Men's Knits: A New Direction - Tapa dura

For the very first time, leading knitwear designer Erika Knight has put together a collection of knits for men perfect for all ages and all shapes and sizes. Practical, comfortable and reliable, the sweaters, cardigans and accessories she has created for this book are sure to become 'old friends', guaranteed to be well-worn and well-loved, and perhaps even borrowed by a partner. The first section, Basics, presents strong classic shapes that are quintessentially masculine and can be worn by men of any age. From the definitive v-neck sweater to an easy-wear cardigan, the garments can be made time and time again in a variety of yarns and colourways. New Classics reworks many of the basic shapes from the first chapter, and gives them a contemporary edge. The v-neck sweater becomes a slimmer-fitting fine knit while a classic cardigan becomes patterned with cables. Items is for men who aren't afraid to make a statement with their clothes, whether it's a multi-coloured striped sweater, a herringbone patterned v-neck or an over sized super chunky sweater. The perfect finishing touch to the collection comes from some of Erika's trademark accessories - a highly adaptable basic beanie hat and two scarf patterns.

Erika Knight is a much-respected knitwear and crochet designer, as well as a sought-after consultant to the fashion and craft industries. She has created knitwear ranges for many top brands, including M&S, Whistles and Nicole Farhi in the UK, plus J. Crew and Gap in the US and Country Road in Australia. Through her work as a fashion forecaster, Erika has an uncanny knack of identifying coming trends. In 2011 she launched her own capsule collection of high-quality hand knit yarns, Erika Knight Yarns, to great acclaim. With each yarn sheared, scoured and spun in England, as you would expect from this talented designer, the texture and colours of this yarn collection are truly special.