No-Bull Book Review Twofer

Recently I was sent two review copies of books that appealed to the child in me (in the best sense of the phrase).  So let's do a No-Bull Book Review Twofer.

First up is a charming children's picture book called Extra Yarn, with text by Mac Barnett and illustrations by Jon Klassen (Harper Collins 2012; MSRP$16.99, available via the link for $10.19 as of the time of this writing).

The simple, sweet story is about a girl who finds a box "filled with yarn of every color." What else can this clever girl do, but use the yarn to make a sweater? After she makes herself and her doggie a sweater, and makes sweaters for all the creatures around her, and makes sweaters for the other people in her life, but the magical box doesn't run out of yarn, she makes sweaters for trees and buildings and pick-up trucks. An evil archduke covets the box, but you probably won't be terribly surprised to hear that there is a happy ending.

If Barnett and Klassen aren't knitters, they must be married or related to knitters, in particular the yarn-bombing kind.  For example, only someone with a knitter's soul would imagine a world in neutral, restrained colors --except for the yarn, which adds a rainbow of color wherever it is used by the girl. Only a knitter can truly understand the desire to cover everyone you know in handknit goodies, like the girl who lovingly knits sweaters for all the people and animals and even inanimate objects in her life.

I particularly loved the way that the illustrator used the shapes of real knitted fabric for all of the knitted items -- a nice touch that packs a lot of punch. It's a lovely book and would charm any knitter or under-8-year-old child.  Not surprisingly, the book has been getting rave reviews from both the knitting community and the publishing world, so I highly recommend it for any kids in your life. And even for the grown-up yarn lovers with a sense of whimsy.

The second book is a more traditional knitting pattern book but one with a somewhat untraditional topic:  knitting dinosaurs.  Knitted Dinosaurs: 15 Prehistoric Pals to Knit from Scratch (STC 2011; MSRP $16.95, available for $11.53 through the link as of the time of this writing), is a delightful book full of detailed patterns for knitting dinosaurs.

When I was in first grade, I remember very distinctly going through a phase where I was fascinated with dinosaurs. I had little plastic ones of all kinds, and I knew all of their names, what they ate, and so on. (Once my kids reached that phase, I was shocked and appalled to learn that some of the dinosaur names I learned don't exist any more.....good-bye, Brontosaurus!)

Barrett notes that when she began working on the book, her daughter was in a prehistoric phase:

We were surrounded by dino books, a roaring plastic Spinosaurus and even a "hungry dinosaur" game. Therefore, I felt well qualified (one step away from being an expert paleontologist in fact) to tackle the challenge of creating some woolly dinosaurs with my own needles and yarn.

As noted in the title, there are 15 prehistoric creatures contained in the book. After the introduction, there's a gallery in which each creature is shown in a full-page color photo. Since these patterns do have a lot of

thoughtful details (in the allosaurus above, for example, note the way that garter stitch is used for stomach and paw pads, and clever shaping makes the face modeled and more expressive rather than a simple oval or rectangle), the big photos are helpful for the maker to use as reference.

The patterns are then presented, with a description of what the real dinosaur looked like, more close-up photos, list of supplies, templates for felt embellishment, and often including additional interesting factoids about the dino (e.g. "Stegosaurus had a tiny brain, about the size of a walnut, but he had very BIG spikes on his tail.").

I was really impressed with the cleverness of the designs. For example, the ankylosaurus was a dinosaur with thick bony spiked plates on its back. Barrett uses bobbles and a textured pattern to mimic the plating and spikes:

It's fun to see someone who takes both her knitting and dinosaurs seriously enough to get all the details right!

The vast majority of the patterns are done in DK weight yarn (various fibers are used, including wool, cotton and bamboo), with a few done in superchunky yarns. While many of the brand names used might be relatively unfamiliar to American knitters (e.g. Stylecraft), the back gives distributor information and in any event, the gauges are certainly common enough that substituting would be very easy.

The instructions look pretty detailed, walking you through each body part, then explaining how to put the pieces together and embellish. After the pattern section is a separate "Techniques"section, including instructions for gauge swatching, basic stitches, and tips on stuffing, using thread to make joints for the creature, attaching eyes and embroidery stitches. There's even a two-page layout on dinosaur names, with miniphotos of each dinosaur along with pronunciation and the name's meaning.

This book was released a few months ago, and I don't know how it slipped under my radar. All in all, an excellent and surprisingly detailed set of prehistoric creatures to knit for the kid or adult in your life who is fascinated with them.  Yabba-dabba-doo!

Raffle for Summer Search:  Progress Report

Wow.  My readers are amazing. In just a few days, we've already raised over $600 for Summer Search Philadelphia.  Thank you from the bottom of my heart. If you haven't made a contribution yet, there's still plenty of time. Here's a link to my original post with all the details. (Also, Summer Search's United Way Donor Option Number is 46628.)

No-Bull Book Review & Giveaway: Beyond Toes: Knitting Adventures with Judy's Magic Cast-on, by Judy Becker

Judy Becker developed her "Magic Cast-on" several years ago, a method of casting stitches onto two circular needles (originally motivated by the desire to knit toe-up socks). Becker describes her magic cast-on this way:

There are various ways to start a toe-up sock: Figure-8 cast-on, provisional cast-on, long-tail cast-on combined with grafting, etc. I used to use the figure-8 cast-on, but it leaves loose stitches that have to be tightened back in after a few rounds. Even with lots of practice, I usually had to make two or three tries at it. Although invisible from the outside of the toe, on the inside the figure-8 cast-on leaves a blank space between the purl bumps of the first round.

I thought that the world needed a better way, a more humane way to start toe-up socks, so I developed Judy's Magic Cast-On. It's an easy to learn, fast method that starts at the very end of the toe and works the first time, every time. It's completely invisible from both sides, and it can be used with almost any toe-up sock pattern.

This ingenuity, trying to figure out an effective and attactive way to solve a practical problem, is one of the things that fascinates me about knitting. And like so many ingenious solutions, the Magic Cast-on has become very popular -- not just for toes-up socks, but for any place a knitter needs to use an invisible cast-on.

November Street (Duffy Stephens)

One of the fascinating aspects of the rise in self-publishing has been seeing books devoted to topics which pique the knitter's curiosity but might not seem "marketable" to a traditional publisher. Judy Becker's novel and extremely handy form of casting on stitches has excited knitters all over the place, but a traditional publisher might not want to base an entire book upon it, not really understanding why it's such a big deal to knitters. 

Becker bypassed the traditional publishing world, publishing Beyond Toes: Knitting Adventures With Judy's Magic Cast-On (Indigo Frog Press 2011) herself.  Let's take a No-Bull look.

Eye of the Needle (Stephen Houghton)

"Beyond Toes" (Indigo Frog Press 2011) is a sturdy paperback book, about 11.5 by 8 inches, with glossy color pages. MSRP is $28.95 (available through the link above).  The book begins with an Introduction, in which Judy describes her background, how she came up with the Magic Cast-on and includes several great vintage photographs from her family history. After the introduction, she moves right into techniques, giving a page of handy tips before demonstrating the Judy's Magic Cast-on technique.  Next up are explanations of the following techniques which riff on Judy's Magic Cast-on:

• using the Magic Cast-on as a provisional cast-on so that one can knit in two directions from the same starting place
• a tubular version, giving a stretchier edge for ribbing
• a method of casting on a twisted I-cord
• how to add stitches using the Magic Cast-on
• and double-knitting using the Magic Cast-on (if done with two colors, you get an invisible start)

Handy illustrations help walk the knitter through each technique.

Patterns are next, and they are divided into seven chapters organized by the type of garment. First up are hats, including the stylish brimmed cap

Laurel Jane's Cap (Deb Barnhill)

a caddy's hat and the funky "Headbumps," with short rows used to create three-dimensional shapes.

Headbumps (Gayle Roehm)

The "Neckwear" chapter features a double-layered cowl and matching wristlets

Magic Cowl (Sivia Harding)

and a lovely seamen's style scarf suitable for men and women.

Monica's Seamen's Scarf (Myrna A.I. Stahman)

"Mittens" features an adorable bobsled-inspired pair and a second pair with cable details. "Socks" contains two pair, including these lovely ones by Janel Laidman.

Spring Fever Socks (Janel Laidman)

"Garments and Wraps" takes the technique to a grander scale, including a colorwork vest

Djinn (Samantha Roshak)

shawls/wraps, and a poncho.  "Bags and Cozies" features a felted bag, a cabled notebook cover and a backpack-style bag.  Last chapter is "Comfy Things," a pillow cover with variations and Pippa the pig.

Pippa (Deb Barnhill)

For my statisticians, you'll find the following patterns:

• 5 hats
• 4 scarves/cowls (including wristlets for one pattern)
• 2 pairs of mittens
• 2 pairs of socks
• a colorwork vest
• a shrug
• 2 shawls
• a poncho
• 3 bags (one is a laptop cover)
• 1 pillow cover pattern; and
• 1 stuffed toy pattern.

Mokosh (Cindy Abernethy)

Yarn weights are varied, from fingering weight to bulky. Sizing varies depending on the pattern. Hats, for example come in one to three sizes.  Scarves, bags and shawls are mostly one size, mittens come in 4 to 5 sizes (child through adult male), socks in one to three sizes (think women's sizes, rather than kids' or men's), and the vest comes in five sizes (finished chest circumference  29 through 46.5 inches).  Charts are used in most of the more complex stitch patterns, and you'll find schematics for the vest and shrug, as well as diagrams for the items with more unusual construction. Plenty of clear photographs (by Vivian Aubrey) taken against stunning natural backdrops add to the charm.

Bobsled Mittens (Lorilee Beltman)

"Beyond Socks" is a terrific example of what smaller independent publishing can offer us knitters:  a book with a very specific technical focus, informed by its author's own vision of how valuable the technique is and how it can readily be used in different knitting applications. With its attractive selection of patterns from respected designers such as Cat Bhordi, Myrna Stahman and Sivia Harding, it will be a welcome addition to your bookshelf.

And thanks to the generosity of author Judy Becker, I've got a copy of "Beyond Toes" to give away to a lucky reader.  Just leave a comment telling us whether you already use the Magic Cast-on or whether you'd like to learn it, and I'll use a random number generator to pick a winner.  Judy will even sign the book for you.  Leave your comment to this post (one per reader, please) by Saturday, November 19th at noon EST and I'll pick a winner later that day.

No-Bull Book Review: Knits that Fit, by the PotterCraft

At the top of my review pile is Knits that Fit: Instructions, Patterns, and Tips for Getting the Right Fit (PotterCraft 2010; MSRP $22.99, available as of the time of this writing for $15.63), from our friends at PotterCraft.



The premise of the book is terrific; as the preface states:

A handknit sweater shouldn't fit like something that came from a department store. When you lovingly labor over a garment stitch-by-stitch, you want it to fit to your actual measurements, not just a general size. This volume offers you the chance to break free from following a pattern word-for-word and learn how to tailor your knitwear perfectly.

The book immediately jumps into a 17-page discussion of fit, beginning with the premise that a knitter should never follow a pattern blindly, but should examine it closely and figure out what modifications are necessary to make the pattern fit the exact shape and size of the knitter. Excellent advice. The book goes on to present lots of good basic information for the knitter unsure about fit.

Sally Melville's Sophisticated Hoodie

First up is the importance of figuring out your body size right now (not as it used to be, or as you wish it to be) and taking measurements. The book walks through sweater length (short, mid-length and long); back waist length for sweaters with waist shaping; sleeve length & cuff width; and bust, waist, hip & shoulder widths. The book then discusses body shaping, showing the difference by using drawings between an unshaped sweater and one with waist shaping. The discussion addresses short, mid-length and long sweater shaping, finishing up with a discussion of layering; and two other silhouettes (slim rectangle and A-line).*

Classic Shirt (S. Melville)

The next topic covered is yarn: the thickness of yarn (the book suggests fine yarns for a more flattering (read slimmer) fit); color, with a very brief discussion of some general color principles; transitions between colors; texture; ribbing; cables; and lace. The last four pages give tips and tricks for plus-size knitters, in a section that is reprinted from the Jillian Moreno/Amy Singer Big Girl Knits series.

The rest of the book is devoted to patterns -- all women's patterns, divided into three sections.

The "Pullovers" section contains eight sweaters of various styles, from Berta Karapteyan's Marbled Top, with horizontal pleats and a turtleneck wih picot edging,

Marbled Top (Berta Karapetyan)

to a basket-weave turtleneck; a yoke sweater;

Dark Victory Sweater (A. Modesitt)

a boat-neck with vertical cable detailing; a faux button-front tunic with collar by Lily Chin; Sally Melville's flirty top with ruffled sleeves and bottom; another turtleneck with corded detailing; and a simple cropped v-neck mohair sweater.

"Cardigans and Cover-Ups" contains eight more patterns: the striking Seashell Cardi (shown further below); the attractive Mrs. Darcy Cardigan by Mary Weaver (is that being modeled by Stitchy McYarnpants?);

Mrs. Darcy's Cardigan (M. Weaver)

a shrug knit in bulky textured yarn; a second shrug knit in smooth, lighter-weight yarn; Sally Melville's Classic Shirt, a knit version of the classic buttondown shirt (I like the way that one version is knit loosely in a mohair blend while the other is knit in a linen blend); another shrug in chunky yarn (which leads me to wonder why so many shrugs, garments with little front or back, some of which don't even have sleeves, in a book devoted to fit?) ; a hooded cardigan; and a ruffled cardigan.

Cozy Moss Shrug (B. Karapetyan)

The last section is "Sleeveless and Short-Sleeved Tops," with seven selections from the ruffled-necked Sea Foam top, a spaghetti-strap tank, a bustier-style tank; a cap-sleeve top with daring neckline; Melissa Mathay's charming Rebecca's Top, a cotton tank with empire waist and lace bottom; a mini dress on the cover (would also be cute worn over leggings); and a simple yoke-shaped stockinette top.

Vintage Sweater Girl Cropped Sweater (L. Chin)

All of the usual accoutrements that one finds in a PotterCraft book are there: color photos that are well-lit; multiple photos of the same garment, including close-ups of details; nice quality pages; clear type; schematics. Sizing generally runs S/M/L/XL, with some patterns going into 1X and 2X, and size ranges going from around 34 inches for small, through around 42-44 inches finished bust for large, and the plus sizes going as high as the 47- to 52-inch range (one choice even goes to 57 inches). Not all the patterns are sized for plus-size, however, and some of the pieces, like the shrugs, are written in fewer sizes given their cropped nature. Yarn gauges are all over the map, from chunky to fine.

Two-way Shrug (Caddie Melville Ledbetter)

The last things you should know before buying the book is that all or nearly all of the material in the book has been reprinted. In particular, the sweater patterns have appeared in various PotterCraft books (e.g., Berta Karaptyan's designs are all from 2007's Runway Knits; Melissa Mathay's are from Knits Three Ways), even the two Mary Weaver designs were originally published on her blog). I think this is an important thing to know so that you can check to see if you already have the patterns (or the ones you especially like) before investing in the book.

The only quibble I have is that I'm not exactly sure whether this particular mix of patterns suits someone seeking to create individualized fit. Some of the patterns, like the gorgeous Seashell Cardi,

Seashell Cardi (B. Karapetyan)

feature unique shaping and construction methods that would make significant alterations difficult. Other garments that are more traditionally constructed, like the empire tank, use complex stitch patterns in the body -- not the most conducive to waist shaping without messing up the pattern and a possible stumbling block for an inexperienced knitter. Even the gorgeous cover pattern, with its vertical colorblock stripes, would look very different depending on where stitches might be increased or decreased to individualize the waist shaping. I fear that the attempt to alter these patterns to fit could lead unsuspecting novices into disaster, especially given the lack of text boxes or other notes to assist in tailoring specific garments.

Roman Candle Pullover (B. Karapetyan)

However, I don't want to suggest that this is a bad book. The technical section on fit covers and lot of good material, and if you are a knitter who doesn't know a lot of about fit or sweater shaping, the book is a good introduction to some of these principles. And there are a number of really great-looking women's sweaters contained in the book. If you are looking for a lovely selection of women's sweater patterns and don't already have the original books, this is also a nice addition to your collection, a kind of "best of the best" from PotterCraft's archives.




*One omission is any in-depth discussion of sleeve styles, which can have a profound affect on the fit of a sweater; another is a detailed discussion of bust fit and shaping, which again can dramatically alter a sweater's fit for women with substantially less or more in the bewb department.

No-Bull Book Review: Knitting Knee-Highs by Barb Brown

I feel about Barb Brown's new book the way I feel about the child of a dear friend: having known about the joyous event from the beginning, and having watched my friend give so much of herself during the process, I feel all sorts of excited and proud and happy to see the full-grown fruits of her labor. You see, Barb and I talked a lot about the publishing world, writing proposals, how to try to sell them and so on. She'd told me about her concept for a book and I thought it was great. I watched with a lot of excitement as a publisher offered her a contract, and I was thrilled to supply some Black Bunny Fibers yarn for use in two of the sample patterns. So accept the above as full disclosure. I mean, how cool is it that I am mentioned in the dedication of the book?!?


Friendship aside, though, it's a great pleasure to review Knitting Knee-Highs: Sock Styles from Classic to Contemporary (Krause 2011; MSRP $22.99; available via the link for $12.54 as of the time of this writing; Kindle version available here for $9.99) because it's a damn good book. Let's take a closer look.

Birdwalk socks (knit in BBF!)

One of the first questions some may have when browsing through the book is "why knee-highs?" Brown addresses this question in the Introduction to the book:

Many people look at a pair of hand-knit knee-highs and, while they love the look of them and would dearly like to own a pair, are frightened off by the amount of knitting that seems to be required. However, there really isn't a lot more knitting involved in a pair of knee-highs than there is in a pair of socks. The leg on a pair of knee-highs is only around thirteen inches. That is a difference of just four to six inches. If you were knitting the sleeve of a sweater, you'd barely be started! For a little bit of extra knitting you get an awful lot of satisfaction.

Brown then goes on to address the fit issue (by providing a formula and tips for custom fitting, Brown takes a lot of the angst out of fit) and the wear issue (she explains how to reknit the foot of the sock should holes develop). She then points out how the longer length of knee-highs provides a larger canvas for beautiful, show-stopping stitchwork.

Celeigh's socks

The next section is devoted to some technical information that will greatly aid the knitter of knee-highs, especially the first-time knitter of knee-highs. Brown recommends starting with a plain pair of striped knee-highs, using the formula she provides; at the end of the pair, the knitter not only has a nice pair of knee-highs, but also has a custom pattern that she can track via the stripes. Next up is Brown's Knee-High Formula, where she shows how to take a few measurements and calculate the number of stitches and where to make increases and decreases. She follows this with a page of tips and tricks for custom fitting, then discusses how to convert knee-high patterns to other sock styles (including an inset box on the importance of swatching).

Next up are the patterns -- twenty patterns featuring a variety of techniques including stranded colorwork

Both Sides Now socks

lace/eyelets

Maid Marion socks

and textured stitchwork.

Counterpane socks

Brown took her inspiration from all sorts of ethnic and folk knitting traditions, as well as her life-long experience as a knitter (I especially love how Brown pays homage to the various knitters who taught her over the years). If you're looking for a breakdown, you'll find eleven patterns that use stranded colorwork (and the beauty and intricacy of these patterns just knocks me out!); about four that use eyelets or lace stitch patterns; four which I've classified as textural stitch patterns; and one which is a mix of techniques. Socks are sized small-to-medium; large; and extra-large, with finished foot circumference in the range of 8 or so inches through 9 to 10 inches. The book is paperback, with approximately 128 pages, full-color.

Bonnie Bird socks (knit in BBF!)

My favorites? Hard to pick a few, although the Bonnie Birds and Birdwalk socks have a special place in my heart because they are the ones knit in BBF yarn. I also love the chocolate and aqua Eric's Path socks

Eric's Path socks

the intricate Mary Wilson's Gift socks;

Mary Wilson's Gift socks

and the Dance Little Jeans, which combine colorwork and texture to great effect.

Dance Little Jean socks

Knitting Knee-Highs has all the amenities you'd expect, including charts (some color, some b&w depending on the sock), lots of clear photos, beautifully taken by Ric Deliantoni, both close-up and giving the full view; and what I think is outstanding (and a helluva lot of work), each sock is shown in more than one variation. You get a knee-high pattern for each, but also a variation on the pattern (a mid-calf sock or a legwarmer or anklets done in the same basic stitch pattern). Not only do you get to see the sock in different heights, you also get to see it knit in different colorways and yarns -- very helpful if you're envisioning using a different set of colors or just to inspire you in your own color choice. Remember the Maid Marion socks, shown above in the off-white, knee-high version? Here are the crew sock version:


and a cuffed anklet version. Pretty awesome, no?



Summing up, then, you will get a great deal of knitting pleasure from investing in Barb Brown's Knitting Knee-Highs. You get 20 gorgeous patterns for knee-highs, plus 20+ variations adapting those patterns to different sock styles. Best of all, each pattern is a masterpiece of construction and design, using beautiful stranded stitchwork, texture and lace. It's exciting to see a book that was clearly written by someone with a knitter's soul, and which isn't dumbed-down for fear of scaring away purchasers. And that the author is my friend is just icing on the cake.