Arne & Carlos’ Field Guide to Knitted Birds: Over 40 Handmade Projects to Liven Up Your Roost

Rara avises fly around the roost of Arne & Carlos, a clothing design company founded by Nerjordet and Zachrison (Easter Knots). Their knitted birds are the whimsical designs of two creative people, who write as one about “designer birds”: birdies that began as Christmas decorations, knitted in one color, as well as ones patterned after real birds, the kind that fly about the men’s Norse home. This brightly colored book introduces the flock’s expansion into winter and spring birds, green birds embroidered with sequins and contrasting floss, and birds of paradise. The authors figure their readers already know how to knit and have most of the trappings, including bits of yarn left over from bigger projects. The first chapter, which includes the basic pattern (repeated for easy reference on the back overlays), explains the materials and gauges needed for knitting, filling, and decorating as well for the wire stands that keep the wagtail, turdus, and titmouse from flopping over. The cutest avians wear Norwegian sweaters or Peruvian hats with pom-poms. (May)