Knitting Companion

Morgane Mathieu is a knitting designer based in Paris, France. She is the founder of the Trust the Mojo website (www.trustthemojo.com), where she sells her designs and shares her knitting know-how in the form of colourful patterns and tutorials.After training as a textile designer and a leather-crafter, Morgane gravitated towards knitting, her lifelong passion. In 2013 she created her first collection for We Are Knitters, which led to a long-term collaboration. Over the years, she has partnered with many yarn brands, including Katia Yarns and Phildar.Find Morgane on Instagram: @trustthemojo

• IntroductionPART ONE: What you needReading a yarn labelYarnsNeedlesOther equipmentPART TWO: Choosing a makeReading a chartThe tension (gauge) swatchChoosing the right sizeChoosing your yarnDifferent types of constructionAdapting a patternPART THREE: Knitting techniquesCasting onThe stitchesHow to hold the yarn and needlesThe first rowChanging yarnCasting (binding) offIncreases and decreasesSlipped stitchesTwisted stitchesTroubleshooting common errorsPART FOUR: Finishing and sewing togetherBlockingSeamsWhich seam to choosePicking up stitchesButtonholesWeaving in yarn tailsAppendixAcknowledgements and publication information

For newbies intimidated by the likes of the trusted manual Vogue Knitting: The Ultimate Knitting Book (2018), French author Mathieu offers a kinder, gentler, and much less imposing introduction. The content is mostly rudimentary: needs, choices for yarn, pattern, and measurements; basic knitting techniques; and finishing and sewing together. What stands out are Mathieu's instructions for reading a chart (as it's a fact there is no standard chart or symbols), her tips and tricks (for example, don’t change your needles or brands of yarn midstream!), and the pros and cons she offers for different alternatives in construction, casting on, and the like. Illustrations and photographs are spot-on, especially in the more difficult how-tos, such as those for finishing and sewing. Includes table of stitch-to-row ratios.