Would you be interested in learning how to do a clever colorwork knitting technique in which you only have to use one color per row? a technique that allows you to make knitting projects that appear complex and challenging — but they’re actually surprisingly easy? If so, there’s a brand new knitting pattern book you need to know about. It’s called The Beginner’s Guide to Mosaic Knitting. This book gives you tutorials and instructions for how to do mosaic knitting, plus 8 impressive, colorful projects to work on.
More Book Details:
Author: Melissa Leapman
Publisher: Leisure Arts
Copyright Date: 2019
ISBN 13: 978-1464776663
ISBN 10: 1464776660
Book Formats:
This book is available in the following formats:
- Softcover With Perfect Binding
- Downloadable, digital PDF e-book — available instantly, with no shipping required!
Number of Pages: 64
Topics Covered in This Book:
- Mosaic Knitting Techniques
- Slipping Stitches
- How to Attach a New Yarn Color
- About Mosaic Knitting Charts
- Different fabric textures: smooth stockinette-based fabrics; bumpy garter-stitch based fabrics; combination garter and stockinette-based fabrics
- Gauge in knitting
- Using Markers
- Knitting in the Round using either double-pointed knitting needles or circular knitting needles
- How to decrease: how to knit 2 together; how to purl 2 together; how to slip, slip, knit
- How to increase: How to make 1
- Picking up stitches
- Weaving seams
- PLUS knitting patterns and instructions for all the projects mentioned below.
Knitting Projects Included in This Book:
This book includes 2 mosaic knit blanket patterns; one mosaic knit hat pattern; a headband; 2 shawls and wraps; and a pullover sweater. Here are some pictures, plus more details:
Baby Blanket Mosaic Knitting Pattern
Sampler Blanket Mosaic Knitting Pattern
2 Variations of a Mosaic Knit Cowl Pattern
Mosaic Pullover Knitting Pattern
Mosaic Hat Knitting Pattern
Mosaic Hat Knitting Pattern by Melissa Leapman from The Beginner’s Guide to Mosaic Knitting, published by Leisure Artshttps://tidd.ly/4p0dJ8z
Mosaic Crescent Shawl Knitting Pattern
Mosaic Knit Headband Pattern
Mosaic Knit Wrap Pattern
The Best Things About This Book
This book is both a knitting technique book and a pattern book. It gives you helpful tutorials PLUS patterns for lovely, practical projects you can make. It’s absolutely packed with helpful technical knitting information, and the patterns are exquisite ones. This book offers you a tremendous amount of value for its asking price.
Each project in this book is more impressive than the next. Did you see that mosaic sampler blanket? WOW! Talk about a spectacular knitting project — and would you believe the skill level rating on it is “easy”?
These are all easy knitting projects, but they look really complex and intricate.
These designs are seriously gift worthy. The baby blanket would make a delightful baby shower gift, and the sampler blanket would be an outstanding wedding or anniversary gift.
These designs are all super practical, useful ones — no duds in the bunch.
Each pattern includes at least one chart for working the mosaic colorwork pattern. There are schematics and diagrams where it’s warranted to help you understand the details of each pattern.
The photography and styling presented in this book are excellent. They give you a realistic idea of what each project looks like. There are bunches of detail photos of the larger projects so you can get a good idea of what your knitting is supposed to look like.
Other Observations About This Book
Color is a personal thing. Everyone has different ideas about which color combinations are appealing.
While I do think the color combinations presented in this book are workable as pictured, some of the color choices are a little bit quirky.
My first job title in the textile industry was “textile print colorist”. My job was to re-color print designs for customers ranging from Target to Nordstroms — almost all big-box retailers who sold mass-market fashion.
After several years’ worth of working with mass-market retailers’ color palettes all day, every day, I got a pretty good grasp on which color palettes have broad appeal.
I’d personally re-color some of these patterns if I were going to knit them for myself. And I’d predict that there will be bunches of other knitters who will want to re-color them, too.
That shawl on the front cover of the book is truly stunning, and the colorway is interesting as is. But it would have broader appeal if you were to replace the mint green with a dusty beige, a light sky blue color or a pale avocado green color.
The crescent shawl is presented in a daring colorway of purple and gold. As it is, the colorway is striking and eye-catching, but it wouldn’t work all that well into most peoples’ wardrobes. If you don’t already happen to have the perfect outfit to wear a purple and gold shawl with, don’t hesitate to re-color this design into a colorway that would work well with the clothing you do own. For example, a pale blue for the body of the shawl and a dark blue for the mosaic knit details is a combination that would integrate better into most peoples’ wardrobes. Or a simple gray and white colorway would also look amazing. If you own any floral dresses, a green and white shawl would be likely to match those beautifully.
Recoloring the headband would also be likely to give you many more opportunities for wearing it. If you wear jeans often, a tonal dark-blue and light-blue combination would maximize this piece’s wearability. If you have a favorite athleisure suit, you could style it to match that; gray and white is a popular color combination for that type of thing. Or if you wear khakis often, khaki and white or beige and red would be lovely color combinations to consider using for knitting this headband.
If you want to knit any of these designs, I think it would be well worth the small investment of time it would take to consider your possibilities for colorways; that way, you can integrate each piece into your wardrobe flawlessly and maximize its wearing potential.
Conclusion
This is a unique and wonderful knitting book that I think is going to be hugely appealing to knitters of all skill levels. If you have any interest at all in knitting multicolored patterns, I encourage you to consider adding this book to your knitting pattern stash.
Where to Buy This Book:
- Click or tap HERE to shop for this book at the publisher’s website.
- Click or tap HERE to download the digital PDF e-book edition of this book.
- Click or tap HERE to check availability at Biblio.
Thanks for checking out this book review of The Beginner’s Guide to Mosaic Knitting. I appreciate your interest!
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By Amy Solovay
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About Your Book Reviewer:
Amy Solovay is a real, live, human content creator and educator who holds an Associate of Arts degree in Textile Design from FIDM LA (The Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising, Los Angeles) and a Bachelor of Arts degree in mathematics from Sweet Briar College. She is NOT a robot and does not use artificial intelligence (AI) to write book reviews or articles for this website.
Amy learned to hand knit as a teenager, and she learned to machine knit in design school at FIDM. After graduation, she worked in the textile industry as a professional knit designer. She still enjoys hand knitting all these years later.
As an educator, Amy Solovay used to teach in-person college courses in trend forecasting, marketing and surface design at California Design College in Los Angeles. Nowadays she uses online platforms for sharing her knowledge about textiles, crafts, current color trends and current design trends.
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Check Out More Knitting and Crochet Books by Melissa Leapman:
- 6000 Pullover Possibilities Book by Melissa Leapman
- Melissa Leapman’s Indispensable Stitch Collection for Crocheters
- Learn to Crochet Mosaic Hats
Find More Outstanding Knitting Pattern Books Published by Leisure Arts
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- Ice Cream Baby Afghans
- Click here to check out more excellent craft books by Leisure Arts.
Click here to find our picks for 2026’s best knitting books.
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Posted By: Amy Solovay
This page was last updated on 12-25-2025.