Customer Reviews

Andean Inspired Knits: Designs in Luxurious Alpaca

5 star:		(1)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

When I was in Santa Fe I came across a shop with imported sweaters from South America featuring fascinating and beautiful geometric designs. Hoping this book would also feature such designs, I was gravely disappointed.
In addition, the actual knitted garments are of an unflattering design for most bodies. I know of very few America women who could stylishly wear these finished products.
I gave the book two stars because there are two graphed patterns I may be able to use elsewhere.

This is a nice book to leaf through, colorful and nicely presented, with real people modeling instead of glossy stick-girls. I'm not sure I would have bought it if I'd seen it first, however, although it came highly recommended. My primary reason: embroidery. At least half the designs involve embroidery, some of them in an essential role where I would expect intarsia work. I don't WANT to do embroidery, especially on sweaters. My other objection to the book is more personal: some of the things in it are just goofy, like flowers to pin on hats (ugh) and a ridiculous string of giant crocheted "beads" that might make a baby toy but never a necklace! I dislike having my time wasted by fillers like square foldover purses, straight strip scarves, etc, especially when I have to embroider a flower on them. Finally, her palette is about four colors and since I happen to dislike them very much, it was one more irritating little hurdle to jump, trying to visualize the patterns in something besides orange and yellow. On the other hand, there are some very interesting shapes to garments, not the usual at all, including a sort of trapezoid fold-over shrug/jacket and a knockout short reefer-type jacket with clever lapels (the orange one with, yes, the *embroidered* barred plaid). I have kept the book on the basis of those two garments alone, because I think they could be very interesting indeed in different yarns. Lots of people might like this book; I don't want to trash it. It's not the author's fault that it happened to ring so many of my little peeve bells. Just...look it over in person first.

Because the land of the alpaca offers so much excitement in color and geometric pattern to inspire the knitter, I expected more from this book. I was extremely disappointed with the designs offered. The author obviously loves alpaca yarn and showed us charming photos of the animals in pastoral scenes. But she might have worked a bit more on her designs. On the whole, the garments appeared ill-fitting and clumsy. Perhaps the author should re-work her ideas.
As a knitting pattern book this one , unfortunately didn't inspire.

I love this book! You learn about the history and cultures of Peru through the author's translation of historic cultural motifs into modern designs in intriguing knitting patterns. She also discusses the alpacas whose fiber provided the Incans and other Peruvian cultures with the raw material for their beautiful textiles. She includes photos of these beautiful animals. You go beyond just knitting and sample crochet and embroidery in these patterns. I especially like the Short Asymmetrical Jacket, the airy Crocheted Poncho, the Circular Cardigan with Embroidery, and the Bohemian Poncho and Beret.