Knitting in the Old Way by Priscilla A. Gibson-Roberts and Deborah Robson is an absorbing and informative read. Subtitled "Designs & Techniques from Ethnic Sweaters," the book details the construction and design used in a range of traditional sweater styles such as the Delsbo jacket from Sweden, the Icelandic yoke sweater, a Dutch fisherman's sweater, and a Cowichan cardigan.
Rather than providing a collection of patterns, the authors explain how the different sweater styles are designed and pieced together. Instead of specific sizes, we see the sweater parts described by proportions: for example, the neck of a crewneck sweater is 45% of the circumference of the sweater, while the upper sleeve is 50% and the cuff is 20%. (All of these numbers can be adjusted; they provide a starting point for designing a sweater.) This approach really appeals to my interest in learning how garments are constructed.
Many colour and texture motif charts are included in the book, so that one can incorporate any of the various designs into a sweater. Published in 2004, this book is a greatly expanded new edition of one put out originally in 1985. I recommend it as a good source of both information and inspiration.
