Typographic Knitting

August 19, 2019
Museum curator and graphic designer Schlömer’s appealingly photographed and artfully laid-out guide charts a rigorous course for knitters interested in converting various texts and typefaces into knitted items. Aside from a few mittens, hats and sweaters, most finished projects consist of small squares and knitted samples showing elaborate typefaces. Schlömer suggests that beginners start with the “Pixels” chapter before moving on to “Patterns” or “Patches,” and then the most advanced, “Modules.” Each project is labeled with the font used, whether it is “Elementar Sans B” or “Helvetica,” then the knitting technique employed to execute the project, such as using “intarsia stockinette stitch,” or a more advanced use of “3 colors, garter stitch and slip stitches, vertical changes in color.” The project templates are both charted and written out, to allow knitters to choose which method they are most comfortable with, but even starter patterns will require patience and fortitude. As Schlömer himself points out, “Combining knitting and typography is first and foremost a mental exercise.” Knitters will find in his work either stirring encouragement to further explore the genre he introduces, or a forbidding warning against venturing into it.