America Knits [Paperback]

Melanie Falick (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 1, 2005

“Not only are the stories a great read, but the photos are so full of color and texture they’ll make your fingers itch to start your own scarf or afghan.”—Glamour

“With a passion for textiles and a love of travel, Melanie Falick is the perfect writer for [America Knits].”—Vogue Knitting

Acclaimed knitting author Melanie Falick traveled thousands of miles and interviewed dozens of knitters, spinners, dyers, and sheep breeders to create this inspiring and revealing collection of portraits and patterns. With profiles of 38 artisans and farmers,175 beautiful color photographs, and 30 original patterns whose difficulty ranges from basic to advanced, from traditional to contemporary, America Knits is the most complete survey yet published on this highly popular and vital art form in America.

First published in hardcover as Knitting in America (Artisan, 1996)

Editorial Reviews

Review

“Not only are the stories a great read, but the photos are so full of color and texture they’ll make your fingers itch to start your own scarf or afghan.”—Glamour (Glamour )

“With a passion for textiles and a love of travel, Melanie Falick is the perfect writer for [America Knits].”—Vogue Knitting (Vogue Knitting )

From the Back Cover

The most authoritative volume on artisan knitting
celebrates all the people in the knit-world continuum, from the animal and plant breeders who provide the fiber, to the spinners who transform it into yarn, to the dyers who give it its brilliance, to the designers and artisans who turn yarn into objects of unsurpassed beauty. In America Knits, you'll meet the country's most talented artisans and use their meticulous patterns to make out-of-this-world garments for adults and children.

First published in hardcover as Knitting in America (Artisan, 1996)

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 224 pages
• Publisher: Artisan (April 1, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1579652875
• ISBN-13: 978-1579652876
• Product Dimensions: 11 x 9.2 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.4 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #791,096 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Melanie Falick is the editorial director of STC Craft / Melanie Falick Books an imprint of Stewart, Tabori & Chang and Abrams Books.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

94 of 95 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars WARNING: THIS IS A REPRINT!, March 31, 2005

By 

Susan W. Swartz "beadmomsw" (Highland Park, IL United States) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: America Knits (Paperback)

WARNING!!! This book is a reprint of the 1996 Knitting in America. You'll notice the description of the book doesn't state this. If you already have Knitting in America, do not order America Knits. I am very upset because I thought this was a new Melanie Falick book (i.e., a follow-up to Knitting in America); now I have to return it.

If, on the other hand, you do not already have a copy of Knitting in America, then do buy this book--it is fabulous! The photographs alone will inspire you for years. The stories of the knitters are terrific and the book is also like a travelogue of America. There are great patterns too but most of them are for more experienced knitters.

11 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars 38 Artists 26 Patterns, November 27, 2005

By 

Ute Larson - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: America Knits (Paperback)

This is an entertaining and beautiful book, featuring the work and stories of 38 artists. Each artist is given 2 to 6 pages of pictures and write up. In my oppinion only 6 or 7 artists are showing innovative work and they are deffinetly worth seeing. The rest is bulky sweaters and shawls and a few children's designs. If you love oversized sweaters, this is the book for you. A few of the photos are "artfully out of focus" not good for seeing the work. Check it out at the library first or buy a used copy if this interests you. 26 Patterns are at the rear of the book. The patterns are for advanced knitters.

14 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars For Serious Collectors Only, September 7, 2006

By 

Lois Lain (San Francisco Bay Area, CA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: America Knits (Paperback)

After hearing Falick on a podcast and hearing the "story behind the book," I picked this up at the local yarn store to leaf through it -- and quickly remembered why I hand't bought it the first five times I'd looked at it.

I find the concept of this book somewhat garbled -- is it a pattern book? If so, there aren't enough interesting patterns to make it worth the investment (most are very dated). Is it a profile book? If so, there really isn't enough in-depth info about either the yarn stores or the store owners to make it entertaining.

The photography, however, is gorgeous. So I've finally categorized this book as a "collectible." If you're looking for knitting patterns, don't bother. But if you want something pretty to set on your coffee table -- or if you own every other knitting book out there and need this one to complete your library -- then go for it. Otherwise, leaf through it at the store, admire the pictures, then put it gently back on the shelf and walk away.