Review on Nature-Inspired Knitting: 39 Designs Inspired by Patterns in Nature by Doris Tran

This interesting knitting book has the chapters "Hexagons", "Pentagons", "Spirals", "Phyllotaxis", "Fractals" and "Waves". All patterns are inspired by natural shapes found in nature. Author Nora Gaugan notes in the introduction that she was "always torn between wanting to study arts and science at the same time". This book is a good example of how she combines both and creates beauty. As Nora's life has unfolded, she has come to realize that she really loves knitting and wants to pursue a career as a knit designer. "Working on this book is like a fusion between my science and my love of art. "Some of the drawings in this book structurally resemble patterns found in nature." This is evident in the chapter headings themselves. "In some cases, the structure of a natural phenomenon dictated the structure of clothing (e.g. clothing made of hexagonal and pentagonal pieces). In other cases, nature's pattern becomes a superficial decoration overlaid on a knitted fabric. . "In any case, working with the six categories of patterns found in nature has freed my mind to look at things in new ways and allowed me to rethink the structure of clothing manufacture." At Hexagons I definitely want to try an asymmetric cardigan in a nice shade of light blue. It is knitted from cashmere. The seams of this cardigan are based on the woven pattern of wicker armchair seats. Hex Afghan is awesome. Knitted in a rich maroon, half alpaca and half wool, it is made up of rows of elongated hexagons. Sweater with twisted pentagons is juicy. Knitted from a blend of wool and angora wool, almost turquoise. The top of the sweater has twisted pentagons, and the bottom of the sweater is knit in a classic stockinette stitch. The bubble sweater is knitted from beautiful purple baby alpaca. His motif are large pentagons. The spiral scarf is very relevant. Its modern look is obvious to the knitter. It is knitted from Mongolian cashmere in a gold-blue hue and is made up of interconnected spirals. The Cabled Spiral sweater is knitted from light blue DK extra fine merino wool. There is a spiral motif at the top and the bottom two-thirds of the sweater is knitted in stockinette stitch. The Roundabout Leaf T-Shirt is crocheted in ivory silk yarn. "The seater is made out of a spiral strip, just like leaves growing on a stem. The Phyllotaxis scarf is perfect for both men and women. Knitted from a combination of wool, mohair and silk yarn in brown, double-sided. The scarf is knitted in a tube, which makes it double-sided. "There are five right-sloping spirals and eight left-sloping spirals, so a pair is in the Fibonacci sequence 5-8." I love Sunflower Tam. There are two examples in the photo. One is green and the other yellow. They are knitted from Icelandic wool. "For this tama, I wanted to make a disc with two opposing spirals, like the phyllotaxis of a sunflower, daisy, or echinacea." There are some pretty patterns in the fractal section. I love knitting with Branching Aran Guernsey wool. " The vortex street is an organized pattern of spirals formed by the stream of liquid flowing past a solid object. This sweater has a center wavy section surrounded by a front satin stitch. The Reflection Aran sweater is crafted from maroon wool knitted."Inspired by the rule of wave reflection"the cables of this sweater jump off the edges of the center stripe". The Drop Hat is another Aran pattern knit in green with wool yarn. This design is based on a photo showing a drop of water moving down under gravity, spewing out small drops and a narrow trickle of water. My interpretation is represented by pompoms and embossed leaves. "Overall, this book is a real winner with clear project photos and easy-to-read template instructions. Some of the photos are a bit sexist in my opinion, but I might not realize it. You just seem stupid. Some of the photos are a bit sexist in my opinion, but I might not realize it. You just seem stupid. Some of the photos are a bit sexist in my opinion, but I might not realize it. You just seem stupid.