I love to see what crafter extraordinaire Mark Montano makes, so when I saw that he had a video on how to melt marbles in a microwave kiln for jewelry I needed to share it with all of you. For anyone unsure of whether they want to get into fusing glass this is a great stepping stone. I’ve written about the microwave kiln before and feel like it’s a great beginners tool. Once you start here it’ll only be a matter of time before you take the next step…Mark has written many books, and is most famous for The Big Ass Book of Crafts!
Have you read?
Book Review: Knit Modern Scandi Sweaters
Scandinavia is known for its sweaters, which usually include colorwork and are worked in muted colors of wool yarn. They’re nothing if not traditional, so giving that garment a modern twist is a fun approach.
Marita Clementz said in her book Knit Modern Scandi Sweaters that she wanted bolder, more colorful designs inspired by nature.
The book opens with a brief overview of needed supplies (plus the yarn she used to make her sweaters, which may be difficult to find in other countries), a discussion of yarn weigh, increasing or decreasing evenly across a project, color dominance, sizing and ease and general sweater construction. All of the garments are worked in the round from the top down, and several include short rows at the neck. She also talks about reading and adjusting charts.
The patterns follow, with lots of pictures and a large copy of the chart. Some of my favorites include Anemone, covered all over with large flowers that remind me of the 1960s; Lofoten, which features colorwork diamonds and is shown in three different colorways with three neckline options; and the cheerful zig-zagged Svalbard, inspired by the mountains and midnight sun of the island of Spitsbergen. I’m not finding the book on Ravelry as I write this but you can see some of the patterns in the preview on Amazon, linked above or the publisher’s website, linked below.
There are lots of floral motifs and geometric designs, and the patterns don’t do a ton of hand holding, so it would be good if you’ve knit a few sweaters before you try these. The skill ratings are on a scale of one to five: six are rated three, four are four and two are level five. (None are rated one or two.)
All the designs have seven sizes, which range in chest circumference from 34 to 53 inches, or 85 to 133 cm. Garments are shown on young adults and men and women (all the author’s family I think).
This book is a lot of fun if you like bold, colorful designs and cozy sweaters with a Scandinavian flair.
About the book: 128 pages, paperback, 12 patterns. Published 2025 by David & Charles. Suggested retail price $24.99.