Sweaters Books

I loved this book. I bought it years ago and it languished on my bookshelf while I had two kids. Five years later I picked it up and started on my first real sweater. It was easy and I am not the best knitter. I made a super cute, trendy sweater in about two weeks (with two little ones still at home, mind you). The patterns run a smidge big so if you are between sizes you might want to make the smaller size but they make it SO EASY. So easy, in fact that I went out and started another and finished it in a week. Almost all their patterns call for very chunky yarn and big needles so you get instant gratification and there are tons of styles to choose from. If you are nervous about starting your first real sweater or if you have had some past failures and are hesitant to try again... BUY THIS BOOK!

This book has patterns that looked simple enough for someone who had made more than my fair share of scarves and wanted a challenge. While the patterns look cute and very wearable to someone in their 20's I have the following complaints:

1. The yarn is incredibly expensive.

2. The instructions are not very clear, the illustrations are even more unclear, and several basic techniques are left out.

3. All the materials required for each project are not all listed in the materials section at the start of each project.

4. Even with the correct gauge I have had to purchase extra yarn to complete projects.

I'd recommend that a beginner find another book to explain basic techniques, but I still think the patterns are cute enough to suffer through the rest of the book's shortcomings.

This book is great! My boyfriend calls me a knit nerd. I'm always knitting now. I love the way that the book is written it seems like you're getting information from a friend. The instructions you receive are very detailed. Other books just gave directions no tips and their illustrations were hard to follow. It's so much better to learn this way it's more enjoyable. (and I didn't have to travel to NY!)

I learned to knit with this book, and I really liked it.
The good: The instruction part of the book is clearly written, light, and sticks to the basic stitches. They don't use too much text to the point where you are confused--they just say a few words, add a simple drawing, and soon you are knitting the stitch. The book covers cast on, knit, purl, bind off, and increasing/decreasing. Each project featured in the book has a little story that is really good at motivating you to start and complete a project even if you are a beginning knitter. Since the yarns are chunky the projects knit up quickly, giving the knitter some instant gratification. There are about 5 or 6 cute items in the book that I would consider knitting (so while I am unlikely to knit myself a tank top, I made the hole-in-one and a couple of the hats, and may make a sweater or two).

The not-so-good: Other people have said it, but it bears repeating--if you are going to make one of the sweaters in this book, you could spend $160 or MORE on yarn for your beginner sweater (in my case, that would have been a waste because it took me awhile to master gauge). I opted instead to find some free patterns online for baby sweaters & blankets, knit them up with inexpensive acrylic yarns, and gave them to the local children's hospital when I was done (learned to knit, made something someone else will treasure, didn't spend a fortune learning). Now I feel more qualified to make a sweater with fancier yarn. I would have LOVED the book if they had offered, say, 10 or 20 different yarns that could have been used with each of their projects.
Also, I thought the portion on sewing knit pieces together could have been more detailed and had better pictures. I couldn't figure out exactly what part of the knit edge I should have sewn together.
Lastly, I think it's a book you will "grow out of" very quickly. Once you have learned the basic stitches, if you don't love every pattern in the book, you will soon be looking for another book of patterns that strike your fancy.

Overall, it's a good book for learning.





This book gets four (and not five) stars for some v

Nice pictures, comfy looking sweaters....
And then you start knitting and realize that all the patterns are for very bulky yarns and many of the patterns are riddled with errors.
What? You happened to be in the NYC and thought you'd stop into the store to ask question? J & J are the epitome of unfriendly yarn store owners.

As a collector of vintage knitting patterns, I was excited to see what a talented designer would do with classic designs. Quite a lot, is the answer. That said, I do have to agree with some of the criticisms offered in other reviews. This seems to me to be a book for the adventurous knitter who is both willing and able to adapt and individualize patterns to "fine-tune" fit and appearance. I am 5'9" with a 40" bust, and am an experienced knitter. I typically have to adjust size, and usually substitute yarn, color and stitch pattern to meet my size, style and stash reduction needs. This probably is not a book for newer, or less confident knitters who may struggle with these skills. It is a book for knitters who love intricate, polished style, body concious fit and fine technique. I do feel that schematics and charts should have been included to help those knitting the patterns as written and those of us who need to make modifications. Interesting that the Great Britain edition got them and we didn't. I have made 2 sweaters from the book (short-sleeved cardigan with neck tie and Missoni-like wave pattern pullover) and was very pleased with the results. My next project? -a "blouse" from a 1930's era Beeehive yarns manual-written for a size 32" bust with a 32 stitch lace pattern repeat. (Sarah Dallas, I wish that you had gotten to this one first!)

I know that this book has been out for a while. But, I'm just waking up to it. There are a few things about this book that really pull it out from the others for me. First, they take old photos from magazines and ads - all the patterns are based off these old photos. So, you get a great feeling for where they are coming from. Second, they have a bit of a modern flair to them. This is wonderful. Lastly, I want to make every single item in this book. It isn't often that I open a book and desire EVERYTHING. But, this is one of them. The patterns range in difficulty and I promise that you will find something in this book to love.

The patterns in this book are really lovely, and it's so interesting to see pictures (albeit tiny ones) of the original inspirations from the 1940s and 50s. There are several patterns I would love to knit once I feel comfortable with my knitting skills. This is a book I would probably buy down the road, once I am a more advanced knitter.

I didn't really like how the pictures were all in the front of the book, and the patterns in the back. I'd rather have them side-by-side. Just a small complaint.

When I opened this book my first thought was, why did they soft-focus the photography? Pictures should be clear so we know what the garment will look like when we knit it. Next, I was sorry to see that there were no schematics for the patterns. In order to see how fitted a garment is, it is necessary to read the pattern closely, whereas with a schematic you can see at a glance. This is especially needed because the modern photographs show much looser fitting garments than the original photos.

It was not clear to me if the patterns have been modified to make them easier for modern knitters, although I'm guessing they have. Too bad they did not give us the original year of each pattern, because as knitters of vintage patterns we like to know what era we are wearing!

All that aside, I'm looking forward to knitting some of these patterns because they are attractive and look fun to knit.

I just recieved this book from Amazon (two days before the earliest estimated delivery!) and I pored through it with the passion of a 1950's child with the Sears Wishbook.

Things I like about this book:
The patterns are all reasonably authentic in terms of vintage syle, especially if you compare them with the (unfortunately small) inspiration piece photos at the top of each pattern page.
The pieces look from the patterns (I've not yet knit any of them up) to be largely simple enough to tackle for an advanced/adventurous beginner, although the Tyrolean Cardigan and the Fair Isle patterns seem directed at someone with a more intermediate to advanced skill level. (Then again, a whole Fair Isle piece never seemed like a beginner project to me) The good news is, this means that the book can grow with your skills, instead of some others that wind up on the bottom shelf because of the tediously simple patterns.
Vintage knits is a book that a twenty three year old rockabilly lady (me) and a 40+ Respiratory Therapist (my mom) can both enjoy. It seems like a lot of the pattern books I find on my Recommendations list can come off as immodest, outlandish, or dowdy. There are markets for each of those categories, but this book has a good combination of fashionability, class, and just plain prettiness that can take the wearer from afternoon business meeting (dress slacks and flats) to evening out (pencil skirt and kitten heels), as well as from college dress up into job market friendly.

Why this book didn't get 5 stars:
The size range. Perhaps some of the styles are, shall we say, ill suited to the more voluptuous wearers, but in the same breath I am going to have to adapt some of the patterns to fit my appropriately voluptuous mother. (Just because you have two children shouldn't preclude you from having a fantastic wardrobe) Also, as was mentioned by another reviewer, it is more common for the modern woman to take on more Amazonian proportions in height and bust size. If my grandmothers can be any indication, the ladies the original patterns were designed for were TEENY.
As other reviewers have noted, the suggested yarns are not the least expensive out there, and I can accept that for the "higher end" feeling designs. However, the detail information for the yarns, such as weight, yardage, and fiber content is completely absent, making it very difficult to substitute yarns, or to find a replacement for yarn that may be discontinued in the future. For me, this is a nearly must have feature. I will be making handwritten notes in the margins about the yarn details so that I have the information later on.

All said and done, I look forward to making almost all of the patterns in this book, some of them (like the twin set) in several colors! I consider Vintage Knits, in spite of its flaws, to be a good recommendation for "advanced beginner" level and up knitters who are rather slender and enjoy feminine, vintage style.

This book is great for beginners to advanced. The patterns are written very clearly and the charts are excellent. The sweaters are knitted very quickly and easily. These are great when you do not feel like working on a more complicated design. Granted they do use "designer" type yarns. However, with the guage and yardage information they provide, another yarn of your choice is easily substituted as I have done with my projects. I highly recommend this book to anyone with the "knitting addiction!"

This book is very pretty and the yarns are superb and expensive, but most of the sweaters are pretty useless. There are too many bulky cropped thingies and patterns that call for all sorts of hard to find novelty yarns. The other thing which irks me is the insistence on peculiar needle sizes, for example, what the heck is a 10 3/4 size needle, and why cant you simplt use a 10 1/2?

Also, there is a sweator in a picture of the store that looks great but.....it's not in the book!

I bought this in a friends yarn shop as a favor and I have not knit one thing from it.

I like to buy books that are worth their weight in gold.. not just now, but two or even three years from now. I like books with techniques I can refer back to or a design that I just have to knit someday. I like a book that I can easily find the recommended yarn for.. and at a reasonable price.

Unfortunately this book has absolutely none of that. The styles are basic at best.. no challenge whatsoever. The yarns are "way too expensive" novelty yarns that will all be discontinued as yarn trends change. If you are wondering whether to buy... DON'T! I sold my copy on ebay within a week of purchasing it.

This book is an ideal first pattern book for a brand new knitter but what good is it to a more advanced knitter? Let me explain. (I have a year of knitting under my belt and three completed sweaters to show for it not including the one I am going to talk about)

I bought some very nice cotton worsted weight on a whim because it was on sale. I had no idea what I would do with it. Then, a special occasion came up. I had a dressy skirt but no top to go with it. Since the yarn was black, I knew it would match but I needed a FAST pattern to get my top done in time and the gauge was too thin for me to speed through. I chose the back button cardigan in this book and made it with doubled yarn. Lovely!

There you have it, this book is great for what I would call emergency knitting. You need a sweater pronto for a gift, an outfit, a wedding, whatever. Obviously, needle size 3 intarsia creations would be out when you only have a weeks notice.

In addition, the introduction is very informative and the troubleshooting tips are well illustrated. I agree, the yarn is rather pricey but then I feel that if I am going to invest my time in a garment, I should buy the best yarn I can afford. I have had a year of happy knitting as a result of this philosophy. And, the higher the quality of the yarn, the longer your garment will last in all likelihood. You're making heirlooms here! And, as noted earlier, it is easy to substitute yarns due to the format of the book. (I would not suggest a beginner going outside of the basic yarn "type", though. Cotton for cotton, wool for wool is best if you are not yet familiar with the results of changing materials.)

In my opinion, complaining about the simplicity of a book titled SIMPLY beautiful sweaters is like getting angry at a school course called BASIC English for being basic. There was no false advertising involved. The authors delivered what they promised.

This book has paid for itself in my eyes and I hope everyone will give it a fair chance. Remember, knitting doesn't have to be complicated to be beautiful. Happy knitting!

This books title says it all SIMPLY beautiful sweaters. It has 2 things that are essential to the new knitter. 1. Full sweater laid out so you can actually see the end result top to bottom, unlike many pattern books where you only see a small part of the sweater or the model is in a position so you don't get the full effect. 2. Actual pattern piece measured at each area, so no wondering about the final fit.
This book has been a favorite of my new knitting friends because they are always pleased with the final product, no surprises and for first sweaters, the directions are very clear. I have been knitting for over 20 years and I use this book more than any other. I can take the basic pattern shapes, change a few things, add cables etc and design my own sweater that I am sure will fit when finished. By far some of the best basics availible...RECOMMENDED for all knitters.

I bought this book for my boyfriend who is just learning to knit. The instruction throughout the book is excellent for a beginner. Some of the patterns are great while others... well not so much. So I would not recommend this book to an experienced knitter, but for the male beginner, this book is a great starting point.

This book has great patterns for men to be knit by anyone although the book is written for men to learn to knit. Good instructions, too.

Men knit - and have for centuries. From soldiers and cowboys to sailors, men have long made their own garments - so a book offering modern men keys to new patterns and the basics to knit them shouldn't be seen as revolutionary. KNITTING WITH BALLS: A HANDS-ON GUIDE TO KNITTING FOR THE MODERN MAN is an excellent basic instructional for any male who aspires to knit - and any needlework collection for beginners. It provides tips on patterns, instructions for every stitch, and even advice on how to begin a men's knitting group. An excellent survey indeed.

Diane C. Donovan
California Bookwatch

This book has great illustrations and most of the patterns are easy to understand. The projects are highly varied - traditional (sweaters and scarves) to untraditional (laptop covers and utility cloths). Though I wouldn't wear or use all of them (camoflage coffee cup holder?!), they can be adapted with different yarns and adjustments to the patterns. The last section even delves into that. The best part is the illustrations and the fact that projects are of all difficulty levels. You learn all the basics without ever getting bored or having to commit to a huge project. There are several other books for male knitters besides this one.

I purchased this book for a guy I used to work with who needed to spend some time at home after an accident. After looking at it in a book store, I decided to get it for him. I was convinced that if I had asked him about it first, he would have said NO, assuming that this was a "girl thing," despite the title. Much to his own surprise, he got well into it, actually completing a simple project. Because he had so much fun working on it, I'm sure he'll do many more.

If you'd like to open up a gentleman in your circle to the great sense of relaxation and creativity that can be had with a productive craft like knitting, this is a GREAT BUY! Include enough yarn and the needles for one project, so he can get started right away.

I already have my next recipient in mind!

Unlike some of the other reviewers who gave this lovely book low stars I just cannot for the simple fact that though I'm advanced in crochet I'm still a new knitter and found this book to be inspirational in it's beautiful photographs, extremely simple designs, and easy format. This may not be for you if you already know what you're doing or have the time to go hunting up patterns online but for me it was a welcome addition to my bookshelf especially as the weather gets cooler and I'm looking for something to do. The bonus is that because the patterns are so simple they can easily be translated to a knitting machine :-)

I'm usually reluctant to try a new book/author because sometimes they get too complicated. This book was terrific since it was so simple and it allows you to be creative with your own choise of yarns to make the sweater even more unique!

It's hard to see why this book was published in its present format. Essentially, it consists of a series of photographs of the same sweater, a long-sleeved boat neck pullover, knitted in different yarns. There are a few differences here and there - the addition of a hood or a turtleneck, for instance - but not enough to make a purchase worthwhile. Perhaps a beginner might find Simple Sweaters helpful in learning the basics - knit 4 rectangles in 2 sizes and sew them together. Otherwise, nicer patterns can be found for free on the internet.

I bought this book just based on the cover sweater alone. I think it's fantastic. It's high on my list of things to knit! There are several sweaters in this book that are lovely, elegant, and have just tried-and-true lines and fit.

I'm not sure why this book is getting reviewed badly here for reasons such as "uses ridiculously-priced yarn" or for "dull, boxy designs." Hey, folks, let's read the title again: Knitting SIMPLE sweaters from LUXURIOUS yarns. It's kind of a no-brainer to me.

Anyway, I don't intend on using anything luxurious to knit things in this book, as I don't own large enough quantities of anything luxurious. However, I found that yarn substitution is going to be very do-able because the patterns are quite easy to handle, even for beginning knitters for whom getting gauge might be an issue.

Okay, the designs in this book are not spectacular, and some reviewers have said they are boring. However, I bought some beautiful aran/heavy worsted weight yarn and, in spite of my massive collection of knitting (and crochet) books and magazines, could not find one basic sweater pattern I liked for that yarn, except in this book. If my collection is anything to go by, most knitting books and magazines are meant to dazzle us with something new, and often complicated. I guess the assumption is that knitters already know how to make a basic sweater. If you have yarn and are looking for a nice selections of basic sweater patterns that aren't too complicated to make, this may be the book for you.

Just my 2 cents but I thought this was full of pretty pictures but hard to follow the formula they give to make your own patterns. Not my favorite knitting book and wish I had skipped buying it. Pretty cover though....

I have never knit a sweater before buying this book. This book is very well laid out and offers information in a form and layout that does not overwhelm the first time sweater knitter. I think it is also in depth enough that experienced sweater knitters will also enjoy it. The patterns are interesting and intriguing. The explanations are very clear and accessible. I'd recommend this book to anyone who is interested in sweater knitting.

The book stretches your creativity and challenges you to make something beautiful that is entirely your own. The sections of information on how to measure and determine guage, yardage, etc. are worth the price alone. I loved the side-to-side garments, but then, I loved the entire book. The colors and textures are inspiring.

THis was even better than the sock book, I can't wait for the next book from them!

Title is "Knit-to-fit workshop" but there is nothing in this book about custom tailoring or shaping; i.e., how to fit a handknit garment. Basically, this is a collection of pretty pictures of--IMHO--uninteresting garments on models a couple sizes too small, making them rather unattractive (the sweaters AND to a lesser extent, the models).

This was a strange but interesting read. It let me into a fascinatingly spiritual world of special creatures out there; knitters. Perhaps in another life, this book would have inspired me to become one. I particularly liked the article by Lisa Averyhart.

I enjoyed this book -- but I think it's safe to say that you won't like it if you're not obsessed with knitting. This collection of essays about knitting was interesting, amusing, and heartstring-tugging by turns. A pleasant way to while away a few hours!

The subsequent titles are fun as well, but this one touched me more. In response to "skip this one," I suspect whichever you read first will have the most impact.

If you are a knitter or know a knitter, you will find stories you can identify with in KnitLit. Other stories will give you an entirely new prospective on knitting. The stories are told by those who love to knit and those who just love a knitter. They run the gamut from laughter to tears. Knitters, pick up this book when you put down those needles - or for those lucky ones who can manage it, read this while you knit! For those who have knitters in their lives, read this to understand why your loved one is so obsessed.

If you are knitter like me who also loves to read, then you'll surely want to add this book to your library. The stories within are written by knitters from all over; each weaves the craft of knitting with the lives we all cherish.

I bought "Hunt to Kill" a couple of years ago after seeing this case on Court TV.

I thought "The Sweater Letter" would be a different take on the story.

Little did I know that it was the same identical book. What a waste of money.

When Bruce Moilanen, the husband of the murder victim, sets up an appointment for a private lie-detector test, I yelled at my husband "Bob Dufort is in this book!". Dufort was a retired state police officer who became a private detective and polygrapher in Northern Michigan. One time when he was showing me his polygraph machine I asked him to explain what seemed to be a lapse in logic, and he looked me in the eye and told me the polygraph worked because he had been a state trooper for twenty some years, and HE could tell when someone was lying. So much for the polygraph machine. I really enjoyed reading a bizarre and interesting story that took place in the Michigan's Upper Peninsula. The Distels did a good job conveying the way of life in the UP during hunting season. The story itself is great fodder for a true-crime book, featuring a really strange husband-from-hell, which always makes for addictive reading. Although this book is of local interest, I would rate it right up there with the best true-crime writing.

I picked up this book because I am from the Upper Peninsula and knew a couple of people involved in the story.
Overall, the plot is very interesting and keeps the reader interested. The descriptions are accurate as well.

The writing itself was rather choppy and seemed to be unedited. There were a lot of grammatical errors and repetitive sentences that often distracted me from the story. If you can ignore that, it's a good book.

Like a few of the other readers, I too found this book difficult to put down. I am a "genuine yooper" having been born and raised in Marquette County. I do know, personally, many of the characters portrayed in the novel. The descriptions of the Upper Peninsula are accurate. Knowing from firsthand experience however, I did find a few inaccuracies which may be distracting, for those of us from the area; one example of which the information at the beginning of the book referring to the central location of the story "Anatomy of a Murder" as being located in the Michigamme. (Should be Big Bay, Marquette, and Ishpeming) There are many other publisher errors in words etc. Overall it was an excellent read.

As a big fan of true crime, I received this book as a Christmas gift from family in the region where the murder took place. I was afraid I would hate the book. However, I was surpised by the fact that I found some parts of the book enjoyable. At times, I found it to be a real page-turner despite the fact that I almost knew what would happen before it happened. While this book may be exciting to the locals, it lacked the suspense, mystery,and tension that should go with true crime. It almost feels like a PG version of the movie "Fargo" based on the setting. The characters are not nearly as interesting in this book though.

The Sweater Letter tells the story of a dumb criminal to say the least. Bruce Moilanen killed his wife in what appeared to be a hunting accident at first. With the a lot of suspicious behavior and a bad alibi, he becomes the prime suspect. After some thought and investigation, it was pretty obvious from the evidence in the first 20 pages that Bruce is guilty beyond any reasonable doubt. The book carries on with the investigation and then the trial. The author seems to be talking in circles at times just to meet an apparent quota of pages.

While the events that took place in this incident are very unfortunate, the book is just not that entertaining. By way of comparison to most true crime books, this book is almost too tame. For the people in the Upper Peninsula and Wisconsin, this may be a great read because it is regional history. For outsiders, this book may seem more like an episode of "Murder She Wrote".

This lovely instruction book has around all the basic sweaters you could want, so if you have more than an inkling of crochet in your back pocket, you can then add to any of these to "make them your own." They are all easily adaptable to styling, giving you that special sweater you always wanted. Susan's instructions makes it all easy as pie! (except pie isn't easy for me).

I own this book as does my best friend. The instructions are clear and seem to be accurate, based on the several sweaters we've made so far. The designs are pretty and you can easily see how you could use these patterns as a base your own changes.

This book has a nice selection of sweaters and they are actually wearable. A nice selection, well written and totally worth the money.

This book is exactly what I have been looking for. I needed a basic pattern for a cardigan nd this book had a pattern that could be used for this. It has many patterns that I am very anxious to do. This will have a special place in my crochet library.

This book is great not only for experienced crocheter but also for the beginner who has basic skills and wants to make a stylish but simple sweater. The designs are simple and basic (but attractive), so if you're looking for something very challenging you might be disappointed. I am a crocheter with mid-level experience and I plan to make most of the designs in the book. Nice color photos. Recommended for your home stitching library.

I'm a little puzzled by all the five-star reviews. The author includes a very brief overview of the history of knitting in each of the four countries (or regions). Three projects are included for each country, starting with a simple pattern to learn the stitch techniques such as a headband, purse or scarf.

Oddly enough, no traditional chullo (cap with earflaps) is included in the Andean section although she discusses their popularity. Instead she includes two sweater patterns after explaining that the Andean people don't traditionally knit sweaters.

The author does provide a lot of information about how to come up with your own sweater-pattern based on the format and style of knitting used in each country. I was disappointed by some of the illustrations which seemed dated, however the technical drawings of how to do stitches were fine.

If you are particularly interested in the knitting of one of regions covered by the book (the Netherlands, Denmark, Norway, or the Andes) you will be better of getting a book that focuses on that country or region. However, if you want a brief overview how how these styles of knitting differ and are interested in in designing your own sweaters and eventually being free from charts while you knit, you'll probably enjoy this book.

I've been knitting for 18 years, have read both Elizabeth Zimmerman and Priscilla Gibson-Roberts, not to mention Maggie Righetti and "The Knitter's Handy Book of Sweater Patterns". I've done my own sweaters. So why, then am I so glad I picked up this book? And why will I happily buy her next volume in this series, which will introduce more sweater shapes and ethnic styles?

Well, for starters, the section on Andean knitting techniques (hard to find in the states) has vastly speeded up my knitting, which is important in getting things off the needles. But more to the point, as the publisher (Deb Robson) explains, this book is meant to be a good introduction (or reintroduction, and inspirational kick in the pants) for those of us who may want to get into/back into ethnic knitting. It's Ethnic Knitting DISCOVERY, not the grad-level course! The author has done a great job of pulling together the essentials of what you need to know to get started knitting folk style, doing it your own way. It does not replace such classics as PRiscilla Gibson Roberts "Knitting in the Old Way". But it makes it easier, even for someone like myself, to "catch" the mindset behind ethnic knitting. It's not just the math, it's the attitude that the author imparts, that is important.

Recently I realized that I'd fallen off the wagon on knitting, mainly due to lack of time to do my own patterns (I'm in naturopathic medical school). Furthermore, over the years of knitting, I'd gotten lost in the details... fifty kazillion ways to design a couture sweater. Most of which frankly require a background in fashion design. I was down to knitting things in pieces, from others' patterns, which usually never quite got through. I realized I had to begin again. If I had to go back and pull all my other books off the shelves to figure out how to get a sweater going again, ethnic style, it wouldn't happen (I've got more studying to do after I write this.) So yesterday I got this book, some new wool yarn, and got something back on the needles... and progressing. That fast.

After you read this, yes of course you'll want to check out "Knitting in the Old Way" and all the fabulous books out there on the history and details of ethnic styling, and maybe even start a tradition of your own. But start with this. You'll learn something. I did.

Ethnic Knitting: Discovery: The Netherlands, Denmark, Norway, and The Andes is an excellent book by Donna Druchunas. It's too bad that there isn't a subtitle regarding designing your own sweater. The material is easy to read. The charts (including the mathmatics) are easy to understand and use. The illustrations are not in color but so what! I am currently knitting a Netherland sweater and I can't believe how easy and fast it is knitting up. My next project is to knit with two colors because this book is an inspiration and not intimidating. The techniques from the Andes seem scary at first but the writing again is so easy to understand and use that I'm not locked into a specific pattern; I can use the techniques for anything I may create. If you are looking for a gift item for your knitter, I'd recommend this book.

It is original to offer three ways to knit each pattern - using a visual plan (most basic), using planning worskeets (more detailed), or using step-by-step project sheets (most detailed. There are no complete instructions to knit any of the patterns. This might encourage the insecure knitter who follows patterns completely to eventually be able to knit without following a pattern (the more traditional/ethnic method of knitting, we are told). I could not get the book to lie flat, so it will have to be spiral-bound.

I have been knitting for a few years but until now I have been terrified of knitting on my own without depending on a pattern for my every stitch. I even try to stick with the exact yarn (and color) as the designer used. It would NEVER have crossed my mind to use a different yarn weight than the pattern called for! This book was written for me and knitters like me. It is written in an easy to follow, no nonsense way to ease the fears of venturing on your own to create a sweater that is made for you! I can see the advantage now of knitting a sweater that is customized to my size and my preferences in color and style. And I can now use just about any weight I want.
Now, not only am I ready to make the Norwegian sweater I have envisioned since I 1st picked up the needles, but I will be more confident in my abilities to make changes in any pattern I choose to make in the future. Can you tell I'm a little excited?
A few reviewers commented on the lack of photographs...I think the author did this on purpose so that we don't have to rely, compare or try to imitate what we see. She wants us to make the sweater that we want to make and not copy what someone else made.
If you buy this book, you get more than another book full of someone else's designs. You will be able to knit more confidently by being able to venture on your own to design and create sweaters from several other regions. Happy knitting!