Customer Reviews

The Eclectic Sole; Socks for Adventurous Knitters

5 star:		(13)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Ok. I'm in love with an inanimate object. This book is great. The patterns are clear. They are both written out AND charted, depending on what you like. And the patterns... <did I mention the patterns??>.. They are engaging, attractive and have different levels of challenge.

Something else I love about this book ----->
Did you ever wonder what a symbol means in the chart? Seriously, who doesn't at one time or another? In the back in the "Chart Key And Techniques" section, not only are there very good pictures of how to do one thing or another, the chart symbols are right next to the pictures of the techniques. Very easy to follow. I'm all about being able to understand something. Trust me on this one.

The Eclectic Socks has 14 very interesting and well described sock patterns, some of which are rather excentric in approach. Although there are so many sock books on the market, that sometimes one wonders if another one is really needed, I can highly recommend this book. Janel Laidman has - like Cat Bordhi - a refreshingly unconventional view on socks and enough confidence in her readers to share every piece of information with them. I was not disappointed.

I love the socks in this book, but hate all the errors! Make sure you check the website for erratas before beginning your project. THE FIRST PRINTING HAS MANY PATTERN ERRORS. Unfortunately, you can't tell which printing you'll get when ordering.

I also had sizing trouble with the socks, so a listing of finished sizes would help a lot. Also, the pattern shown for the cover does not knit up as shown - it knits a straight edge across the top of the toe, not the triangular style pictured.

Great patterns though.

Migration sock chart has been revised (see author's website for errata) and there are no stated finished dimensions (one size for each sock, no telling what size that is). But otherwise, wow factor definitely there. I am starting with Migration and planning to knit several more from the book.

love, Love, LOVE this book. The patterns are interesting, and beautiful. I can't wait to do Rivendale and Biological clock socks. Any socks that are inspired by the Lord of the Rings books, and a DNA helix are going to appeal to me. The weakest pattern in the book, for me was the monterey socks. I'm not going to do that, and they just look weird. But, that's the only pattern in the book that I really disliked. As expensive as this book is, I expected it to be a bit larger, but the number of patterns I'm likely to do, still make it a good value for the money spent.

Janel Laidman sadly does not sell yarn any longer, but while she did, I was a member of her sock yarn/pattern club. Many of these patterns were received by us club members with our shipments, but that didn't stop me from ordering the book. Janel is a wonderful designer, as well as a great person! The patterns are fabulous, and no doubt, if you should have difficulties, either Janel or one of her many fans will gladly help you through it. At an average price of $5-6 per individual sock pattern these days, this book is a bargain! Well illustrated, and a must for avid sock knitters.

"The Eclectic Sole" is one of the most original books of sock design out there. Laidman's designs are elegant and unusual. "Rivendell," for example, is based on a series of ribs with sets of intertwined buds rising from them onto the leg. It's knitting as sculpture. Although "Rivendell" is definitely the star of the book, Laidman's other designs are wonderful too. Her designs definitely rate 5 stars.

But there is one major problem with the book. As good as Laidman is about providing instructions for different techniques, she neglects to give even basic information about the size of the finished socks. Unlike feet, her patterns come in one size only, and she doesn't give any information about what that size is. Yes, there is gauge information, but it's given in stockinette. But most of the socks aren't knit in stockinette, so that doesn't help much, especially if you want to know the sock's circumference. This makes it very hard to know if pattern is likely to fit your foot or whether it needs to be modified. If you have average size feet, you'll probably be ok. But if you don't, be prepared to do some major pattern fiddling and experimentation, especially for sculptural patterns like "Rivendell."

All in all, this is a good book. But a little more sizing information could have made it great.

This is a great sock pattern book. I love the laidback style of the author; it gives me confidence to knit the patterns. If you have the first edition, please go here http://www.rustlingleafpress.com/errata.htm for all the corrections. The errors have been corrected on the second edition. I've already selected a yarn by Indie Dyer for the wonderful "Hypnosis" socks. Highly recommended.

I've been knitting since I was a young child and have knit dozens of socks. I bought this book, like everyone else, for the dazzling patterns with their wonderful names, and what I thought would be fun challenges. Challenge has turned into frustration, and yarn damaged by ripping and starting over. I'm starting Biological Clock for the third time, and with the aid of two other pattern books am beginning to get it. I have some experience with computer programming and technical writing--the process is analogous to knitting and patterns. Like programmers, some knitters who can design in their heads and knit without patterns have trouble penning their brilliant ideas. As an aside, I've had to edit this review 4 times because parentheses and brackets are magically disappearing or changing into number signs--a programming error. I stand by my analogy. Writers can translate ideas into accurate words and diagrams. I think Janel Laidman would benefit from writers who can make these patterns comprehensible--and accurate--for those of us who are adept at knitting and following patterns, but unable to find our way out of the forest when there are holes in the writing, like the weird Monterey pattern. I'm skillful and stubborn and I will succeed, but I'm disappointed about the unnecessary and correctable difficulty level. Ms. Laidman is about to publish a new book, which will delight many. Maybe in 10 years or so I'll be ready to tackle it... In the meantime, I hope The Eclectic Sole will be rewritten, with sizes! and numbers that don't magically change back and forth! for those of us who are more drafters than designers. That said, the designs are brilliant, most of the charts can be followed--I hope, and I have learned a lot from the very useful photographs and descriptions in the back of the book. I'm looking forward to Rivendell and Migration.

While this book is, price-wise, not on the cheap side it does have a very clear techniques chapter. It offers 14 sock patterns that are from simple to complicated and knitting in different directions - toe-up, cuff-down and sideways. Lace and colorwork are also included. It is an inspiration for designing one's own socks - after having knitted those in the book!