Customer Reviews

Fair Isle Knitting: a Practical Handbook of Traditional Designs

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

 

 

Hopefully some company like Dover will reprint this book!

With 25 pages full of pattern charts in the "Samples" chapter and approximately 120 more charted patterns scattered throughout the instructions for garments, this book is a must-have reference for anyone who is working with colors.

Among the patterns, you'll find everything from little "peeries" to big patterns and patterns that incorporate a decrease (the kind used on yokes and tams).

The charts are all in black-and-white, with symbols representing the various colors. This is HUGELY important for two reasons: the biggest is that you can sub in your own color scheme with no confusion (this is so critical when you are reversing lights and darks!), and the other is that they photocopy beautifully, so you can tuck a copy of the one you are working right in with your wool and needles for quick reference on the road.

The "samples" chapter patterns each have a grayscale photo of a swatch. This is very helpful. In the garments section, you get the following for each and every garment:

* grayscale photo of the garment
* color photo of the garment
* black-and-white chart for each pattern used
* grayscale photo of a swatch for each charted pattern
* color photo of a swatch for each charted pattern
* instructions for making the garment

The grayscale photos are very helpful when you are trying to identify contrast and intensity levels to decide which colors to substitute if you are using different yarn or a different color scheme.

This book is an absolute necessity. If you can't find a used one, sign one out of your library. It is deceivingly thin (124 pages), but designed like the engine compartment of a jaguar: no "useless clutter" here... just jam-packed with highest-quality parts!

I did buy this book based on the previous review and I have to agree with most of the points - the black and white samples are a great help and there are TON of stitch patterns in here..which I've used for several different garments with ease.

My only complaint may come from the age of the book. I knitted the Child's Zip-Neck Sweater and in the pattern it asks you to divide for front and back and work back and forth. Traditional fair isle is done completely in the round..I believe this back and forth where you purl continental is called 'stranded colorwork' and is not traditional fair isle. I ended up adding a few stitches and steeking for the sleeves - much more than I expected when I flipped through and started this pattern.

Otherwise, a great resource and I've found much more use out of taking the samples and incorporating them into other garments than I have using the patterns included.

If you are a Fair Isle Knitter, you will love this book. It has a huge selection of charts and examples to let you see what a pattern will look like when it's made up in a sweater. The patterns are very clear and easy to follow and I thought the color symbols made it easy to substitute or change to your own colors if desired. I would recommend this book to any knitter with a minimum of experience and if you haven't tried fair isle, you are in for a real treat!

If you can knit fair isle patterns, you'll love the tons of patterns and variety in this book.
It should be on every stranded or fair isle knitter's bookshelf.
I like to copy and enlarge the pattern I want to use, since my eyesight isn't as sharp as it
used to be. The range of patterns in here will keep you happily busy for months.

This book is exactly as described. It is listed as used but in excellent condition.

Delivered before expected, great condition, Just what has been advertized and reviewed. Excellent addition to my hoard of books.

I bought this book because of the positive reviews, and I will have to say that I am very disappointed. I do like the charts, but they are all in black and white and difficult to read. The patterns are useless! They are very old, out of date and impossible to read. They were most likely written many MANY years ago. I know this because many of the terms used are not in any of the dozens of other books that I own, and some of the techniques are completely ridiculous! For example, some of the patterns require you to knit in the round and cut the arm holes, yes.. I said CUT the arm holes! Then it tells you to sew the arms in, but it neglects to tell you to say a prayer that your whole sweater doesn't unravel! I think if these patterns were updated it would be a much better book.
The patterns and style of this book was written for the old European audience with yarns that are impossible to find since they are no longer made. The guages mentioned as Tension, are confusing and I have no idea how to convert them.
The good news is that the patterns for the colorwork can be used in other projects, I just have to do some thinking and rewriting to make them feasible.
Overall I wouldn't recommend this book unless it is completely re-written for the American audience with updated patterns and yarns.