Sweaters Books

I love Nola Theiss' books in general, but this is one of the best. Some of the designs are a little dated (big '80s shoulders) but the majority truly are timeless. All are beautiful.

Readers and knitters should be aware that this book contains many significant mistakes. For example, one pattern gives exactly half the quantities of yarn required. In another, the pattern placement is wrong and you only find this out when you're half-way through. In yet another, the number of stitch repeats is incorrect. I wrote directly to the publisher pointing this out and got a very unhelpful reply, and I've seen no erratum slips or corrections in later editions. Take great care - the designs are attractive, but you could waste a lot of material and effort.

Unless you have a chance to check this book out at a bookstore first, OR you're a beginning knitter, don't buy it online. The patterns couldn't be more ordinary, despite the use of color on several. Anyone looking for fun and interesting patterns will be extremely disappointed.

At first glance, Jo Sharp's "Knitting Emporium" may seem rather unimaginative. The most eye-catching sweater is the colorful "Tashkent" sweater pictured on the front of the book. Some of the sweaters inside the book look somewhat like what one could purchase in a Walmart! That was decidedly NOT what I was hoping for. But then, when I took a second and third look throughout the book, I realized that the details of some of these sweaters are unusual but also very classic. There are some very good, wearable necklines (i.e. the "Antipodean" and the "Heather" patterns), and the shape of most of these sweaters are the kind that most body types could wear comfortably and attractively.

There are patterns for both men and women, most of which are extremely classic pullovers, vests, or cardigans. 5 of the 14 patterns are colorful (in the Kaffe Fassett manner), and 7 of the 14 patterns are monochromatic (4 of which have textural interest).

I would have been interested to know more about Jo Sharp's background, and a little about her method of design. Alice Starmore books give the reader something to read as well as patterns to knit, and I have always enjoyed that. But, as this is my first Jo Sharp book, she may have given this information in a prior book.

The book is worth buying if you are looking for basic sweaters that are beautifully designed in a classic manner.

This book contains 23 granny square patterns that imitate quilt squares. But in the pattern section it contains patterns for using these unusual squares, which can be made with scrap yarn, in clothing. Coats and jackets made with these unusual squares join the afghans you would usually think of when you consider them. No stitch variations - all work is single crochet - but the color changes make the patterns distinct.

I made the striped sweater. I held it up to my little grandson before I knitted the sleeves because it seemed to be too large. It was. This pattern offers a dropped shoulder design. The sleeves recommended for the size I made were 11" long. He needed sleeves more like 6". I am really confused by this one. I was going to make the Aran sweater in the flier, too, but with all the work involved with that one, I am going to wait to see if someone else had better luck.

Even beginners should stay away from this book. The patterns are pathetic, just more proof that publishers will turn out anything these days.

This book contains a couple of cute patterns, and a lot of ugly or useless ones.

The cute patterns: a cozy for an individual apple or banana, and a knit cactus.

Most of the other patterns seem to be trying to hard to be "hip." There is a pattern for a guitar case, knee pads, and a couple really ugly sweaters. The book seems to be aimed at teenagers, but I can't imagine any teenager I know leaving the house wearing anything from this book.

i browsed through this book at the library. thankfully, i had never wasted my money to buy it and sadly enough, i wasn't even willing to borrow it for free!

the patterns MIGHT have been less than okay in the early 90's. most of it if very "grungy." the patterns are beyond simple and teach nothing to a new knitter other than how to cast off and cast on in the middle of a row.

i'm not a teenage but am still well under 30. knitted guitar cases? knee pads? i imagine if i told anyone what i was actually knitting, the ridicule from such a stupid idea would have my friends and family laughing for weeks. and these are people who argue over who gets something knitted for them next...

I agree with the reviewer who said this book tries way too hard, but does have some fun patterns. I can't decide if this book is really marketed to "hip young things" or people like me, who used to be hip and young about 20 years ago. Anyway, I can't believe that ANYONE would make some of these patterns, but I did really love the fruit cozies and the fake knitted cactus, the extra-long skinny scarf, and the knitted shoes.

I thought this book's best feature was that every project calls for, say, a 50g ball of DK yarn, and then in the back there's a picture index to the patterns that tells you exactly which yarn was used. So your imagination is free to substitute your own favorite yarns. I wish every knitting book had this feature.

The "guitar case" is just bizarre, by the way. It's a plain, gray, knitted cover for...a guitar case. It calls for 12 balls of aran weight yarn. Come on, projects like this are totally filler.

This book would have gotten a lot more stars if it were an $8 pamphlet without all the lousy patterns.

It's never good to start out a book for teens with terminology from a long-dead age - they claim the projects are "never square." It would probably have been a better move to say they "don't suck" or something more up-to-date. But here's the thing. They actually do suck. (Or they're "square," whatever) Speaking as one of the "Hip Young Things" they mentioned, I can honestly say the only thing in this book I would even consider making is the halter top. The ripped up, "punk" sweaters just look like something from your Grandma's that went through a horrible scissor accident. And the felted wool necklace? Please. We're not THAT easily marketed too. Skip this book for something better, Like Teen Knitting Club.

PARENT'S BEWARE!!! This book seems innocent enough. I found myself a little taken a back with the first chapter "Fall is in the Air." The book starts out with two farm cows discussing the fall weather and being on a diet. I could get past that except for the extremely offensive material on pages 34-38. I will quote some sentences for your viewing pleasure...
"It's always you two fat cows!" "Don't call my best friend fat!" "You big fat blimp!" "No one calls me a blimp" "I am on a diet!"

I don't know about the rest of you out there, but as I was reading this book to my 6 year old daughter I found myself having to sensor the words quickly before she could read them herself. I also had to make up portions of the story to give a positive message. It's inappropriate material PERIOD!

Children are impressionable enough without adding the issues of negative body image in young girls and (I am sure) boys alike. Parent's I urge you to skip this one! It's not something one should have in their permanent library...rather burned or thrown out with the garbage!

It's the farmer's birthday! Minnie and Moo set out to find the perfect gift for him. Moo knits a special sweater for him but Elvis the rooster ends up being knitted right into the sweater as well! How will they get out of this one?

I have to agree with the other reviewer who said the old designs were much better. I couldn't believe it when I saw it. It was almost worse because they put a picture of the original pattern beside the redesign, and you could see exactly how much better you would have liked the other one. I haven't tried any of the patterns in the book yet because they aren't that striking, and also because I'm still feeling bitter that they actually made good designs worse!

I was really looking forward to receiving this book. I had received the Workbasket when I was learning how to knit and crochet and I have many fond memories of it. I am very unhappy with the book. The vintage patterns are reworked for the book and in many cases the vintage were much better. It is too bad that instructions are not included for the vintage as I found several of them to be nicer than the new patterns.

I originally bought this in hopes of getting some new ideas for creating one of a kind sweaters. Instead, I found that the book used very basic, tired patterns that are easily found elsewhere. There is a good section on custom fitting your garment, but other than that, nothing special. This would be a good book for those needing basic patterns, but don't expect to be able to "knit the sweater of your dreams" after reading it.

Before you decide to purchase this book, be aware that there are some MAJOR mistakes! The instructions for the V-Neck pullover given on p. 24 are NOT for the sweater pictured. Apparently these instructions are for the vest pictured on p. 79 though it is hard to see the stitch pattern clearly. The instructions on p. 78 are probably for the sweater pictured on p. 25 even though the color yarn called for is ecru rather than aqua as pictured on p. 25. The motif pattern and raglan style given on p. 78 match those pictured on p. 25. Unfortunately, I found this mistake after I had finished the front and back of the pullover only to discover there were no directions for sleeves, only armbands. It was then that I decided to give the instructions throughout the book a closer look.

The instructions for the sweaters pictured on p. 72 and 75 appear to be switched. The yarn colors and directions given on p. 72 match the sweater on p. 75. The sweater diagram on p. 73 does go with the sweater pictured on p. 72 and the sweater diagram pictured on p. 74 goes with the sweater pictured on p. 75. The stitch chart at the bottom on p. 73 goes with the sweater on p. 75.
There may be other mistakes since I did not look at the children's patterns. There are some nice designs in this book, but read the instructions VERY CAREFULLY before you begin a project to make sure they are correct since that will affect the type and amount of yarn you need to purchase.

I bought this book because I am interested in the use of alpaca fiber/yarn in knitting. Most knitting books mention alpaca yarn only briefly, giving very vague general information. Alpaca fiber is five times warmer than wool, much lighter and as soft as cashmere. Even baby fine alpaca yarn is astoundingly strong, not delicate, as the author of this book says. It has less elasticity than sheep's wool, but has much more luster and much less "prickle". Once you knit with a fine alpaca yarn, you will be enchanted and totally hooked, as I was. Alpaca yarn is available, although rare and somewhat spendy. The demand for alpaca fiber for all types of uses (spinning, weaving, knitting, clothing design) far exceeds the supply, but the northamerican alpaca industry is growing and working hard to make this fabulous fiber more available. If you are looking for helpful information about knitting with alpaca, this book will not fill the bill.

Additionally, the knitting patterns in this book are supposedly classic Maine designs. If that is so, I feel sorry for the inhabitants of Maine. Even granting that the book was published some time ago and the patterns dated, I have rarely seen such incredibly fussy and ugly sweaters. My "favorite" was one with two huge flowers of some type worked over the, um, bosom area. One sweater and one vest pattern are given for knitting with alpaca yarn. In spite of the fussy designs, the beautiful drape and luster of the knitted alpaca shines through. The field is wide open for a knitwear designer to publish information and patterns worthy of this fabulous fiber.