Custom Knits: Unleash Your Inner Designer with Top-Down and Improvisational Techniques

EAN:9781584797135 Label:STC Craft/A Melanie Falick Book Author:Wendy Bernard Binding:Hardcover

This book is a great book if you love top down knits Fabulous!!!!!. The author gives simple and concise instructions on how to customize your own sweaters2009-03-17 Rating 5. The projects are varied with several different ways to put each of these projects and instructions into motion. This is a great book! You get the distinct feeling that the writer of this book really and truly wants you to learn how to manage and learn this wonderful way to make sweaters. I highly recommend this book. Wendy has always been one of my favorite knitting designers A Must . Her patterns are easy to read and always amazing2009-01-17 Rating 5. This book is a compilation of some of the best patterns I seen out of her. There are at least 10 sweaters or tops and a few hats that I need to make (which will always be in fashion). And in the intro is one of the coolest things I've ever seen in a knitting book - how to make your very own duct tape double (to test out your knit wears). She gives you lots of ideas on how to get your knitted items to fit correctly and the patterns are easy to read. A must buy for any knitter!. This book finally goaded me into knitting a sweater for myself Great instructions, Great Inspiration, Great Addition. After several pieces for kids, dogs, and gifts, it was time! The only problem being I couldn't find the right combination of yarn and pattern for what I wanted, this helped me design my own and I love it (a top down set in sleeve, slouchy, yet with some shaping, rolled edge hooded cardigan in alpaca boucle!)2009-01-13 Rating 5. I plan to adapt several of the given patterns later on, and now feel fairly confident in revamping other patterns to fit a seamless construction method and my body. . I just received this book along two others that I ordered (great time of delivery) and I am on my way to buy yarn for TWO projects already! the TANG and the TUXEDO VEST are just too fab for words!!! Can't wait to start Fabulous knits!!!!!. This is my first time with a Top-down project and I am very excited and eager to start! thank you, Wendy, for this fab book!2008-11-27 Rating 5. The patterns in this book are simple and classic in style but not boring at all I LOVE the patterns and the versatility. I want to make at least 9 of the patterns in this book, which for me is saying a lot2008-11-24 Rating 5. An important item to note, however, is that the majority of the patterns are for sweaters: button-up and ribbon-tie cardigans, pullovers, long sleeved, short sleeved, turtlenecks, cowl necks, scoop necks, etc. Toward the end of the book there are patterns for a scarf, a hat, a wrap, a skirt, and a tank top. One unique and interesting feature of this book is that each pattern comes with ideas on how to make the sweater your own by altering the pattern in different ways, and some basic instructions on how to accomplish this. Another awesome feature of the patterns themselves is that they offer a range of sizes from XSmall to 3XLarge! How refreshing. While I think this is a great introduction to creating your own sweater, I don't think this book should be recommended for beginning knitters. There are several techniques you need to be able to accomplish such as provisional cast ons, picking up stitches, the kitchener stitch, short row shaping, etc. that I think may be quite overwhelming for a newish or inexperienced knitter. The last chapter is probably the main reason to buy this book. Called "Unleash Your Inner Designer: Elements to Alter and Starting From Scratch," the author gives easy to understand instructions on how to work your way through the 2 kinds of sweaters in the book: Top-down raglans and Top-down set-in sleeved sweaters. Visuals and diagrams are included. It goes step by step through each possible element you may want to alter and how to go about it: Neckbands and collars, armhole depth, length and shaping, "afterthought" sleeves, changing a pullover into a cardigan and vice versa, and changing edgings. There is also a guide on how to begin designing a sweater from scratch. It tells you what, where, and how to measure, and goes on from there until you're finished! This book offers SO much guidance in every step of knitting a sweater, no matter which way you decide to go about it. I have a feeling this is going to be of infinite use to me. *One thing I found annoying about the book, however, are the scantily clad models. Why are 75% of the women in the photos wearing their sweaters with bikini bottoms, underwear, or way-too-short cut offs? The first photo you see when you open the book is the "Playmate Jacket" (mm hmm, very Hugh Hefner) and she's wearing the sweater over some hot pink boyshorts. What's the point of this? Like I said, it's kind of annoying. . Along with being pleasurable and satisfying, knitting can sometimes be frustrating: the turtleneck that looked so fabulous on the model is too bulky for your body, or the cardigan you spent countless hours on just doesn’t fit right