'Tis the season to be making, with help from this new book by Norwegian knitwear design stars Arne and Carlos, who bring a sense of originality to this festive season with these ornamental designs. One set of instructions forms the basis for 55 unique Norwegian-inspired Christmas decorations with designs that cater for tree ornaments, centrepieces, wreaths and festive window dressings, and are also perfect for friends and family. This book is bursting with creativity and character, and will appeal to knitters of any level and age.-Craft Business Scandinavians have a wonderful ability to be able to take themselves completely frivolously and yet seriously at the same time. I'm stereotyping because the cover illustration of two men in sweaters that would be the envy of Sarah Lund suggests nothing less than a bit of fun. Ever wondered whether Gilbert and George dissolve into helpless giggles as soon as they're behind closed doors? Well, these two do, surely! I want to get this up in time to encourage you to buy it before Christmas and get to work so that your tree can have an authentically Norwegian feel to it. ABR's knitting correspondent is currently on a gap year but as soon as she's back, I hope to have a proper assessment of the book's delights.-Artbookreview.net We love Norweigan knitwear design stars Arne and Carlos who although best known for their knitwear designs have made magic with thier needles to bring a whole new side of fun with their ornamental balls. In their new book '55 Christmas Balls to Knit' the duo show readers a whopping 55 tradition inspired projects to make that are ideal for the tree, wreaths, mantels, centrepieces and window dressings and make perfect gifts. In fact they said: " We love Christmas. Let's make Christmas balls." Arne and Carlos are great characters and right through the book you can see their sense of love for childhood fun through their patterns. Many of the designs are quick to make but also give those new to knitting the chance to learn some new skills on a small scale.-www.themakingspot.com '55 Christmas Balls to Knit' is probably the cutest Christmas knitting book - ever. Not cute little fluffy angels and snowmen cute, not that kind of cute. I mean cute as in the guys who wrote this book are just about the most charming pair ever and that shows in every stitch. I want to live next door to Arne and Carlos. I want to play in their doll house. I want to have snow ball fights with them and make them hot chocolate with marshmallows in. You get the feeling these guys are super friendly- that they'd be totally up for all sorts of old fashioned silliness, knitted and otherwise. The patterns in the book have an old fashioned kind of feel and indeed some of the fair isle designs are sourced from vintage patterns. The balls are knitted on four needles which meant that I handed the book to Mum to actually knit the balls. She says the patterns actually 'work' really well, they're nicely laid out and she had no problems following the charts. I really like the idea of doing these in black and a variegated sock yarn or some such. I have also put in a request for a scarf, nice and wide and long, with balls at either end. I think that would be 'cute' in the most charming way ever. If you are wanting to rustle up a set of decs which reflect a kind of vintage Scandinavian feel, and who wouldn't, this really is a lovely book. More than that if you want a peak into the whimsical world of Arne and Carlos they put a lot of themselves into this book which makes it Nice- with a capital N!-Jennyflowerblue.blogspot.com

Table of Contents

• One basic pattern forms the basis for all 55 projects in the book
• Designs included for tree ornaments, centerpieces, wreaths and festive window dressings
• Quick, portable and fun

About the Author

Arne Nerjordet and Carlos Zachrison, Norwegian and Swedish respectively, established their design company ARNE & CARLOS in 2002. Drawing on traditional Scandinavian influences and the natural environment, they create original and striking knitwear, and work with such prestigious fashion designers as Comme des Garçons. Arne and Carlos’ creative base is their eclectic farm in Norway, where they absorb the rich tradition of Scandinavian arts and crafts while exploring their own knitwear inspirations.

Reviews

'Tis the season to be making, with help from this new book by Norwegian knitwear design stars Arne and Carlos, who bring a sense of originality to this festive season with these ornamental designs. One set of instructions forms the basis for 55 unique Norwegian-inspired Christmas decorations with designs that cater for tree ornaments, centrepieces, wreaths and festive window dressings, and are also perfect for friends and family. This book is bursting with creativity and character, and will appeal to knitters of any level and age.-Craft Business Scandinavians have a wonderful ability to be able to take themselves completely frivolously and yet seriously at the same time. I'm stereotyping because the cover illustration of two men in sweaters that would be the envy of Sarah Lund suggests nothing less than a bit of fun. Ever wondered whether Gilbert and George dissolve into helpless giggles as soon as they're behind closed doors? Well, these two do, surely! I want to get this up in time to encourage you to buy it before Christmas and get to work so that your tree can have an authentically Norwegian feel to it. ABR's knitting correspondent is currently on a gap year but as soon as she's back, I hope to have a proper assessment of the book's delights.-Artbookreview.net We love Norweigan knitwear design stars Arne and Carlos who although best known for their knitwear designs have made magic with thier needles to bring a whole new side of fun with their ornamental balls. In their new book '55 Christmas Balls to Knit' the duo show readers a whopping 55 tradition inspired projects to make that are ideal for the tree, wreaths, mantels, centrepieces and window dressings and make perfect gifts. In fact they said: " We love Christmas. Let's make Christmas balls." Arne and Carlos are great characters and right through the book you can see their sense of love for childhood fun through their patterns. Many of the designs are quick to make but also give those new to knitting the chance to learn some new skills on a small scale.-www.themakingspot.com '55 Christmas Balls to Knit' is probably the cutest Christmas knitting book - ever. Not cute little fluffy angels and snowmen cute, not that kind of cute. I mean cute as in the guys who wrote this book are just about the most charming pair ever and that shows in every stitch. I want to live next door to Arne and Carlos. I want to play in their doll house. I want to have snow ball fights with them and make them hot chocolate with marshmallows in. You get the feeling these guys are super friendly- that they'd be totally up for all sorts of old fashioned silliness, knitted and otherwise. The patterns in the book have an old fashioned kind of feel and indeed some of the fair isle designs are sourced from vintage patterns. The balls are knitted on four needles which meant that I handed the book to Mum to actually knit the balls. She says the patterns actually 'work' really well, they're nicely laid out and she had no problems following the charts. I really like the idea of doing these in black and a variegated sock yarn or some such. I have also put in a request for a scarf, nice and wide and long, with balls at either end. I think that would be 'cute' in the most charming way ever. If you are wanting to rustle up a set of decs which reflect a kind of vintage Scandinavian feel, and who wouldn't, this really is a lovely book. More than that if you want a peak into the whimsical world of Arne and Carlos they put a lot of themselves into this book which makes it Nice- with a capital N!-Jennyflowerblue.blogspot.com Do something different with your Christmas decorations this year - knit them! As it says on the cover of this delightful and original book there are fifty-five balls in here for decorating your tree, table centerpieces, adorning wreaths and hanging in the window to make your home look welcoming. That is probably enough, but there is more. You can find all these patterns in here, suitable for intermediate knitters used to graphs (this is not a book on how to knit) but you can also enjoy reading about Norway. The two authors live in a handsome house (there is a photo of it, covered in snow) and wax lyrical about the beauty of their home country, the magic of snow and the thrill of winter celebrations. There are lots of lovely photos in here, not only of the balls themselves but also of some of the festive ornaments the pair have picked up in their travels around the world. Here too are poems and descriptions of Norwegian winter customs, many of them recollections of how it used to be back when the authors were young. The balls are all inspired by Norwegian customs and patterns, and feature things such as hearts, a lucky rocking horse, holy lily, a sledge, pinecones etc. Many are red and white or black and white, and there are instructions on making a hanging loop, stuffing, adding embellishments and the basic pattern itself. The only alloy in all this might be the fact that none of the yarns mentioned are UK ones (although some are US) so it is best to choose whatever is equivalent. Although this is not a beginner's book there are some helpful line diagrams of some basic knitting and crochet (for the loop) methods to jog your memory. This truly is a rather special book and will brighten up any coffee table while you work on your holiday decorations.-Myshelf.com Who doesn't love Christmas decorations? They're colourful, festive and bring joy in the making and decorating. Norwegian knitwear design stars Arne and Carlos bring fun-filled holiday crafting to knitters everywhere with their ornamental balls. They're easy to hand knit, easy to stuff and inspired by traditional Norwegian patterns. The book is bursting with creativity and inspiration so with one set of instructions and 55 patterns, pick up your needles and start knitting.-Machine Knitting Monthly This year, the Scandinavian style is the look to achieve in the home at Christmas. Nordic patterns are seen in the designs for stockings, garlands and now baubles - more importantly, the knitted variety! [This book] is packed with unique hand-knit patterns for ornaments. With step-by-step instructions, how-to tips and full-colour photos, this book is perfect for knitting something special.-Crafts Beautiful "We live and work in an old train station in a rural community in Norway" - the first thing you learn about Arne and Carlos, and that explains it all. A book dedicated to knitting instructions for Christmas baubles might seem a little mad, but I think it's brilliant. I am a novice-knitter, and even for me the instructions are simple and easy to follow. None of the baubles are complicated - you'll just need a bit of patience as the patterns are sometimes a little intricate. There are charts for each design showing you how many stitches are required from top to bottom - you'll have to make each one four times though, in order to create the ball. Arne and Carlos cover the basics, so even a beginner will pick up what to do easily. There's a small amount of crocheting involved as well, and that is clearly explained. I've also enjoyed Arne & Carlos' quirky introductions to the chapters of the book and explanations of how they can up with ideas for designs. 55 Christmas Balls To Knit is just a fun and quirky book, and now I want to have a go at all of the balls - though it might take me until next Christmas before I'm finished!-Artbookreview.net This is a book for pattern knitters, hexipuffers and those obsessive sock stitchers out there. The quick and fulfilling little projects are pretty perfect for those who aren't into knits that take forever and there's that design element and Scandinavian style in there for the chic knitters too. Arne and Carlos' passion for knitting pattern design and life in general really comes across in this book. It's a lovely festive fibre fiesta and well worth getting your hands on, even after Christmas, as those little designs would be fabulous on all sorts of knits.-http://www.craftycrafty.tv/2011/12/book_review_55_christmas_balls.html