From fringe to frogs, i-cord borders to intarsia edgings, this book is an encyclopedic idea-bank that will almost certainly become your reference of choice whenever you want to add some zing to your knitted creation and are looking for inspiration.

The essential collection of 350 decorative borders!

One of the most important decisions any knitter has to make is what sort of edging or border or finish use when your new creation is done. The right edging will transform a plain sweater into a scene-stealing show stopper.

It's hard to imagine not being able to find the right finish in Epstein's one-of-a-kind, compendium of borders and edgings. The sheer scope of the books leaves me breathless -- and once having caught my breath, I find I'm both inspired and exhilarated. I think you'll love it, too.

Whether you're creating a whimsical ruffled purse, a luxurious cashmere scarf or a sumptuous sweater accented with a lace trim, it's all here -- just waiting to find its place in your beautiful knitting.

We all owe Nancie Wiseman a heartfelt "thank you" for taking the knitting notebook of Blance Beau, who lived during the late 1800s to the mid-1900s, and recreating it as this beautiful book of lace edgings and borders, complete with instruction in all needed techniques.

The patterns here are so very beautiful, and their application as edgings to daily items (pillowcases, placemats, table runners, etc.) so charming and graceful, that I think many of us will be inspired to revive at least a bit of Victorian graciousness for our own homes.

Any lace knitter will want a copy of this book -- and I predict that many a shawl and stole will sport one or more of these borders.

Lace knitting isn't the sort of thing most of us pick up to do while participating in meetings or watching the children. However, if you can find a few minutes for yourself, you'll discover a fascinating marvel of a world in the lacey rhythms of opening space, closing it, moving it forward, pulling it back. For me, the patterns in lace never become quite so obvious as they do in color pattern knitting, but that's what I find enticing about it -- each combination of stitches is at once new and very well known. My hands learn the patterns, but disdain leaving my head very far behind.

And, a little bit of lace added to summery sleeveless shells, cozy shawls or even sewn on to dresses and blouses changes a garment that is simply lovely to one that is sumptuously elegant. It's amazing what lace can do!

Barbara Abbey's collection is my favorite lace resource -- she gives us over 100 edgings (enough for my lifetime) and several doilies.

There's a secret about the doilies that I have to share with you: If doilies aren't your thing (they are not mine), just get some lightweight yarn (anything from lace weight to DK), some large needles that please you, and knit the doily pattern. What you'll get is a beautiful shawl! Try it, you'll love it!