern, and sweater length can dramatically transform the look and style of any knit creation.

This helpful handbook helps you design your own sweater with basic guidelines for measuring, shaping, and finishing, so that every sweater you make will turn out precisely as desired. Next there are 12 basic patterns, offering projects ranging from a geisha-inspired kimono to a comfy hoodie to a stylish shrug—as well as such wardrobe staples as a classic pullover and a cardigan sweater.

Learn how to vary length, embellishment, and trim, so that you can invent, customize, and experiment with your very own unique patterns. Try new ways of changing stitches—from cables to chevrons to ribbing—altering sleeve shapes and length, and incorporating ribbons, ruffles, and lace adornments to create entirely new designs. Also included are plenty of knitting tips, helpful hints, and suggestions for still more stylish variations.

Whether you’re a beginner eager to make a simple sweater for your first post-scarf project, an intermediate knitter ready to experiment and design new creations, or a seasoned expert looking for fresh ideas to incorporate into your own patterns, Knits Three Ways is an entirely new, entirely innovative kind of knitting guide.

Melissa Matthay has been knitting beautiful sweaters for more than 20 years. She has designed over 600 knit garments, written 7 books, and collaborated with top international yarn manufacturers including Cascade, Lane Borgosesia, Missoni, Colinette, and Tahki. She is the former owner of the Yarn Co. in Manhattan, rated “Best of New York,” and the charming Knitting Tree in Madison, Wisconsin, and has been featured on DIY’s Knitty Gritty and in Family Circle Easy Knitting.