Pattern Books

Review: Knitted Lace

by --Deb 08.26.2011
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This is not a book of original patterns, but is instead a collection of 25 of some of the best lace patterns from the last however-many years of Interweave Knits.

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Review: Wendy Knits Lace

by --Deb 08.22.2011
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Wendy’s books just keep getting better. Her first, “Wendy Knits,” while all sorts of good is my least favorite. She followed that with two top-notch sock books which are fantastic, but my sock-knitting tends to be straight stockinette-stitch, so I don’t use them as much as I might. But this? This is lace, and I do so love knitting lace. That makes this book my favorite … so far!

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Review: The Gentle Art of Knitting

by --Deb 08.17.2011
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This book, with its lovely patterns, is as much about living as it is about knitting. You want to crawl into the pages and lean on the sunny windowsills and curl up with the afghans. The pictures are that inviting.

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Review: Knit, Swirl!

by --Deb 08.11.2011
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All the patterns in this stunning book are based on the same concept–a single-seam, circular jacket. You might be thinking “That’s nothing new,” but the concept really is.

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Review: Loop-d-Loop Lace

by --Deb 07.31.2011
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Beautiful book with some really interesting designs.

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Review: 10 Secrets of the Laidback Knitters

by --Deb 07.21.2011
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“Holistic Knitting: The knitting world can’t be explained by its component parts alone. Rather, the whole of the knitting world–more than simply the sum of its parts–has an existence all its own.”

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Review: Seamless Knits

by --Deb 07.14.2011
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This is a collection of 19 perfectly wearable sweaters, ranging from vests to short-sleeved to long sleeved, all of which have practically no seams whatsoever.

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Review: Knitter’s Almanac

by --Deb 07.08.2011
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Was it really worth buying a new copy just because it was bigger, with color pictures, and a new forward from Stephanie Pearl-McPhee, and the February Lady sweater pattern?

Oddly enough, I still don’t have an answer to that question. I’ve been too busy rereading this book and grinning. It’s like visiting with an old, dear friend who is sporting a new haircut and a stylish outfit but is exactly the same person you played with in grade school.

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Review: Sock Knitting Master Class

by --Deb 06.23.2011
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Most sock books are either filled with patterns with not a whole lot of time spent on technique, or they’re full of guidance but with blah patterns. Of course, some do hit the balance between pattern and technique. Some are fairly exhaustive, in fact, and you may already have them on your shelves.

But … they’re not THIS book, by Ann Budd, a genius in our time.

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Review: Teach Yourself Visually Circular Knitting

by --Deb 06.16.2011
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The latest in the “Teach Yourself Visually” series, which focuses on circular knitting. That is, knitting in the round, where you spiral your way up a tube of fabric–whether it is a sock, a mitten, a hat, a sleeve, or a sweater–rather than knitting separate pieces and sewing them together.

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Review: Modern Top-Down Kniting

by --Deb 06.01.2011
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The author says the book is inspired by Barbara G. Walker’s “Knitting from the Top.” (A book which I highly recommend, by the way.) She begins by saying, “A copy sat on my shelf for several years before I actually had the patience to read it and begin to understand what a gem it is.” “I was instantly intrigued by the questions Walker posed: Why create a bunch of pieces only to have to sew them together afterwards? Why not create an item as one continuous piece and save yourself a mountain of finishing? And why not start at the top and be able to slip the item on over your head at any stage and adjust the length and fit accordingly? The overall message was an empowering one: measure yourself, dive in, look at your work, think as you go, and take control of your knitting.”

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Review: Knits That Fit

by --Deb 05.11.2011
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The back of the book says, “When you lovingly make something stitch-by-stitch, it shouldn’t fit like it came from a department store. However, that’s exactly what happens when you knit to fit a general size instead of your actual measurements. In Knits That Fit, you will learn how to break free from following a pattern word-for-word and start making small changes to tailor your knitwear. It’s not hard, either! You’ll be walked through all the essential ins-and-outs of taking measurements and basic pattern alteration. Before you know it, you’ll be able to tweak nearly any pattern to better fit your unique shape.”

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Review: Great American Afghans

by --Deb 04.06.2011
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First, the facts: Title: The Great North American Afghan Published by: XRX Publications, 2011 Pages: 53 Type: Afghan pattern, 24 squares. Title: The Great American Kids Afghan Published by: XRX Publications, 2011 Pages: 29 Type: Afghan pattern, 12 squares. The In-Depth Look: Both these books (booklets?) are very simply a straight pattern for an afghan–the [...]

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Review: Knitting Knee-Highs

by --Deb 03.11.2011
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Okay, knitters, I want you to put down your sock knitting and look up. Way up.

As in … knee-high!

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