Knitwear
Sasha Kagan’s patterns are not for the faint of heart. Take the 1940s-inspired zip jacket, Cable Flower. It incorporates five different stitches and six different colors. The pattern charts take up a double-page spread. Whew! But though most of the projects will only be tackled by experienced knitters, even novices will enjoy paging through this attractive, oversize book, full of enticing color photographs. British designer Kagan has long been admired for her intricate, textured patterns, which she says are inspired by the natural beauty she sees around her home in Wales. The 22 projects here, a “retrospective” of patterns, include sweaters, wraps, jackets, coats, and scarves. Back matter includes pictures of stitches used and techniques, including intarsia. --Ilene Cooper