Review: The Art of Circular Yokes - Kerry Bogert (editor)

Title: The Art of Circular Yokes
Author: Kerry Bogert (Editor)
Genre: Knitting Patterns
Rating: 4.5/5
# Patterns: 15
Skill Level: Intermediate

This is an awesome book! Extremely detailed and useful for knitters no matter if they want to try their hand at designing or not.

The first part is aimed at designers and knitters who need to modify yoked sweaters. Beware, you'll find maths. Loads and loads and LOADS of maths! All very clearly laid out, and with good examples that makes it easier to understand, but you'll definitely want to follow along with paper and pencil next to the book, as you enter in your own measurements. These are NOT formulas you should ever expect to be able to learn off by heart, but it is a brilliant reference guide, and absolutely indispensable for figuring out where and how to include your increase rows.

But don't worry! Just as it all starts to become too much, and your head starts spinning from all the numbers and formulas, you get to the carrot at the end of the maths - because the second (and larger) part is all about the patterns! 15 absolutely gorgeous pullovers and cardigans, ready to be swatched for and cast on. The patterns are clearly written, with nice, large charts and photos both of the details and of the full length garment. I've found at least 5 I want to cast on right away, and can't wait to go stash-diving for yarn for them.

Sprinkled out throughout the book are quotes from the various designers, with small insights into the specific designs themselves, or their approach to designing in general.

Review: Knitting Modular Shawls

Title: Knitting Modular Shawls, Wraps and Stoles
Author: Melissa Leapman
Craft: Knitting Patterns
Rating: 5/5
# Patterns: 20+
Skill Level: Intermediate / Advanced

This book is more than a pattern book - it is a recipe book. In addition to providing 20 gorgeous shawl patterns, it also provides instructions for a "Choose Your Own Adventure" approach to designing your own shawls, with a LOT of increasingly elaborate stitch patterns (I was going to give an exact number, but there were too many, and I lost track while counting). I've been a knitter for awhile, and still some of them were completely new to me. My fingers are itching right now to sit down and play around with the components to create a truly personal shawl.

All stitch patterns are given as both charts and written instructions, with clear photos of each, knit up in a light yarn that really shows off the stitch definition. There is a HUGE variety in the stitch patterns, so it's obvious that Melissa Leapman put a lot of thought and work into this collection - it's definitely not something she could just have phoned in. I'm especially impressed by the section on adding horizontal or vertical insertions to shawl designs - a very simple design-element that few patterns incorporate, but which is extremely effective and really makes your shawl stand out. As for the section on borders, I'm biased - I absolutely love a nice perpendicular border, and Melissa has some amazing ones to try out here.

Photographs of the 20 patterns provided are spread out throughout the book. Each shawl is beautifully modeled, and shows wingspan, a close-up and a glamour shot for the full effect of the shawl. Project #10 is my personal favourite, and I can't wait to cast it on!

I know I'm gushing, but I'm really impressed by this book, and can't think of anything I'd add or change to make it better. It's not aimed at beginners, as it does require you to have some previous knowledge of knitting shawls, but I'd definitely recommend this book to any semi-experienced knitter who wants to take the next step towards creating his or her own designs.

Review: Knit the Sky

Title: Knit the Sky
Author: Lea Redmond
Craft: Knitting Patterns
Rating: 4/5
# Patterns: 31
Skill Level: Beginner

I received this ebook from Netgalley in return for an honest review.

This is not your usual book of knitting patterns. Instead it is a book of ideas. Ideas of how to turn everyday events into knitting projects, and begin seeing both those events and your knitting in a new light.

"Knit the Sky" lists 31 project ideas as well as inspiration on how to invent your own project. It does list 12 basic patterns to help you get started with the projects, but also encourages you to branch out, and use whatever pattern you feel best fits the spirit of the project.

I loved the idea of knitting your everyday life and was quickly taken in by the concept, so even though some of the ideas were a tad too twee for me to tackle, or followed a path that wasn't relevant for me to follow, I walked away from the book with a great appreciation of what Lea Redmond was trying to do... Not to mention a great desire to try (or to have tried, if I had known of them in the past) some of the projects mentioned.

For instance the title concept of knitting the sky. Similar to the well-known project of knitting a temperature scarf, this is a year-long project of knitting the colour of the sky.

Other favourites include:
"Sweet Possibilities" where you use gumball machines to help you chose colours for a project (although I might use coloured marbles instead - not being a huge fan of gumballs).
"The Mood Ring Cowl", that has to fit the colours of the cowl to your mood.
"Monsters under Your Bed", where your inner insomniac comes out to play.
"Play By Play" that allows me to combine my husbands interest of soccer with my own knitting hobby.
"Navigating By Heart" where you knit a well-traveled road.
"K1 B1", that combines meditation and knitting
"Mind the Gap" - although that really only works in a city with lots of public transportation. Copenhagen has that though, and I'm kinda itching to get started on this!
"Pins and Needles" where you knit a teeny-tiny project!
"Dormitory Hop" - probably my very favourite of the lot, and I would have loved to have thought of this back at boarding school. Not a project that's relevant for me to do now, but one that I'd recommend to any knitter setting out to meet new friends.
"Party Popper", which is a fun idea for passing on yarn to others.

So that's easily a third of all the projects mentioned, that I'd like to try out for myself. Definitely good value for a knitting book :)

Review: Anyone Can Crochet Amigurumi Animals

Title: Anyone Can Crochet Amigurumi Animals
Author: Kristi Simpson
Genre: crochet patterns
Number of Patterns: 15
Skill level: Adventurous beginner / Intermediate
Rating: 4/5
# pages: 128

"Anyone Can Crochet Amigurumi Animals" is a new collection of 15 cute anthropomorphized amigurumi animals. From foxes and hippos to koalas and giraffes, the pattern collection has something to offer to just about anybody. I'm especially keen on trying out the bee myself... a bee in trousers with suspenders? What's not to like!

All the patterns have a ton of details, making them perhaps a bit time-consuming and fiddly to make, but the end project is so worth it, as they all look really, really cute.

Each pattern comes with a detailed introduction of yarn used, and expected size at the given gauge, and the instructions are very clear and with lots of photos along the way. I'd perhaps not recommend it to a complete beginner, as there are a LOT of details to each pattern, but the book includes an introduction of which yarn to choose and what hook to use, as well as a complete glossary with all the stitches to use, and tips and tricks for people new to amigurumi, so who knows - these cute animals may be just the push some people need, to get started crocheting toys.

I received a copy of this book in return for an honest review.