Sweaters Books

This book is divided into two section, a historical sweater section that consist of 27 historical items with charts for the colourwork and a somewhat dated section of modern designs. This is definitely a beautiful resource to have in your library to keep coming back and forth to for inspirations.

...unlike most of the knitting books I own, this one I pick up when I want to be thrilled with the workmanship of our ancestors. The old swedish sweaters might be moth-eaten but the handiwork is shown in some detail.I haven't tried any of the sweaters -- the instructions seem on the difficult side.A shame that this is out of print, as would make a nice gift.

This book is a combination of two parts -- historical sweaters and contemporary designs. Part One consists of 27 historical Swedish sweaters, most knitted in the mid 19th century. The color photographs are beautiful and in most cases charts of the design elements are included. An experienced knitter would be able to construct a pattern for most of these sweaters using the charts given. Part Two contains 14 patterns for contemprary designs, based on the historical sweaters. The designs are very nice and most are knitted with sportweight or finer yarn.

This product arrived in a very quickly after ordering. It was well packaged and in perfect condition. I was very happy with the quality of the fabric and stitching and it was well-worth the price! It was a gift for a relative who lives in Utah and he was delighted with it.

This transaction was satisfactory in every way. The hoodie is wonderful!! My son is delighting in it!!

Prompt delivery. Plan to order another at a later time.
very please with product

If you are a Sue Bradley admirer, be aware Travellers' Yarns and Around the World in Eighty Sweaters are THE SAME BOOK. Exactly. The former was published in England, and the latter was published in the US.

That aside, it is a beautiful book, with lovely patterns which could easily be tweaked to fit the 2000s--especially since Intarsia knitting seems to be poised for a come-back.

Colorful, imaginative, and fun to work....that describes the patterns in this book. I'm a knitter of pretty average skill who has been looking for really eye-catching patterns for sweaters. Far too many patterns these days are monochromatic, basic cable-knit or dolman type garments. This book takes basic, easy to follow patterns, and imbues them with influences from many other cultures.

There are patterns for coats, sweaters, gloves, hats and sweater-dresses in here, each with fabulous patterns from Persian rugs, South American peasant weavings, African tribal masks, Scandanavian traditionals, as well as a myriad of others.

The instructions are explained well, in basic layman's terms, and (probably most important) the garments really do come out looking like the pictures! Any knitter, from beginner to expert, can find something wonderful to create in here.

Reasons for me to read a book: compelling topic, great story, beautiful writing, outrageous humor. I found a bit of each of these qualities in TBTB,TTTS where twenty-one women take on topics that Oprah has yet to deal with. Like Oprah, these women deal with issues of body and health that have the quality of feeling unique to the individual, causing embarassment or pain, yet are shared by many of us. Enfolded in "shared uniqueness" are the seeds of humor. There is something fundamentally funny about discovering we are not alone. That is why we laugh with the women in TBTB,TTTS who dare to share their uniqueness.
I find the sub-title more compelling than the title -- I struggle with the grammar of the first part of the title -- it isn't right and I don't know how to fix it.
Some of the stories feel incomplete. I still don't know what African American boobies are. I missed the point of some -- failing to see a groundbreaking epiphany in a detailed psychotherapy session filled with too many words. On the other hand, Jennifer D. Munro and Patricia Bunin contribute tightly written pieces filled with pathos and humor. They tell me all I need to know, yet leave me wanting to hear more.
TBTB,TTTS has the typical qualities of an anthology -- some stellar pieces and some that feel like padding. The good ones make the book a worthwhile read.

I go through reading spurts and I'm on one now. Just before reading two Holocaust books ("Suite Francaise" and "Thanks to My Mother") back to back, I'd completed all the stories in TBTB,TTTS. I want to go back. Back to laughing, pondering, and remembering with a queasy anxiety. Adrianne Bee's 'Around the Bend' so aptly recollects a preteen's awkward forays in love, preteen friendship and one's body that I found myself picturing my own horrifying adolescent embarrassments with amused retrospective clarity. Bravo, ladies for daring to write with such honesty and humor about things that may not seem so humorous at the time in ways that allows any woman to say, 'she understands!'

I can't imagine why this book is out of print. I found it at my local library and instantly wanted it for my own collection. The designs are timeless as well as gorgeous. Even though it was written in 1987, the designs are classically up-to-date. And each design is shown with variations of color combinations. The book is filled with full color photos of every design and the instructions are clear and concise. There are over 30 designs from simple to complex and include vests, long sleeve, sleeveless and even a tank top! What a find!

I obtained this out-of-print book based on the one Amazon.com customer review. If you are one of those knitters who lives in a temperate climate, such that wool sweaters are too heavy for most days, I would definitely try to find an inexpensive copy of this book. The thing I liked the best about the book is that there are two or three VERY unusually constructed sweaters, including one that I loved, knit all in ONE piece, which included front, back and cap sleeves - all that's left to do after knitting is to sew up the side seams. What I found disappointing about the book was the lack of specifics about how cotton knitting differs from wool knitting. Wool is a favorite choice for knitters because, of course, wool yarn has that natural elastic quality, something that cotton yarn has less of, though, as a natural fiber, it still has some elasticity. There is also the question about testing swatches for shrinkage, color-fastness, blocking, washing and caring for cotton knits about which the book didn't go into much detail - also disappointing. Basically, the book is a gallery of sweater designs with patterns, line-by-line knitting directions, line drawings and color charts provided. The sweaters are photographed on professional models. I personally found the colors used and knit-in designs rather too bright and flashy, but that is easily changed to suit personal taste. The close-up photos of the patterned swatches are very good and will be a help to the knitter. Although the book doesn't say it, cotton knitting, though challenging, can be quite lovely in some designs. Some lace patterns knit up quite well in cotton, although I have found that cotton yarn does not hold up too well in very intricate twisted stitches - it tends to fray and look battered right away. I also wish the book had explained the differences between cotton yarns, mercerized vs. non-mercerized, for example. However, given the fact that there are few books available for cotton knitters, I think this book is well worth your time and attention.

This book is a visual feast. Even though these designs are from around 1990, the garments shown would be a delight to own. However, this is NOT a book for the inexperienced knitter, and the intermediate knitter would need to be well-versed in the various color knitting techniques. It can in no way be considered an instructional work.

But if you are looking for inspiration, or just some great designs to drool over, this book is definitely worth owning.

From the minute I opened this book I knew it was a must have for my library. Every design is unique, though not for the faint of heart. Most items are challenging enough for the most advanced knitter while many are still manageable for the intermediately skilled. My first project had to be the sweater featuring the exquisite geisha portrait, which I chose to duplicate stitch for added depth. With clear, precise directions & graphs, there are no problems to producing garments with a panache you'll be proud to be seen wearing.

This title is included in the series "I Can Understand" published by Standard Publishing. The books are written and illustrated for children, ages 3 - 7 years old.

This book is a first person story told by a child in a conversational style. The book shows various comparisons of the Big Brother and the New Baby that is to arrive. Much of the narration centers on conversations with the grandmother.

This is an excellent book to help prepare the child for a baby's birth, getting ready for the baby, helping with the baby, and encouraging the expression of feelings of the child. The activity pages and suggestions for parents further enhance the value of this delightful, beautifully illustrated book.

It is a book you will want to read many times to your younger children as they await the arrival of a new baby sister or brother.

Cute story about a little boy's wondering about a new baby coming into the family. Grandma has wise answers to his questions. I really like the message that God made the new baby especially for that family.

This is a lovely book that belongs in every spinners collections. The photographs are wonderful and the information is presented in a very clear and concise manner.

This book covers the basic information needed to spin a coherent yarn to specifications & produce the sweater shown. The knitting directions are well written. When dyeing was needed to produce a given effect in the article, the directions were also clear and concise.

I bought this book right after I learned to spin. I have made several articles from it, and have used it as source material for some original designs. Now that I teach others to spin, I use this book as a reference material for my students.

I was impressed with this book for two reasons:

1. It 's about knitting sweaters from handspun yarn, and since I'm learning to spin-I found much inspiration/information on type of fiber and exactly how to spin (in detail)
for each sweater. The instructions were very thorough on how they created their yarns for each and every sweater.

2.The designs were beautiful, interesting without being over
complicated.

It challenged me to take my time with each process of sweater design, paying attention to detail, with the end goal
of creating the perfect sweater with the perfect yarn for that sweater. Each sweater was unique and deserved unique,
individual attention through the whole process from choosing the fiber, to the final knitting of the garment.

I would highly reccamend for a beginning knitter/spinner first sweater book,
or for an advanced knitter who wants a new challenge: learning to spin and work with handspun.

Rhonda Thomas
beginning spinner
beginning knitter
advanced crocheter

The Tudor kings and queens had sumptuous clothing down to an art--gold embroidery, padding, slits, velvet, silks, jewels, lace. They had it all--and they wore it all at the same time. (They apparently did NOT have the fashion rule to look in the mirror and take ONE ornament away to avoid overdressing. No indeed. Their rule seemed to be to look in the mirror and make sure to add ONE MORE THING. Was there any other time in history when costume was so frankly over-the-top? I don't believe so.)

Alice Starmore and her apprentice, daughter Jade, created a number of sweater designs inspired by the Tudor royals. These are not recreations of Tudor clothing. Instead, these are wearable art that give an impression of richness. Of the designs, one of the most stunning is "Katherine Howard" done by Jade Starmore. She is especially good at dramatic shaping in knitwear--her trademark. The design is in "gold" and "silver" color wool that looks like metallic embroidery couching over a carnelian colored ground. While done in plain, matte wool colors, the impression of this sweater is of a richly embroidered coat with a peplum.

The "Margaret Tudor" is interesting in that it features textured knitting depicting thistles, with pewter buttons studding the cables to give the effect of jewelry. Wearable, but dramatic.

There is also a lot of colorwork done with Starmore's unique way to blend many, many subtle shades of yarn that creates a pearly effect. This is especially effective in the "Henry VIII" which uses golds and browns on a blue ground. The blended shades look like gold embroidery. Amazing.

The most interesting choice of design was the "Elizabeth I", which is NOT pounds of textured yarns and buttons like a heavily-jeweled tunic, but instead, virginal WHITE with a textured neck pattern taken from silk stockings. The shaping is that of a stomacher (lower in front, slanting down over the tummy.) It is a testament to the "Virgin Queen" image of Elizabeth while quoting amusingly from the famous design of the silk stockings she made popular. Think Glynis Paltrow or Cate Blanchett. If you have a pretty figure, this would look stunning.

This book has exquisite photos, intricate patterns, and after reading it I think I could pass a course on the Tudor period of English history. Although many of the patterns may be quite challenging for those unfamiliar with Starmore's technique (and working with so many colors on tiny needles is not for the faint of heart), her lucid explanations give courage. Warning: Use Shetland wool for cutting steeks, you'll thank me later for the advice.

This book makes me want to take up knitting. I crochet and am thinking of trying to knit simply because of the patterns in this book.

I was browsing through this book at the local craft store, and I LOVE every pattern in it. That doesn't happen very often, I usually only like a handful of the ideas/patterns in any given book. But each design was elegant and beautiful.

I can't review the way the patterns are written obviously, but on an aesthetic level this book is a 5!!

I'm a somewhat beginner knitter and I've wanted to branch out into sweaters and objects of beauty and learning rather than only what's in my comfort zone. Well this book is definitely a motivation. The items are beautiful with many nice photos. There are not really any for a beginner like myself, but more for an advanced beginner, which I now have a real motivation to become! I've started myself on a sampler (I think most knitters are familiar with this) just so that I can hone my skills and be able to start on one of the easier projects in this book. I can't wait!!!

This book has fabulous designs. Totally unique and interestiing in lovely colors and varied yarns. I was very happy with the creativity I found in this book...however...there are a lot of mistakes in it. You MUST download the errata pages on the author's website or you will be totally frustrated. I ripped out the sleeveless turtleneck 5 times before it dawned on me that there must be an error in the pattern. There are too many errors in this book, Stefanie.
Regardless I really like the book and have purchased her other book, Glamknits.

This is a beautiful book with many designs I want to try. I have only knit up one so far (the sleeveless turtleneck tank), and I have to say, I am a bit disappointed with the pattern. It was clearly written in a size other than the one I am knitting, because there are a couple of stitch-count mistakes in the pattern that made me have to rip out my work and start over. As a relative beginner, this was very frustrating, because I had to ad-lib on how to fix it. I have since discovered that these mistakes are corrected on the author's website, but that did me no good while I was trying to work through the problem. However, I am not giving up on the book yet. I'll try one more...but I'll consult the author's website before I pick up my needles.

First of all, I love the patterns in this book. There are at least five must-haves in here, and another five I may get to if/when I have time. The designer's all-raglan-all-the-time aesthetic didn't especially bother me, although she may want to consider branching out a bit with her next effort.

The down side -- and the reason the book didn't get more stars from me -- is that there are mistakes in this book. Loads of mistakes. Like, over two pages of errata listed at Stefanie Japel's website. By all means, buy this book, BUT then bop right on over [...] and download the errata list.

In short, this is a fun book that I'll use a lot, but I think it went to press a bit too quickly. Give the technical editor time to work his/her magic!