Knitting Nature by Norah Gaughan

Posted by
Kelly Gilliam
Aug 13, 2006

When I first came upon this book, honestly I didn't know what to expect. I wasn't quite sure how knitting and nature would be combined in this book of 39 patterns, but I was eager to find out. Norah Gaughan, the design director for Berocco Yarns, took all of her inspiration for this book based on six natural design motifs found in nature: hexagons, pentagons, spirals, phyllotaxis, fractals, and waves. I was intrigued to see how Gaughan has utilized natural design motifs to not only design stitch patterns but also the garments themselves.

I have to admit, at first I found the book a little daunting. The patterns seemed to be complex, albeit beautiful and they appeared to be works of art before garments. Two out of three isn't bad: they definitely are beautiful and absolutely are works of art (that just happen to be garments), and although the patterns aren't for a beginning knitter they are not beyond the grasp of the average knitter.

Each of the six designs found in nature each have their own chapter, and one of the things I loved best about this book was the introductions to each chapter. On the first page Gaughan discusses not only the natural form of the chapter, but also the mathematic and scientific reasons for it occurring in nature and her inspirations behind that. Math isn't my subject but the scientific and mathematical reasons behind the biology are fascinating, and the recommended reading list at the end of the book points you exactly into that direction (I know it's a list I'll be going over at my library).

This truly is a book inspired by nature, and one that inspires the knitter as well. The symmetry (and sometimes asymmetry) in nature is wonderfully captured in these patterns that range from ornate to brilliantly simple. I highly recommend this book to any knitter that is looking for something different, something besides the average shaping of a top one might find in most patterns.