Rockstar designers #1 - Sally Melville

Thank you everyone for your comments on the post about 5 things all great patterns share!  As promised, I will share those designers whose patterns have been consistently stylish, accurate, clear, detailed, and broadly sized.  First, of course, is the incomparable, Sally Melville.  

 First, for a novice knitter, or a novice sweater knitter, there's no one better than Sally Melville. Her early books, The Knit Stitch and The Purl Stitch,were absolutely ground breaking, and they remain my go to books recommendations for all newer knitters. They are, first an foremost, learn-to-knit books, but the patterns are good-looking, flattering across a wide range of body types, and well written. Each pattern teaches you a new skill and builds on your previous lessons. Sally shows you exactly what you need to know exactly when you need to know it. 

The schematics are wonderfully detailed, showing you where the shaping occurs and indicating where you would lengthen or shorten the garment to suit you. 

If you work through these two books, you will be quite an accomplished knitter, and you will have a broad and deep understanding of knitting, knitted fabric, sweater construction, and more. Plus you'll have several fabulous new wardrobe staples that you'll reach for again and again.

I have knit two Einstein Coats, a Caddy Sweater, the Simple Roll Neck Shell, Faith Jacket, Collar Closing Cardigan, and L'Envelope, and more.  They are all wonderfully written, and they work. 

Sally's latest book, Knitting Pattern Essentials, is a comprehensive look at pattern construction and gives you the skills to draft your own patterns.  Even if you're not interested in designing, having a clear understanding of pattern drafting will help you power through those other patterns that are not as clear and accurate as we might like.