Domino Knitting

I've been knitting for 40 years but I am someone who can't knit without a pattern, whether I design it or someone else does. That is, until now. This skill is so deceivingly simple, I can't believe I didn't already know it intuitively. It has allowed me a method to knit without a pattern and when I have limited amounts of time. I really love how loose ends are woven in as you go to diminish finishing time. This is a terrific addition to any knitter's skill set. I'd probably never make a sweater this way but have made quite a few afghans, pillows, hats and scarves.

When I bought this little book, it was but one of many new additions to my crafts library, so I leafed through it thinking "Hmm, that's interesting; I'll have to try that sometime," then forgot about it. Two years later, while thumbing through the latest issue of Vogue Knitting (Winter 2005/06), I came across a stunning and sophisticated geometric-patterned skirt (on p. 82) that *looked* as if it would be incredibly difficult to do, but VK rated the pattern only "intermediate" skill, and I recognized why: it was domino knitting! So I whipped my Hoxbro book off the shelf, read it through, and finally started learning the technique, which proved to be as easy as the author claimed. I wish more of my knitting & craft books were this well done. Ms. Hoxbro's instructions are extremely clear, concise yet thorough; multiple drawings & sharp photos illustrate every step, and many helpful sidebars are interspersed throughout the book. As I worked through my first squares & joinings, at no point was I left wondering what to do next. For example, when she says to pick up a stitch "around the corner," she supplies a drawn diagram with an X marking the spot *and* a photo of a join-in-progress, so there's no mistaking where your needle needs to go. I also like the format of the book: just the right size for tucking into a tote with my knitting, printed on glossy, quality paper, and while it may not lay absolutely flat, it flattens enough to work from and is sturdy enough to withstand creasing at the margin. Wearing eyeglasses, I often find fault with how some books are printed, but I have no issues with this one. The learning projects in the book all have a distinctly Scandinavian flavor, and perhaps illustrate the versatility of the technique more than anything else. That gorgeous skirt in Vogue Knitting displays a very different style, which *this* experienced knitter might have hesitated to tackle were I not armed with a copy of "Domino Knitting," and thanks to Ms. Hoxbro's section on working triangles, I'll be able to change its hemline with confidence.

Not for people who buy books by the pound. But lotsof ideas and techniques for the $. I never made itthrough a potholder project. The first potholdergrew into a preschooler sweater that is much worn and loved.

I've had this book for several months now and can't put it down. It is definitely a book for the creative knitter! I've knit and tested most of the patterns in it and have truly become addicted to the technique. The book is tiny, but packed from cover to cover with many ideas and projects from small to large. It emphasizes texture and color in a way that few other techniques do. Photos are clear and beautifully done. I like that the book works it's way from simple projects and techniques to more complex and larger ones towards the end. It grows with you. Charts, diagrams and patterns are clear and easy to understand. I think it is a book that even beginner can benefit from using and grow with.Once you learn domino knitting, you will find yourself "envisioning" other patterns knit using this technique. It is a great way to use up leftover stash yarns, too!

Domino knitting is a type of knitting done in modules. Instead of starting at a hem (or a neck if you do top-down knitting), you make small "potholder" or tiles in knitted squares or strips. Then, using a "sew-as-you-knit" technique, you add square upon square, strip next to strip, and make your garment piece. In a way, it's like coloring in a line drawing in a coloring book, using small knitted modules to complete the front, back or sleeves. Those who learn this method of knitting say that it is addictive, and I can affirm that. I find it quite enjoyable. Many knitters find that it is less stressful on the hands, too--only a small piece is knitted at any one time, even though it might be attached to the larger part of a project.Vivian Hoxbro is a Danish designer who was very smitten with Horst Schulz' "Patchwork Knitting." She attended his seminar in Berlin, and went back to Denmark to adapt it to her own ideas. Being Scandinavian, she uses simpler designs and more understated color schemes than the bright colorways Schulz favors. And her approach in this book is different, too. Rather than have you follow the pattern for a garment, she presents a number of potholder projects that teach various ways to knit and join modules. When you've mastered the potholders, you can progress on to coffee pot warmers, backpacks, shawls and hats. Hoxbro's colorways are novel and fashionable and her designs are quite clever--how about a knitted cache-pot to cover an African violet pot? Or a denim-like backpack or basket to hang on the Christmas tree. The modular aspect of domino knitting makes it versatile for more than just garments. Most of the projects in this book are small, appropriate for learning a new technique. And also, the small projects are useful to learn patience, for, as Ms. Hoxbro points out, domino knitting is slower than standard knitting. I am in the middle of a project (a large jacket) and I can say that it is slower, but one reason for that is due to the size needle and yarn (2.5 mm needles and 2 ply shetland yarn.) However, once I mastered the technique, I found that the knitting progresses rather quickly after all, and it's quite hypnotic.This book, which is a translation of the original Danish edition, is a small paperback. While it fits nicely into a knitting project bag, I found the print and pictures smaller than I would have liked. However, since this is both a technique book and a small project book, the smaller format works for a little knitting item you may stash in a purse or lunch bag for a take-anywhere project.