Inspiration
It’s Here! Field Guide No. 16: Painterly
Dear everyone,
Kaffe Fassett to the rescue!
Just when we need him most, Kaffe gives us a new collection of designs to dazzle and amuse us.
We’ve been waiting all year to share this Field Guide with you. It is dear to our hearts because it represents something special: the knitting world’s most extraordinary colorist, giving us his very latest ideas about color.
Order your copy and yarns right here.
How Fun?
For every knitter who loves playing with color, Kaffe’s designs are extraordinarily fun.
Early reviews from knitters who have already started these projects? “Lifesaving.” “Euphoria inducing.” “Wildly addicting.” “I thought intarsia was hard. It is not hard.” “So easy! Makes me look so brilliant.” “Great for Zoom call knitting.”
Last fall, knitters got lost in the beautiful world of Field Guide No. 13: Master Class, where Kaffe explores the idea of stripes. It has been one of our most loved Field Guides.
Now, we introduce a whole new world for knitters used to working only stranded colorwork.
Simple intarsia.
These rhythmic, geometric designs are the perfect starting place for knitters who are new to the technique. We include lots of tips and tricks for knitting intarsia, as well as complete charts and clear instructions.
A New Lookbook
The fun here comes from knitting with the palette that Kaffe created exclusively for this Field Guide.
The easiest way to dive into this world of color is with our bundles.
We have nine different kits of Rowan Felted Tweed for you. (This was pretty much a Herculean feat given Covid shutting down the Italian mill and threatening the world supply of Felted Tweed; us moving to a new warehouse; and the building of all these kits. But we did it! They’re here for you!)
Our new lookbook shows you the MDK exclusive kits. Click on the cover or here to see it.
The Designs
Kites Throw: The longer you gaze at it, the more subtleties you discover. The Kites Throw is a stunning project—simple triangles that tumble and turn for a dazzling effect. It comes together quickly because the triangles are large and rhythmic to knit.
Watercolor Cowl: A simple rectangle of vibrant color becomes a cowl with one short seam.
Kaffe shows it in two colorways—change the two background colors, and the effect is totally different.
Village Scarf: Absolutely glorious. Kaffe pares cottages down to elemental geometry, and the result is a village we’d all like to live in.
Cityscape Scarf: Squares combine to form a gorgeous abstract skyline. The large blocks of color make this a perfect starting point for working intarsia.
I-Cushions: The perfect canvas for trying out Kaffe’s geometric patterns. Complete knitting and finishing instructions included.
The color play is endless with these cushions. No sofa will be the same once it has a batch of these brightening it up.
What’s Ahead
Conversation: First of all, our talk with Kaffe on Sunday. Register at VKL here and bring your knitting.
How to: Watch for Jen Arnall-Culliford’s post on Monday, which serves as an excellent introduction to intarsia. She is so encouraging!
Knitalong: This is going to be the knitalong that gets us through the winter. Watch for news about this big, joyous event.
Celebrate: We hope you enjoy this new Field Guide. It is a thrill for us to bring it to you—and we are grateful to our Creative Director Melanie Falick, tech editor Sue McCain, sample knitters Nell Ziroli, Haley Parker, Therese Inverso, and Susan Mitz who all did brilliant work.
And Kaffe Fassett. It is a dream come true.
Love,
Ann and Kay
Absolutely gorgeous!!! Incredible work!!!
Ahhh! Gorgeous!!! Kaffe never disappoints!
YES! THANK YOU! Brighten the winter. Just registered!
We are ridiculously excited about our conversation with Kaffe. So glad you can be there!
Oh boy! Oh boy! Oh boy! Oh girls! The no-cal candy store is open! Thank you for such a delightful presentation.
Also: carb-free, gluten-free, and high-fiber!
I worked out of stash and finished some WIPs in anticipation of this. The decks are cleared and I am ready! The designs are each perfect in their own way. Now to decide what to knit first…
So glad to hear it! I’m having a hard time deciding where to start, too.
One of the happiest pieces of mail arrived. And it’s wonderful. But now I need to face the fact: Intarsia is the only knitting tach inquest I avoided until now. Will we have a mini master class so we can dive into Kaffe’s world?
Absolutely! Watch for Monday’s post from Jen Arnall-Culliford. I think you’ll love her video tutorial.
It’s the knitting technique I avoided
So excited! Loved the last KF MDK Guide – and yesterday took 2 VKL classes on intarsia. I’m ready!!!
Wow that’s such excellent timing. These designs are so geometric and rhythmic that they’re all great places to start out with intarsia.
Yes! I want them all!
Oh, my heart…..
Oh wow, it’s beautiful! It’s making me look forward to a long winter.
I appreciate Kaffe Fassett’s work, but would have appreciated the inclusion of a project more doable for a beginner. I realize my comment is not in sync with most of your skilled followers.
Hi Jan! Great news–our Field Guide No. 13: Master Class features a design by Kaffe Fassett that is perfect for a new knitter: the Garter Stripe Shawl. It’s all the fun of playing with Kaffe’s colors in a project that is 100% garter stitch. We know of so many knitters who have had a ton of fun with it. Here’s the Ravelry listing:
https://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/garter-stripe-shawl
And here’s our selection of Rowan Felted Tweed, in 48 colors:
https://www.moderndailyknitting.com/shop/felted-tweed/
And here’s a giant bundle of Felted Tweed colors at 10% off if you really want to go for it:
https://www.moderndailyknitting.com/shop/garter-stripe-shawl-bundle/
Hi Jan! If you can knit and purl, then the Cityscape scarf is totally doable. Look out for my post on Monday – there are video tutorials and I’m sure you can do it! It’s a beautiful design, and would be great for a beginner (provided you can knit, purl, cast on and cast off). I do hope that helps!
Hurray, I, too, have been waiting. Knitters colorwork is my Jam don’t be afraid to try. I love color and I have a parallelogram cushion from Kaffe’s patterns. Such fun to make 11 colors. I picked my own. I cant post a picture as I need an updated phone.
Thanks, MDK I will order and knitting for winter from #16.
Be cautious with your health, I had a COVID19 scare and I’m slowly recovering from slight pneumonia. Ugh all the best Happy high knitting season!!
Oh Madeline, I’m so glad to hear you’re recovering–I hope you’re 100% soon. And so glad you’re having fun with colorwork–it really is such an escape.
Can you please add this volume to the field guide bundle? Thank you.
Hi Marcia!
Thank you for writing. We add Field Guides to our Make Your Own Bundle offering once they are no longer our newest, most current Field Guide. So this Field Guide will be available next year as part of that promotion.
Is the large kite throw pictured with a cup of tea, the cool colored set? It somehow looks darker than the box shown. Old eyes.
Wow, wow, wow – I love Kaffe!
Ooh, I love it all. Thank you to all of you for your hard work to make it happen <3
So much fun! Can’t wait to dive in! XO
These designs are amazing, but not even half as much as HIM!! What the world needs now is Kaffe, sweet (colorful) Kaffe!! I just love every one of these!
Love the Field Guide, this will be my first, the projects all look yummy and doable, however, am I going to be able to afford to knit any of them? I know the wool is fab, and this is a top designer pattern, but it is also over $100 for a scarf! COVID-19 says no, just drool over the Guide!
Gorgeous. The colors! Those geometric designs! Gulp, the intarsia. I have done it. I kind of enjoyed it, mine was just not done well. I have complete faith that I will learn from Jen this time.
Beautiful collection Kaffe Fassett and MDK.
want want . she mutters
I know the designs in the last Kaffe field guide were interchangeable. Does this one work the same way? Specifically, could one knit the cushion with the village pattern? Thank you! And thank you for being a daily bright spot!
I tried to sign up for the Zoom conversation, but all I see is one for Arne and Carlos. I’m sure I’m doing it wrong…
since I already have painterly, is there possibly a chance I could replace this with the sock book? I believe it is wonderly, but not sure, I am making socks, and believe this would be wonderful. If not, I am willing to purchase the book
That village scarf triggered a long-forgotten memory! Did Kaffe design a sweater vest with houses on it sometime in the 90s? Pretty sure my mom knit it for my architect dad. I remember counting the windows as I was falling asleep.
A question..I will be using Felted Tweed for one of my Kaffe Fassett projects, but would like to use some Alpaca from a previous Field Guide for another of his projects. What is your opinion using alpaca instead of felted tweed?
Beautiful! Wish that I could knit ALL of them now, instantly!
AArg, wish I had seen the corrections to 28 inches instead of 36″ length before I finished! Also, just cannot understand the directions for the applied I-cord edges, do they curl up over the edge or behind the work?