Sumi ink painting (or drawing) is an ancient East Asian art form that uses black ink and brushwork. My featured designer collection in Knitscene Fall 2016 was inspired by the tradition of Sumi ink drawings. These stark black and white drawings/paintings are fluid and full of expression. I can find endless inspiration for knitwear (or anything) within this art form, and I was far from finished with this inspiration source even after I completed my collection for Knitscene. (Indeed, I could probably do five more collections based on this theme!)

In this book, one piece remains from the original collection, the Hanshi Scarf, while all the other pieces are new. I find the stripping down of color to only white, black and grays strikingly beautiful. You’ll find a range of simple and complex - from the simplest garter stitch scarf to a cabled textured cardigan.