The craft of knitting is devoted to making useful things, and the craft of embroidery is devoted to making useful things beautiful: "Splendid Apparel" brings these two crafts together. Anna Zilboorg begins with richly textured knit fabrics then adds embroidery for emphasis, color, detail, and sheen. The book includes a dozen example embroidery stitches and a library of more than 50 textured knit patterns, and the swatches-- photographed both as they come off the knitting needles and after embroidery is added-- clearly show the transformations and provide springboards for further experimentation. Stitch basics and step-by-step illustrations help a novice learn the simple motions, try variations, and add a contrasting color, while Anna's cogent comments identify where a knit stitch may require special attention and adjustments to make the embroidery steps easier. The 18 full patterns in this book are all basic shapes--a few with innovative, join-as-you-go construction.