Customer Reviews

Finishing Techniques for Hand Knitters: Give Your Knitting that Professional Look

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

 

 

I found this book to be annoyingly simplistic. The illustrations - full color photographs - are nice enough but the text leaves a lot to be desired.

For example, the book gives three steps for sewing in a zipper, which might be enough if they told you whether to use thread or yarn for the backstitching into place (the picture seems to show them using yarn but it's not really clear), whether or not to remove the backstitching (the picture of the finished garment appears to show the (rather sloppy)backstitching still in place. The third step is to slip stitch the edge of the zipper into place...again, no mention of whether to use the yarn or matching thread, though it would appear to be embroidery floss.

Kitchenering is shown briefly (and not explained very well) but is called "Grafting by Sewing," so a newcomer to knitting wouldn't know what to look for in this book when confronted with the term "Kitchener" in a pattern and, alternatively, when faced with the term "Kitchener" in a pattern wouldn't know that this was the method they might have seen in this book called "Grafting by Sewing."

I'm sure there are better books on finishing techniques than this one.

I was trying to decide between this book and "The Knitters Book of Finishing Techniques" by Nancy Wiseman and I chose this book because (there were no reviews when I bought it) I was sucked in by the glossy cover. Similar to other reviewers I found this book high on glossy pictures and short on actual information. It's almost borders on a being a coffee table book.

I'm ordering the Nancy Wiseman book today.

I had high hopes for Finishing Techniques, I've been looking for a book that really explains all those important little details. Unfortunately this one wasn't it. The book seems rushed, glossing over some techniques (one paragraph for lining a jacket?), and covering others that are easily found online or in VK Quick Reference (k2tog,cable cast on etc).

With the clear knitting pictures (some could be more up close or have the background cleaned up),I think this would make a nice reference guide for a beginner (though I still suggest VK Ultimate Knitting Book)with a few patterns in the back. Short rowing and picking up stitches are easily explained and demystified.

I was very disappointed in this book. I was hoping for some designer finishing techniques, but I only saw very basic instructions which were incomplete. Where are blocking techniques for textured knits? designer increases and decreases? Even the cover photograph shows sloppy sewing in of the zipper. One thing I found particularly objectionable is her method for joining a new ball of yarn to work in progress...tie the new yarn in a knot at the beginning of a row. Huh? Knots??? Unsophisticated in the extreme.
Even for new knitters, there is no information here that you do not already get with any pattern you follow.
The included patterns are less than inspiring.
I was really looking for a reference book with new techniques, but, after one reading, I won't be looking in this book again.

Pattern lacking in schematic, difficulty level, clarity of abbreviations. There have to be better books out there than this. Slick look but lacking in completeness.

I recently purchased two books on finishing techniques for hand knitters, this one, and one by Nancie Wiseman. There is no comparison between the two. I would never recommend this book by Sharon Brandt to any one. One section alone particularly reveals the author's lack of depth and knowledge of hand knitting - the section on Blocking Hand Knits. Blocking is one of the most important finishing techniques of any hand knit item, yet this author gives most of the one page section to "how to make a blocking board," and only one short paragraph on what to do with it after you've made it. She gives no detail whatsoever about how to block different fibers, or even about different blocking methods or when to use them.
Also, the last page contains a large chart titled "circular knitting needles," which, as far as I can tell, makes no sense whatsoever. It's only usefulness seems to be to fill the page.
Not only will I never recommend this book - I will be highly unlikely in the future to purchase a publication of any kind by this author.

I bought this book paired with Encyclopedia of Knitting Techniques, which I have also reviewed. I think they make a great pair as they each remedy lacks in the other.

This book is divided into chapters based on category of technique - pattern altering, knitting techniques, garment assembly, altering garments, and embellishments. It makes it easy to check different possible techniques with each other, such as different seams, or different neckline choices.

What I particularly liked about this book was the excellent photography. Photos of her knitting at every stage were very clear and I could see the effect of for example different decreases, or the difference between increasing at the ends of rows or inside an edge. This is one main reason why I found it useful to buy this book in addition to the Encyclopedia book.

This book is quite slim and does not have a huge amount of information in it. This seems to me the only real problem with it. It is a great reference book but not to be your only technique book.

As others have already said, this is a very poorly executed book. Scant attention is paid to solid explanations, with the accompanying photos an afterthought to the text. Very, very disappointed; there are so many other technique guides on the market ... pick one, ANY one .... it would be better than this. Nancy Wiseman has an excellent book; I'd recommend it as an investment in skill building.

I have had some experience with knitting, but not too much. This book is great if you want to add a professional touch to your garments. The chapters about assembly and altering are just great. The patterns are few and very basic indeed, but that's the point with books for beginners, isn't it?

I gave this as a gift to a seasoned knitter. She really wanted a book on finishing, that always seems to be the hardest part of knitting. She says that she really really likes it. So it must be a good one.