Customer Reviews

Glam Knits: 25 Designs For Luxe Yarns

5 star:		(10)
4 star:		(6)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(4)

 

 

This is a beautiful book for a collection of knit books. The first thing I knitted from this book had me running to the bathroom cabinet for my bottle of aspirin! I am a huge fan of top-down garments so when I saw this book I was thrilled. I personally believe that Ms. Japel should do a little more trouble shooting before publishing her books. She has a published errata sheet on her website for her first book, Fitted Knits, listing 20 mistakes in patterns. I can only imagine how many headaches were created before that errata showed up. I have already seen a few comments about another sweater in this book with some errors in the pattern. Also, some of the views of such patterns as the cover dress could be a little more expansive. The actual pattern in the book only shows the cover view and a detail of the side and sleeve and with all that jewelry on the model. Who would make a dress without seeing what it really looks like - front and back! I gently say go carefully into the projects in this book. If you love top-downs like I do, take a look at Custom Knits by Wendy Bernard.

I really liked Fitted Knits, and had high hopes for this one. What a disappointment. The only halfway decent knit is the green shrug, in my opinion, of course- but then, that's what reviews are for, our opinion! This book gives me the feel it was written and printed at top speed to make the most of the continuing knit craze, and like so many other knitting books published these days, is full of errors. There are a number of strange knits here - nothing I would waste expensive luxe yarn on, and I am by no means conservative or old fashioned - my favourite knit designer is Twinkle. The strangest is a knit coat, I think in Malabrigo, with cut out U shapes over the bust - I can just see Madonna in her begining days when she wore Jean Paul Gauthier black leather pointed bras loving this one after a concert - cuddley thick and thin multi colour yarn but still showing the bra. Wierd.... Anyway, the yarn is pretty but not exactly most people's idea of glam. More than one design in this, stangely enough. There's a set in tilli tomas silk - halter and skirt - bit trashy looking. There are a couple of total afterthought bag patterns, and the only other goodish thing in the book, the lace sleeves, which my sister requested for her birthday. I wrote to Stephanie to the errata address for Fitted Knits, with two questions. After days I finally got an answer to one of them. Then I left the second question on her blog, which I am a member of. Nothing. I am totally put off and shan't buy any more of her books - ever. Designers who started thru blogs and were lucky enough to be there when publishers noticed how popluar knitting has become should not dump their readers/clients.

Furthermore, I wish this fashion of knit designers writing fawning reviews for each other would cease. Do they think we are stupid? I read their reviews with a very cynical eye. Scratch each other's backs..... It's like all those glowing reviews given to Janet boyer by all the tarot card designers who are petrified she will tear their next work to pieces. At least if they give a bit of detail about patterns they actually like we might believe they really looked properly at the book!

I was sadly disappointed when I finally went to knit the sweater I bought the book for (lace cabled tunic). It was the wrong sweater altogether. I began looking closely at a few other patterns and realized the extent of mistakes and typos in the book. I agree with another review that complained about the photos: I often look at the photos for help especially when there are errors and these were unhelpful because you never saw a complete image of the sweater. I couldn't count how many times the lace panels repeated, for example. I was mollified when I found the complete and correct version of the pattern on Ravelry, but I was still sad I bought the book.

I purchased this book several weeks back from Amazon and have started knitting the "Textured Shrug" pattern. This book is a great follow-up to Ms. Japel's first book "Fitted Knits." The same eye to silhouette and fit is present here in this second book. The patterns have a retro feel, albeit with a more modern look, and I am planning on knitting several more patterns from this book. The photography and styling are impressive. The only problem that I have with this book, if you can call it a problem, is that the pattern instructions are printed on colored background, which sometimes makes it hard to read the wording. Also, please note that there are minor errors in the "Fitted Shrug" pattern. A correction has been posted in the knitting group, Ravelry. Nonetheless, this is a great book with great patterns, and I highly recommend it.

This book has great variety; that's probably my favorite aspect of it. There are definitely some items in there I wouldn't think of making in a million years, but from reading the other reviews, some of these were other people's favorites! So looks like Japel did a good job finding something for everyone. I never buy a knitting book expecting it to be full of patterns I can't wait to make, I'm usually lucky to get 2 or 3 I really like. This one was different! I really felt like most of the patterns were very fresh, very cute, and even if they weren't to my style they presented me with a lot of ideas to expand upon in my own designs. I've only done two so far but haven't had any errata issues as others have described. I like this one much more than Fitted Kits, just for the increased variety. (And in case you're wondering... most of the patterns are just as doable with 'normal' yarns as with luxury, in case you are cheap like me).

I purchased this book in hopes that the cover item would be in my size. To my surprise most of the items were in the big girl range. The book is very informative and there is something to knit for every skill level. I plan on knitting several garmets from this book and would recommend it highly for the avid knitter.

This is a truly beautiful book with gorgeous modern knits. Unfortunately I wasted a LOT of time undoing my work, ruining my wool in the process, due to errors in the patterns. To date I have been unable to find any correction sheets on the website. Such a shame.

This book should never have been called Glam Knits. It leads to unfulfilled expectations. Bulky, bulky yarns are not glam, no matter how seductive the model is trying to look, or how much open knitting the sweater has. Muddy colors aren't very glam either.

So the book isn't what its title would suggest.

Nonetheless, I like it quite a bit. The green shrug is actually something I would make almost exactly as pictured. It is very pretty, & I can also think of some variations on it. The diagrams are clear and just fine for adapting the designer's ideas. And there are loads of details and design ideas that can be adapted and used.

If you like to follow a pattern exactly, using the same yarn and measurements, the same pattern stitches, and following instructions row by row you may not find much of value in this book, especially if you are looking for glamorous, sophisticated designs.

I don't knit that way, and look for ideas. This book does provide that for me.

Twenty out of the twenty five patterns are for items I would actually wear. I'm impressed since there are usually only one or two items I would consider making when I look at other knitting books. I've never used the exact yarn that Stefanie uses in her books and the project still comes out looking terrific. I wore one particular cardigan out one evening and got a ton of compliments on it. Nobody believed I had made it because it looked so great. They even checked the back of the neck for tags!

This book contains a lace trimmed halter top with matching skirt, a beautiful halter tunic, some drapey and fitted sweaters with just enough detailing to make them look beautiful without crossing the "this-is-obviously-homemade" line, beautiful fitted and looser cardigans of different lengths, a dress that I am terrified to make even though it looks great on the model, a beautiful puffed sleeve hoodie, a couple of easy bags, a scarf, a sleeved shawl, and a fur collar (not my style, but cute).

If you are looking for a knitting book you will actually use repeatedly instead of making one pattern and never opening the book again, get this book. Get her Fitted Knits book as well.

This book is tougher than walking into a candy store when you are on a diet. Where to start? I'm thrilled with almost every pattern in the book. What's more, my 19 year old (who is fashionable and trendy) has picked out another 6-8 she wants me to make for her. I can't imagine a better measure of the quality, lovely knits in this book. I've completed two of them so far, and I've been able to follow. I'm a fairly new knitter, self taught, for about 4 months now. Worth the money, and more!