I Love Paper by Fideli Sundqvist, photography by Maria Wretblad, pub. Quarry Books, 2015 This is a book about paper art---paper cutting and paper folding, paper cake and paper circuses, paper to decorate with and paper to wear. The projects are charming. Some of the explanations are idiosyncratically translated but a little thought will make it clear what needs to be done. Unfortunately the book does not stay open very well. I tried bending its spine and that helped a little, but the center pages still want to close. You'll have to use clips or a book weight if you want to reference a certain page while working. The photography is fetching---well styled and artfully done. See samples in the slide show below. Sundqvist tells a little about her education and creative process. She also gives valuable tips for tools and object creation. I'm looking forward to making some of the geometric figures and maybe an apple or two! Disclosure: The publisher sent Kangath a review copy of this book. Kangath was not otherwise compensated for the preceding review. All opinions expressed in the review are her own.
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Warm Days, Cool Knits by Corrina Ferguson, photography by Joe Hancock, pub. Interweave Press, 2015. This book contains 20 "Lighter Designs for Every Season." All yarns are DK weight or lighter. There are roughly three sweaters and two accessories for each of the four seasons. Most of the sweaters are worked from the bottom up. About half of those are done in flat pieces and the other half circularly in one piece to the underarms. Garment sizes span 29 - 60" with most falling in the 34 - 50" range. The sock and hat patterns each come in two sizes. This is purely a pattern book, with no additional content to speak of. The design titles are old-fashioned Southern names, "most of which have passed into history." She calls the names "storied," but we have to imagine their stories as they are not provided. The cover pattern, Leora, is a linen tank with fetching side detailing. Corrina designed the straps to be wide enough to cover bra straps. Recently I haven't noticed women of any age being shy about showing their bra straps. Often they sport bra and cami straps of different colors under their tanks. Corrina begins the collection with Winter: Denford is a wool-silk raglan cardigan in argyle cables with a wide short-row collar; Zolena is a lovely pullover with matching cowl done partly in a yarn with Stellina content; Weldon is a whimsical slouch hat; Williston is a lovely lace sock pattern; and Lochlan (left) is a hoodie in textured chevron stitch. I admire many aspects of this thoughtfully constructed piece. Corrina's yarn choice is a luxurious merino-cashmere-silk blend which is both soft against the skin and warm. At only a DK weight, it's also light. The largest size (43" bust) only weighs around 1 1/2 pounds. The chevron stitch works like rib to cling to curves. I only wish the hood came down a little farther over the head. The zipper is a nice touch, and I love her color choice. Living in the South myself, I can attest to the need for books like this. The Spring chapter contains a couple shawl patterns, a couple tee patterns, and a short-sleeve cardi that fastens with one button at the top. However, I am not in love with any of the designs in this section. I guess I'm too much of a Yankee! Teola (right) is a polo shirt (it might look like a hoodie in this photo) which features a Jewel Cross Cable. Someone decided it would be a good idea to put the instructions for the cable on a different page from the chart so you have to flip back and forth from the chart to the instructions. Unfortunate. The summer patterns are more to my taste. Leora (the cover tank). Dorthelia is another tank, this time with waist shaping and lace around the bottom edge. Temple looks like the perfect item to wear in the ubiquitous air conditioning---a lace weight cardigan on size 6 needles. Alliemay is an unshaped lace dress which unbelted would hit my ankles. The belt can be tied anywhere, but is shown only in the drop waist position (which I think influences me against it). I think I would wear it at empire waist. Junius is a gorgeous golden shawl, specially shaped to lie across the shoulders without pins or clips. But my absolute favorite chapter is Fall. Darl is an adorable cardi with 3/4 sleeves and an allover diamond leaf lace pattern. Bayard (left) has a gorgeous wide yoke. Emmylou (below) is a crescent shawl worked up in Braeburn apple-colored yarn. Rhetta is a breezy cardigan with bracelet-length sleeves. And Wiley is a basic shawl with some interesting design features. Photos are sunny and knit-centered, with natural poses and every desired angle featured. They are attractive and set a cheerful tone for the book. The patterns seem well written, though little support is given to beginning knitters who may not be sure of the correct way to "dec one st at the neck edge" or "inc one st each side." There appears to be plenty of room to spell out those instructions and still leave a little white space. Schematics and charts are clear, though the schematics do not indicate direction of knitting. This book is not a resource for designing or adapting warmer-weather garments, but it does contain some helpful hints for working the patterns. I recommend it to knitters who knit for people (perhaps themselves) living in warmer climates---or anyone else who likes the designs. Disclosure: Kangath reviewed this book from her personal library. She was not compensated for the preceding review. All opinions expressed in the review are her own. Pattern Writing for Knit Designers by Kate Atherley, pub. Kate Atherley/Wise Hilda Knits, 2014. I know Kate Atherley as a well-qualified and thorough tech editor, so I was prepared for this book to be filled with solid information, a pattern template, and maybe a few checklists. I was not prepared for it to sweep me off my feet. The subtitle is "everything you didn't know you needed to know," and I think it's a fair bet that most designers will discover at least one aspect of pattern writing they had not previously thought about. The introduction, in Kate's characteristic clear tone, sets out what the book is, who it's for, why she was inspired to write it, and why it matters. Basically, if you write patterns for designs you created with the idea that others might follow your instructions, you should take a look at this book. The book is laid out in an engaging manner. The margins are lightly drawn graph paper, which fades out into the main text area. Much of the book is laid out like a knitting pattern, in two-column format with headings. Bulleted lists and the occasional chart help break up the blocks of text. Most sidebars are made to look like scraps of paper taped or paper-clipped to the page. The "Don't Just Take It From Me" sidebars are in the shape of cartoon speech bubbles. These last sidebars contain important feedback about what knitters like to see in patterns, gathered by Kate from the knitters themselves in multiple venues. Other recurring sidebars include the following:
One disappointment was that the page numbers didn't print on my 8 1/2 x 11" paper. (I told Kate about this, and she's working on a solution. In the meantime, just be sure to click "Scale to Fit" or something similar before you print.) I took Edie Eckman's "How to Say It" Craftsy class when it first came out. Her course skimmed the surface, where this book plunges to a shivering depth. Kate covers the following pattern features in detail :
She also gives overviews of the submission process, selling online, and copyright. And she has included a pattern template, a list of abbreviations, a glossary of how she defines standard terms, and a resource list and bibliography. Whew! As I said, it swept me off my feet. Even in Kate's matter-of-fact tone, some sections read like a suspenseful novel---others, like an explanation of that rice cooker manual I was never able to understand. I plan to read it through once more, and then use it as a reference. I highly recommend this book to anyone who writes knitting patterns. Disclosure: The publisher sent Kangath a review copy of this book. Kangath was not otherwise compensated for the preceding review. All opinions expressed in the review are her own. Cozy Toes for Baby by Chantal Garceau and Mary J. King, photography by Brent Kane, pub. Martingale, 2014. This book features 7 patterns for the most darling felted baby booties imaginable, plus a basic pattern without decoration. The shoes are crocheted, felted, and fitted with leather soles. They come in 5 sizes, from newborn (4") to 24 months (5 3/4"). Proceeds from the sale of this book benefit the Imani Project, aiding Kenyan children orphaned by HIV/AIDS. Chantal also has a business, Chantal's Little Shoes. The company sells shoes from the book in addition to other shoes (my favorite is the Berry Delicious which looks like a strawberry with a little blossom on top) and custom-designed shoes for businesses. First, Chantal provides a little introduction explaining the genesis of the book and a call to all crafters and artists to make an impact on the world. Then she rolls up her sleeves and plunges into the materials needed to make the shoes. She covers yarn, trim, and satin ribbon, but my favorite tips come from the section on leather. All the shoes feature leather soles. I made a pair for a newborn and simply left the soles off. There are stickers and paint you can use to make the slippers grip the floor without leather. But leather (and as a vegetarian I hate to admit this) is really the best option for little foot bottoms. Chantal recommends recycling leather, whether from one of your own garments or handbags or from a thrift store find. She even gives hints as to where to look in the thrift store and other ways to find just enough sole for one pair. "Tools and Supplies" is just what it sounds like, but contains references to other parts of the book as well as lists of necessities. Then comes the Basic Shoe Pattern. It's lovely that this section starts with the Gauge Swatch. Details are provided for crocheting and measuring, and adjusting hook size if the swatch doesn't measure up. Throughout the Basic Shoe Pattern there are sidebars with hints for how to work the beginnings of rows and how to tell which side is the right side. These valuable tips are sprinkled throughout the book with more advanced techniques. There's even a chart in color showing the shape of each shoe before felting. Photos of each step give crafters a sense of security. The sections at the end of the book, "Felting" and "Soles" are just as well thought out and generously supported by photos. The photography is capable, but without real babies it's hard to know how the shoes would fit. A photo of an actual baby modeling the Silly Monkey Shoes is on page 45. I wasn't confident that the newborn I was shoeing would have equally fat ankles, so I added a cuff in machine-washable sock yarn. The patterns are well written. There is, however, no assistance in what to do with the main color when working the contrasting color faces (such as in Ollie Owl and the Ladybugs). Are we expected to use separate yarn bundles? Cut the yarn in between? Strand across the back? In a book where everything else is made clear, that really stands out. Each shoe has a special touch that makes it different from the others---seeds and a precious cuff on Fresh Watermelon, clever yet simple eyeballs on Froggy, and Ollie Owl's virtuosic face mask. Chantal even includes a gift card to print or photocopy which details wearing and washing instructions. But the best part, to me, is the fact that the proceeds are donated to the Imani Project. What a worthwhile way to use enterprise and creativity! These projects are wonderful for the budding crocheter because felting hides uneven stitches. Chantal also offers individual kits in her shop---and none of the kit patterns are duplicated in the book. Please support her work! Disclosure: The publisher sent Kangath a review copy of this book. Kangath was not otherwise compensated for the preceding review. All opinions expressed in the review are her own. Faux Taxidermy Knits by Louise Walker, photography by F&W Media International, pub. David & Charles, 2014. Louise Walker is most famous for her taxidermy-look knitting and knitted wigs. I can't find any of her wigs written up in pattern form, but 15 of her wild animal knit designs are collected in this book. I'm going to diverge from my usual review method to talk about the photos first. The F&W Media team did an extraordinary job creating and photographing sets for this book. Louise does her own modeling when required, and hits just the right note, from vintage heiress to explorer-who-has-just-encountered-a-bear. The designs are uniformly cute, but everything comes in only one size. Most of the patterns involve quite a bit of sewing and liberal use of felt pieces for facial features. I don't mind the safety eyes so much as they lend a more realistic look to the pieces, but felt looks cheap to me. I prefer the look of yarn, even if a thinner weight yarn would have to be used to achieve the desired effect. The patterns are presented in a tiny but readable font. Huge charts are given to achieve the random patterns in the tiger stripes and crocodile skin. The "Materials" lists are thorough and might include unusual items such as pliers, florist's wire, or a pair of tights. The rabbit's foot calls for two yarns, but no directions are given as to when to use which. I assume they're both supposed to be used at the same time, but I can't find where in the book it says this. Since this is recommended as a good pattern to start with, the instructions should be especially clear. The hedgehog slippers look comfy, but I question the wisdom of chenille soles (not the most hard-wearing yarn). Also, the appealing texture of the hedgehog's back is made up of individually sewn picots. Yes. Every spike is hand-sewn. The bear coasters are adorable, but setting a glass or mug on a lump of knitting seems like a recipe for disaster. But they're very compelling, and Louise's tip to stuff each paw may help. There are some undefined abbreviations (p3c, k14b, etc.). I guess the letters refer to the color of the yarn, but I couldn't find where it specifies this and the colors are listed with capital letters, so it's a little confusing. The book contains some fetching designs. It provides an opportunity for adults to continue a stuffed animal fetish with relative dignity. (Hedgehog slippers are more dignified than bunny slippers, aren't they?) And no animals were harmed in its making. My issues with the instructions notwithstanding, Louise's humor and artistry shine throughout. Disclosure: Kangath reviewed this book from her personal library. No compensation was provided for this review. The opinions expressed in all Kangath's reviews are her own. Knitting Architecture by Tanis Gray, photography by Joe Hancock, pub. Interweave, 2013. This curated volume is a pattern book with "Get Inspired" sidebars accompanying each design. The sidebars include photographs and brief paragraphs describing the work of architecture evoked by that design. A lovely idea, I found myself wishing for more detail in the sidebars. It's impossible for me to knit all the patterns included in knitting books, but I learn from the information in them. Often this is technique-related learning, but sometimes it is tangential to knitting. This book had the potential to teach me about a new field, but merely gave me teasers. Not even appetizers---just their aroma. (Sadly, I don't know an appropriate architectural metaphor.) That said, the patterns really are beautiful. The first chapter, "Form Follows Function," includes both the stunning cover pattern (inspired by the Sydney Opera House) and my favorite pullover in the collection (inspired by the ceiling of King's College Chapel). Tanis says, "Similar to how structures need push and pull to help them move with the elements, we need our knitwear to be able to move with the push and pull of our bodies." This chapter also contains a tote, a pair of socks, the cardigan shown at right, and a really cool hat. I chose to picture the Gothic/Art Nouveau cardigan with all its bells and whistles (bobbles! dropped stitches!), but the hat is a real triumph. Designer Katharina Nopp describes her Fallingwater Hat as an attempt to realize "a sophisticated architectural and urban knit in a most simple, naive way." Inspired by Frank Lloyd Wright's famous Fallingwater, it perfectly portrays the alternating flat roofs and even the flowing water of the mountain retreat.
The garments in this book are all for women (although the socks, mittens, and Pompidou Wrap could work for men). They are generously sized (from around 30" to 60"), and although the hat is offered in three sizes, both mitten patterns and the shrug come only in a single size. I realize colorwork and textural patterning can make sizing difficult, and that not everyone needs to be able to wear every piece. (Also that a mitten doesn't need to fit like a glove. For that matter, neither does a shrug!) But I think in most cases a little thought can accommodate an extra size or two without too much added pattern length. This is a good book if you like the designs. Take the snippets of architectural inspiration as prompts to discover more on your own, and you have a valuable resource. Disclosure: Kangath reviewed this book from her personal library. No compensation was provided for this review. The opinions expressed in all Kangath's reviews are her own. Kung Fu Knits by Elizabeth Green Musselman, illustrated by Ben Bender, pub. Cooperative Press, 2014. This charming book is a graphic novel(ette) with knitting patterns. Elizabeth, who also did the photography, offers 6 designs for active children: A gi in sizes 4 - 12 (jacket, pants, and belt), nunchucks, shurikens, and a shoulder bag to put them in. This book is done with typical Cooperative Press attention to detail: watermark dragon emblems on each pattern page and mini emblems by each page number. Patterns and schematics are very clear, and the illustrations are sweet. Elizabeth's son Liam is an adorable, I mean, indomitable model. In addition to the individual project yarn amounts, Elizabeth includes a list of how much yarn you would need to make all the projects in the book. Each project comes with an amusing subtitle and clever details. The Gi Jacket is a modified drop-shoulder wrap cardigan fastened with two i-cord ties. The zippered bag has a wide shoulder strap which goes all the way around the top of the bag. Each shuriken is knit in a single piece before stuffing, not as individual points and base. Anyone who has struggled to get a child to wear their hand knits will relate to the story at the beginning of the book---and the parodic cry "Now we must knit!" is sure to resonate through Ravelry. Disclosure: Kangath received a review copy of this book from the publisher. No other compensation was provided. The opinions expressed in all Kangath's reviews are her own. Dishcloth Diva Knits On! by Deb Buckingham, pub. Cooperative Press, 2013. The 15 designs in this book range from classic to divine. Some are straightforward combinations of knits and purls, while others include slipped stitches or cables or yarnovers to get the desired effect. All the projects are about 8" square, quick and easy, with memorizable stitch patterns. This is not to say they lack interest. I found several patterns I would like to knit up (for my husband, who does the dishes). We've been searching for years for a dishcloth that works and stays soft. I even tried my hand at knitting a couple. Recently my stepfather-in-law offered us some crocheted dishcloths that he didn't care for. They're wonderful, and it gives me hope that with the right pattern I could do better than my first attempts. Ethel looks like woven cloth but is actually made up of stitches slipped with the yarn held alternately to the front or the back of the work. It's attractive in its elegant simplicity. Lucille Bell, on the other hand, is a feisty pattern. The only two-color cloth in this collection, the slipped stitches and purl rows give it a "scrubby" texture. Deb does her own photography, and it comes out really well. The photos in this book are even better than the ones in her last book. The wooden countertop with stainless steel, tin, glass, and wicker in the backdrop are more to my taste than the orange plastic, and they tell a more romantic story. In addition to the patterns, this book contains a brief overview of the aspects of wool. Wool? Well, Deb's first book already covered cotton. Wool is definitely not recommended for dishcloths, but Deb had the idea of knitting dishcloths in wool and sewing them together to make a "lapghan" (a cross between a lap quilt and an afghan). She donated the completed lapghan to the Ronald McDonald House, and devoted a section of the book to this charity and its mission. At just under a page and a half, Elizabeth is the longest pattern in the book. (Most are less than a page long.) This pattern and a couple others would work well using charts, and there's enough blank space to accommodate them, but there are no charts in this book. Still, Deb says once you get going you'll be able to see where you're going without constantly referring to the instructions, and I think she's probably right. This is an excellent book with clever patterns at a good price. It does not cover the benefits of knitted dishcloths, or the properties of cotton. I know her first book covers the latter, and it just might cover the former as well. After I knit my dishcloth (I think I'll start with Nellie) I'll tell you what the advantages seem to be, how well it absorbs water, how scrubby it is, in short, how I like it. Or how my husband likes it. . . . Disclosure: Kangath received a review copy of this book from the publisher. No other compensation was provided. The opinions expressed in all Kangath's reviews are her own. Head to Toe: Kids' Knit Accessories by Katya Frankel, pub. Cooperative Press, 2013. I appreciate all Katya Frankel's designs. She has a way of giving classic designs interesting details and those special knitterly touches that make them fun to work up. In her books especially, her photography presents the projects an appealing way. The designs are not only cute and practical, the children enjoy wearing them. On the front cover are Bowburn, on which overlapping ribs are simulated using increases and decreases, and Duergar, which has raglan sweater-inspired crown shaping. Rainton is a cap (with earflaps!) that can be worn inside out. But my favorite hat in this book may be Wylam. Or perhaps it's the sweet faces of the models that win me over. I love the way the ribs start and stop on this hat, the way they merge at the top. This pattern comes in 5 sizes and 2 yarn weights. The hat sizing is generous in this book, with 4 or 5 sizes provided for most patterns (one has only 3). Even most of the cowl patterns are sized with 2 or 3 sizes. The scarves do not have different lengths, but the hand coverings are all given in 3 - 5 sizes and the socks in 4 or 5 sizes. The Neck Things chapter contains many appealing accessories. Not pictured here are: Tyne Green, with cables on a stockinette (instead of the more usual reverse stockinette) ground; Mallard, a shaped cowl; and Milefortlet, a scarf which mimics regularly spaced forts along a checkered landscape. It was difficult to choose a hand covering design to feature here. They all seem to fit perfectly and each design has a little something special. I chose Cheviot Hills because its textural portrayal of that area of England works so well with the Mirasol yarn. The foot coverings are similarly strong and simple, but in this case my choice was easy: Breamish has a straightforward construction and a top-notch photo. But her other designs are lovely as well, especially Cannonfire and Pegwhistle. It's clear I admire the patterns, but what else is there in this book? The "Things to Know" chapter mostly contains solid but commonly known information. Exceptions are noted below. Katya provides an ease table for hats, socks, and gloves or mittens. She says socks should be knit with 0 - 1/2 " positive ease. I usually use 90% of the full measurement as my target circumference (in other words, negative ease), but I do knit the foot a bit longer than its measurement. There are also helpful tables correlating age to approximate hand and foot circumference---helpful for those of us knitting for children who live far away. A final table lists foot length based on shoe size. She also describes a stretchy bind-off and tells how to weave in ends. This is useful information that is not widely found. I recommend Head to Toe as a wonderful resource for anyone who knits for children. Disclosure: Kangath received a review copy of this book from the publisher. No other compensation was provided. The opinions expressed in all Kangath's reviews are her own. Bathtime Buddies by Megan Kreiner, photographs by Brent Kane, pub. Martingale, 2014. When a well thought out book crosses my desk, my approval becomes increasingly audible with as I encounter each new feature. By the end of this book, I was shouting and clapping my hands. Okay, the projects in this book are beyond adorable. DreamWorks artist and animator Kreiner has designed bath toys which are soft and safe, appealing and useful. But there's more. The "Tools and Materials" chapter says it's for readers just getting started in crochet, but since its content is from a bath toy perspective, it's good for even experienced crocheters. Kreiner covers appropriate fibers both for the tub and dry land, considering issues such as cleaning and expense as well as organic content. Most of the toys in the book are made with 125 yards or less of worsted weight yarn. She gives no gauge specifications since there is quite a variance in thickness between individual worsted weight yarns. She does however give instructions for adjusting hook size and the templates (for fabric pieces to sew on to the toys for bellies, etc.) if your toy ends up to be a significantly different size than hers. The important thing is to keep the stitches tight enough so the stuffing doesn't peep through. Speaking of stuffing, Kreiner outlines several options, including inserting rattles, squeakers, and bells into the (non-bath) toys. The "Finishing Touches" chapter covers, among other things, tips for ensuring each creature's eyes and body parts are in the right spot, several methods for template use (one of which involves Glad Press'n Seal), and a neat trick for double-threading a needle which leaves nothing to knot or fasten off at the beginning. The last section before the projects is "Caring for Your Toys," which covers washing, sanitizing, and drying your captivating creations. The projects are small to medium sized---about 1 - 4" by 3 - 10". Three illustrators (including Kreiner) contribute to the crochet and embroidery sections at the beginning of the book and to the patterns here. I heartily appreciate Kreiner's clear instructions and helpful illustrations for assembly, as well as Kane's thoughtful photography of every angle of every project (the underbelly of the jellyfish is pictured on page 34). She explains in detail how to make adjustments which may seem minor yet make a great difference to the finished toy. The projects are systematically ordered from Beginner to Intermediate level, making it easy to work within your comfort level. Each is introduced with an interesting fact about the animal or a cute way to customize your project---sometimes both. I won't spoil the entire book for you, but I will reveal a few of the ways to make your project individual. The guppies (see cover) come with mix-and-match fins and tail, resulting in over 150 combinations. The manatee (which is suspected to have prompted the first tales of mermaids) can be decked out with long flowing hair and a seashell bra. The angler fish has a lure dangling in front of its mouth (guess why). In real life the tip of the lure glows from bioluminescent bacteria. Kreiner suggests installing an LED in the lure to make a cool reading light. Bathtime Buddies is a wonder-filled book. I highly recommend it! Disclosure: Kangath received a review copy of this book from the publisher. No other compensation was provided. The opinions expressed in all Kangath's reviews are her own. |
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