If you’ve been following Arnall-Culliford Knitwear any length of time, you’ll know we’re firm believers in the idea that there’s always something new to learn. We are all about patterns and books that empower knitters to be the boss of their own knitting, so we jumped at the chance to review Mina Philipp’s new book, Cowls: A Colourwork Sourcebook & Patterns Inspired by Persia. Mina is a knitwear designer also host of the popular Knitting Expat Podcast.

As the title suggests, this is so much more than a pattern book (though the patterns are stunning!). It’s also a guide to creating completely customised cowls, using any yarn and any gauge, knitted to your exact specifications, in one of ten beautiful colourwork motifs. Mina takes you carefully through every step of the process, from picking the cowl style that will suit your needs best, to making sure you don’t run out of yarn midway through your project. Once you’ve settled on your yarn and gauge, the book includes a general recipe for two styles of cowl that you adapt to your specifications. But, if planning and calculating isn’t where your head is at the moment, the book also includes patterns for each of the featured motifs, meaning you can just grab yarn and cast on if you fancy.

Each of the ten colourwork motifs in the book are inspired by Persian rugs. Mina starts the book with a really lovely essay on the history of Persian rugs and her connections to them. Some of the motifs are more literal plays on the motifs found in these stunning rugs, and some are more abstract or modern takes. It’s no exaggeration, though, to say their isn’t a dud motif in the book. In all her design work, Mina has such a way with colour and pattern, and that’s on full display in this book. Her passion for the motifs and history of Persian rugs shines through this book. And she also shows us that, as knitters, we can take a page from the generations of skilled rug weavers who have made them. “One of my favourite things about handmade Persian rugs,” she writes, “is that they are not perfect” (p. 8). Minor imperfections or irregularities, she shares, are a way to differentiate a handmade Persian rug, which can take over a year to make, from industrially produced ones. It’s a nice reminder for those of us who sometimes let perfectionist tendencies get the better of us when knitting!

In the introduction to her book, Mina writes that she always designs with newer knitters in mind, and she’s thoughtfully put together resources for techniques used in the cowls alongside her own step-by-step instructions for customising your own cowl. And the motifs in the book never ask you to work more than two colours in a round. All of these factors combine to make this an excellent resource for knitters unfamiliar with stranded colourwork, though, no matter your skill level, I’m willing to bet you’ll find patterns and tips to delight.

This is a gorgeous book, packed with bold designs and plenty of inspiration. But what we love the most about it is the ethos behind it: helping knitters better understand how they can create knitted items that they’ll love and enjoy. You can get your copy of the eBook from Mina’s Etsy or Ravelry shop. She also has a limited number of physical copies (with another, possibly final batch being released in the new year) on Etsy — this would be a lovely book to add to your knitting library! Thanks Mina for sharing a copy with us to review! You can find Mina on Instagram as KnittingExpat and find her YouTube channel here.

Disclaimer: We haven’t been paid for writing this review, but we did receive a free ebook copy.