Customer Reviews

Dyeing to Knit

5 star:		(8)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This book has both lovely pictures and solid instructions - an all too rare combination in fiber books. The author uses and recommends dyes and yarns which are both high quality and easily available, gives instructions that are detailed but not intimidating, puts a strong emphasis on safety, but still understands the fun aspects of playing with color - she gives six different "experimental" dyeing methods that let you run amok with color and produce one-of-a-kind results. She also includes the more conventional single color, space-dyed, and handpainted techniques, and sections on color design and using hand-dyed yarns. This book would be both useful and inspirational for anyone from a complete novice to an intermediate level. As much as I love my other dyeing books, this is the one I would recommend to someone new or to someone who wants to get more serious but still have fun.

When I buy a gourmet cookbook I know I may never cook a recipe that has multiple steps and takes hours but I still enjoy reading the recipe and taking away the inspiration to create a fabulous meal for my family and friends. Like a gourmet cookbook, Elaine Eskesen's "Dyeing to Knit" is thoroughly enjoyable even if you are not sure you are ready to dye your own yarn. The book is filled with beautiful photos, wonderful color combinations, design ideas, and fun techniques that you can pour over for hours.

In the opening chapter Elaine shares her love of color and the sources of her inspiration for the colors she chooses. She then takes her readers through an easy to follow understanding of color, their relationships and provides knitted samples to show the interaction between colors when knitted together. Elaine's style is so charming that she may lure even the most reluctant knitter to try creating their own color scheme.

If you do decide to try your hand at dyeing you will be pleased to find clear instructions, recommended tools and dyes that are easily accessible and fun ideas for mixing colors to produce unique effects.

In the chapter on design Elaine tells us how she thinks about designing the pieces she knits and reveals that she doesn't "do complicated knitting" but rather projects that she can "pick up at any moment". In addition six knitting designers share their inspiration and Elaine talks about specific artist and how they have influenced some of her designs.

Patterns for items that easily incorporate color and texture are included but by the time you reach the last chapter you may already be putting together an idea for your own design.

At least once a year, usually when I need a break from my work with people and words, I set aside a day, and my kitchen, for the wonderful play of dyeing yarn because Elaine Eskesen has made it so easy!!!!!! I do this alone, I do it with my children and my students, and there is never a dyed skein that goes to waste in the months after. This book makes me look clever and talented, and eventually makes me or my friends look fabulous when we wear something made from Elaine's patterns. The detailed directions, the expert tips, and the easy patterns are very clear. Buy the accompanying dyekit! And then visit Elaine's shop in Damariscotta, Maine!

This book has so much information for beginners and the more experienced. I've taken a few workshops and this book gives me what I need to continue on my own. I love her use of colors and textures. There are so many ideas! The patterns are helpful so we know how to best use our dyed yarns. I recommend this book to everyone who loves color, knitting, dyeing, textures.......... It has it all.

I bought the book when it first came out and I wanted some basics but found the book more attractive than instructional. After having gained a lot of hands-on experience with fiber dyeing, I picked up the book to see if it's more useful. Sadly I found it even less so.

I'm not sure the writer or her editor knew just which audience to target. For novice dyers, there are plenty of sources for finding more details on how to handle different fibers and which dyes to try. For the experienced dyer, there aren't any striking and different approaches to tackle. It's a lovely book to browse through but not much of an investment for your library of references.

Great book for beginners and experienced those who like to dye. My favorite part is the recipies she gives. As an inexperienced dyer it gives me a place to start and have an ides of what color I would get. The explanation of the process is thorough,including equiptment needed.
Also included are a few kitting patterns and a bit of color theory for blending colors and how varigated yarns look when knitted up. And a reference to purchase the dyes used in the book, so the colors can be duplicated.
Beautiful layout, lovely color photos and lots of inspiration.

This book, in short, is awesome. Pictures are crisp and instructions are clear. From the novice dyer to the more advanced, this book has most of what you need. I do wish there was instruction in other types of dye like Kool-Aid and Wilton Cake Dye but on the whole, everything was useful. I've been dyeing for four months and this book has been invaluable.

The patterns for hand dyed yarn knits are at the end of the book and are interesting. I've knit for two years and the patterns run the gamut from easy to advanced.

If you can't take a dyeing class, the next best thing is to buy this book.

Just makes you want to dye your own yarn. Beautiful pictures and patterns. Easy to understand as well.

For those who want to dye their own wool roving for spinning, this book is a winner. Lots of examples and lots of ideas. Great for inspiration. Easy to follow

After all the positive reviews of this book - I was unhappily surprised by how much I didn't like this book.

I felt the writing style was odd. And whether or not it was style, simplicity or bad research, much of the information felt simplified or dumbed down. I thought that many of the example pictures were classic examples of what not to do with busy yarn and textured patterns. Even though the book is called Dyeing to Knit, I felt that there was very little discussion about designing yarn colors and patterns for a goal finished project.

I was also very disappointed in the patterns, I thought that many of them were pretty awful, and the only one that I would knit at all was so basic that one hardly needed a pattern to knit it.