Hey there, can you introduce yourself?

I am a hand knitwear designer, author and teacher. I have designed for major magazines around the world, and have written more than 20 books, filled with my love of knitting over the past 25 years.

Tell us a bit about the book?

The book has a great variety of techniques on how to make circles, embellish them and how to use them in designing beautiful pieces. I felt the book would inspire people to create unique, non-traditional projects using circles sewn together or extended to make lovely wearable pieces.

What was the inspiration behind it?

This was inspired by the success of my book “Knitting Block by Block”, and how much people loved creating projects using knitted block. It was only natural to follow it up with a book utilizing circles that have a totally different look from the block-created pieces

Which is your favourite project?

Of course, I love them all! But, the Crystal Lace Jacket is my favorite to wear…I also am partial to the Sampler Afghan.

What is your craft space like?

I have a beautiful loft office/studio with natural daylight, wooden cabinets for all my yarns that are totally coordinated by shades, and all my needles are beautifully organized. NOT!...I work out of my, somewhat cluttered, 2 bedroom apartment in Manhattan, that my husband calls “the wool warehouse”..It does have good light and great views of the city and the Brooklyn Bridge.

Have you always been creative?

I believe I always have been. It all began with making beautiful mud pies and decorating them with Queen Anne’s lace and buttercup flowers.

When did you first start crafting?

My Mother and Grandmother taught me to knit when I was 6 years old. The firs thing I made was a white shawl for my Barbie doll. It had lots of holes in it but I loved it.

Who are your crafty heroes?

Madame LeFarge from “A Tale of Two Cities..a rotten person but a terrific knitter. John Paul Gautier for creativity and Barbara Walker for putting all the worldly patterns from the Library of Congress into wonderful books, that are invaluable. Everytime I see a movie with someone knitting (and there are many of them), I jump for joy!

Where do you find inspiration?

The number one question I get and the hardest to answer—Basically…from everywhere and everything, from cloud patterns to wallpaper. I do love going to museums here in New York, Paris, London or wherever, and open my eyes and my mind.

What's next for you?

Oh I have a hundred ideas rolling around in my head, but for now I am finishing up two 18 inch doll books (knit & crochet) that will be release in the Spring and Fall of 2013.

You won’t believe what you can make with knitted circles!
 
One circle can become a stylish hat or an adorable shrug. Two, and you have a unique handbag or cover-up. Knit more circles, and you can make show-stopping scarves, capes, sweaters, afghans—even a stunning lace dress.

Only Nicky Epstein, always on the cutting edge of knitwear design, could dream up these innovative garments and accessories that all start with a simple shape. In her bestselling book Knitting Block by Block, Nicky elevated the humble block to outstanding fashion, but that was just the beginning. Now she takes on a new challenge and shows you how to make a statement with circles.

Mix and match to your heart’s content with 100 circles and 20 inspiring projects that feature everything from cables to rich colorwork, delicate lace, and over-the-top embellishments in Nicky’s signature style. You’ll find step-by-step techniques on how to knit circles, both in the round and flat, plus expert guidance on customizing the projects, with unique cut-and-paste circle templates to design your own styles.

With this groundbreaking book, you’ll never look at circles the same way. Once again, Nicky Epstein has outdone herself, opening up a world of creative possibilities with a gorgeous knitting reference that will have you knitting in the best of circles over and over.