Clothing

Review: Warm Knits, Cool Gifts

by --Deb 10.03.2010
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Unlike their first book (the wonderful, but badly-titled Mother-Daughter Knits) this book provides patterns for the whole family, starting with the wee ones

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Review: Knitting it Old School

by --Deb 09.08.2010
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The flap says, “Love ‘old’ but want to be ‘in vogue?’ Welcome to Knitting It Old School where you’ll find patterns for knitting and crocheting everything from cheeky hot pants to his-and-hers sweater sets, all drawn from the fashion trends of the ’40s, ’50s, ’60s, and ’70s.”

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Review: Tweed

by --Deb 08.01.2010
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Not a brand new book, but not really old enough to count as a “classic,” this is nevertheless a new one for my collection. I’ve had my eye on it since it was published but kept putting it off and putting it off, always telling myself that there were other books I could or should buy first. …And yet, I kept coming back to this.

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Review: New England Knits

by --Deb 07.19.2010
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It’s no secret that I love New England. My grandmother was born in Maine and grew up on Martha’s Vineyard. My dog is named for Chappaquiddick, and whenever I think “vacation,” I immediately start thinking about travelling northeast along the coast. When I was in elementary school, I was actually disappointed to learn that New Jersey counted as a “Middle State” rather than a part of New England–the southern tip of Connecticut is barely 50 miles from here, it seemed almost criminal that we missed counting as New England by such a small amount.

So, it shouldn’t surprise you that I love this book.

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Review: Northern Knits

by --Deb 04.29.2010
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I know there are strong knitting traditions all over the world, all with their distinct trends and cultural inputs, but when I think about knitted sweaters, I admit that I think of northern Europe before any other region. Fair Isle. The Aran and Shetland islands. Scandinavia. Those are the places I look to first for inspiration and ideas.

Apparently I’m not the only one, because Lucinda Guy’s new book does the exact same thing.

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Review: Reversible Knitting

by --Deb 04.16.2010
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This creative book takes everything you know about knitting and turns it upside down and inside out.

Am I exaggerating? Maybe a little bit, but not as much as you might expect. Starting with the cover sweater which can be worn right-side up, upside-down, inside-out, this book makes you look at your knitting a little differently.

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Review: Knits Men Want

by --Deb 04.15.2010
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How can you not love a pattern book that not only educates you, gives you great patterns, and truly fantastic tips, but that is darn entertaining while doing so?

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Review: Saturday Style

by --Deb 04.12.2010
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This is a straight-forward book, that’s all about having comfortable knitwear. The description on the back says, “Casual enough for your favorite pair of jeans, stylish enough for workday wear, this collection of easy knits will put you in a weekend mood! With minimal finishing, projects include a breezy tee as well as cozy pullovers, cardigans, and a jacket. Make every day a Saturday!”

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Review: Knitting Brioche

by --Deb 04.03.2010
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Darn it, there’s just nothing wrong with this book.

Luckily for you, that means this book is fantastic and one you should run-not-walk to find if this is a technique that you are even remotely interested in. Because, trust me, you’re not going to find a better guide to brioche any time soon.

Still, it’s great books like these that make writing reviews so frustrating.

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Review: Swing, Swagger, Drape

by --Deb 10.30.2009
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The patterns in this book are not for the faint of heart. Not because they are hard, but because they are bold. They are striking and vivid.

This is not your mother’s boring, classic knitting collection.

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Review: The New Stranded Colorwork

by --Deb 10.04.2009
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The author of this colorful book starts by saying, “I have always found colorwork irresistible. Charming vintage knitting patterns with pony-tailed ladies sipping their apres-ski toddies live in my knitter’s heart right next to the memory of my first baby bootie and the day I finally executed a tubular cast on … Knitting of all stripes has at one time or other held my attention, but I always seem to wander back home to colorwork.”

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Review: Design It Knit It

by --Deb 08.30.2009
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I love books that give me a look into what an author or designer is thinking. How they working things out. How they get inspired. How they made decisions.

Well, here you go–a look into the mind of Debbie Bliss as she makes design decisions.

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Review: Romantic Hand Knits

by --Deb 07.09.2009
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I wanted to love this book. I admire Annie Modesitt, and love her Knitting Heretic book. Her patterns are creative and clever, and … this book just didn’t do it for me.

It’s lush. It’s beautiful. The photographs are rich and evocative while still giving a good look at the actual knits (a huge, huge point in its favor). And, with a title like “Romantic Knits,” it’s not like I was expecting a book full of practical sweaters, or cute little cardigans to throw on for a chilly day.

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Review: Classic Knits

by --Deb 07.01.2009
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Ooh, I liked this book. Marianne Isager has a reputation for doing ethnic-inspired knitwear (like her recent Japanese book, or her Africa book of a few years ago), but they don’t always appeal to me personally.

This one, though? Classy and classic. The sweaters in this book look like they’re easily wearable, without being too “ethnic,” or too “creative” and yet they are creative.

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