Customer Reviews

Hip to Knit (Hip to . . . Series)

5 star:		(14)
4 star:		(7)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(6)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

I am a 21 year old self-taught (now intermediate) knitter and I must say that this book has pleased me greatly. I am somewhat conservative, preferring to express myself with sassy colors and yarns rather than oddball styling. Most books for young knitters feature dreadful intarsia sunflowers, pompoms and enough fringe to supply a hippy for months! So, I was cautious but I found this book to be a delight.

The 18 patterns in the book are fairly simple making this an ideal second book for a brand new knitter. (The first, of course, should be a good general knitting book) There are small boxes of knitting info sprinkled throughout. For example, the section on making a sweater fit well is informative and useful especially to knitters who like a sleek silhouette.

Fortunately, the author respects her audience's intelligence and her constant admonition is to tweak the sweaters to fit the way YOU like it. All the yarn info is supplied so it would be quite easy to make substitutions.

Now this is where taste comes in. With any book of patterns, it is good to keep in mind that everyone has their own taste and it is not possible to please everyone. THIS young knitter thought the patterns were cute and fun. The Boyfriend sweater got the guy stamp of approval (most guys HATE froufrou sweaters, this one's nice and simple but with enough texture interest to keep a knitter happy), the watchcap is another sure winner and the little bag makes an ideal present for a female friend.

Of course, I suggest investigating this book before you buy, if nothing in it is to your taste then keep looking, you're sure to find a book that is perfect for you. However, the book is fairly inexpensive and provides some valuable info.

Good if:
you like texture
you are knitting for a guy
you are new and want some cute, easy patterns
you want to fill your wardrobe with winter accessories like hates, mittens and socks

Not good if:
you are into complex color like mosaic, intarsia or fair isle (this book has no patterns for that)
you hate novelty yarns

I bought this book because I liked the projects pictured in it. I've been knitting for a couple of years, but mostly I've made socks, and I was going to use this to branch into making hats and sweaters.

It seems to me that the patterns themselves took a distant second place to making the layout and design of the book "hip" looking. All the patterns are lumped together in paragraphs instead of stepped out into easily discerned rows. There seems to be plenty of room for pictures, white space, and whimsical design, but I bought the book for the patterns, and they're hard to read.

In order to make the instructions clear, I have had to take the paragraphs the patterns are lumped into and turn them into steps that make sense and actually have a beginning and an end. For a more advanced knitter, this might not be a problem, but when I'm doing something new to me I like the instructions to be clear and stepped out. (I write documentation for a living, so this may be a personal quibble.)

I also think that the designer makes assumptions that the knitter using the book can read between the lines and fix things or understand things that are not expressly stated in the pattern. In my case, at least, that led to having to rip back several hours worth of work because I did exactly what the pattern said without reading between the lines to something it should have said.

I still want to make the things in the book, and I'm going to keep trying and working with it, so I'll give it three stars. I don't hate it. I would just warn anyone who is a very beginning knitter not to approach this book without the help of an experienced knitter to make the unwritten instructions clear.

There are alot of new books on knitting for beginners recently. Being a self learner, I wished those books were available some years back when I started knitting.

This book is much more interesting compared to other beginner books but I must stress that the some of the projects can be quite challenging. It starts with a scarf, then hats, then socks and various types of tops (tank top, hooded pullover, etc sweater with cables). Don't think socks is that easy for beginner as it requires picking up stitches so more instructions there would have been good.

For beginners who has mastered basic knit and purl, the next most difficult part to understand is the shaping which is spoken briefly here. So even with a very detailed book at hand, it is much easier if you can consult someone.

It has some tips not found in the other books like drawings on how to sew in the ends, how to put in new yarn to shape the shoulders. But not that many tips. I wish for beginners books they have more tips on finishing and shaping (mabbe help to tell the difference btw left and right should shaping) to assure the knitters that they are doing it correctly. My friends who just started knitting will always ask the same questions like if it is necessary to tie a knot when joining or changing yarn and worry if the yarns will come loose or the sewing in of yarns and seams looks ugly. But no book so far, assures the beginners on this.

For projects, I like the simple ribbed tank top, read it briefly only but I think it changes between using 2 different size needles to help with shaping of the garment Something new and not commonly see in pattern books. simple but effective.

Something else about knitting books, sometimes I just wish they dont use yarns which are expensive or difficult to find. Or if they chose a particular yarn becoz it is lighter etc, they should explain to the knitter so that they can find a subtitute.

I'm new to knitting and relatively young compared to other knitters, so I was looking for a book that had contemporary patterns and bright colorful pictures. I found both in this book. It has some cute patterns and good instructions, although I think this book is best for knitters who are high school/college age.

I only have a few minor complaints. Many of the patterns use small needles (size 7,8, or 9) and I think young knitters like chunky, quick patterns. Also some of the techniques are pretty complex (knitting with four needles, knitting in the round, etc.) for beginning knitters. But the good thing about that is that it gives you plenty of room to grow.

Overall this is a colorful book that would make a great gift for any young person who just got into knitting. There are very few knitting books out there for young adults, so this one is good to have in your collection.

I also recommend The Yarn Girls Guide to Simple Knits for young knitters. It's an excellent book that doesn't just appeal to the younger crowd.

But also has something to offer for those of us who are more experienced.
It's contemporary. It's colorful. Perfect size and lots of photos. I knit my way thru the book and tested all the patterns but the last two. My opinion is that HTK is a wonderful book for young adults or new knitters that definitely points them in the right directions for creative knitting by giving them designing information and tips in addition to good, solid, basic patterns. I also like that the book uses yarn size information in addition to suggesting a specific manufacturer. The sizing information, line drawings, technique diagrams and charts are clear, easy to read, and understand.
An excellent book to give to new knitters or "growing" knitters or learn from yourself.

By "hip" I presume the author was trying to create patterns that any fashionable young person would find in catalogs or magazines. There ARE some "hip" patterns here--such as tunnel neck tops and a very nice halter top knit in tape yarn. The knitting craze typically features bulkier knits, and there is a long bulky knit coat here as well.

I think these patterns are a great place to start--if you adapt them to your own yarns and own sense of fashion. The shapes are good--a roll neck sweater that wouldn't be out of place in a fashion catalog, the tops I mentioned, and a cabled vest that is classic. There are a lot of great novelty yarns available, and with some scratching of the head, calculating yardage and creative visualization, a crafty and hip knitter could make some very original and designer-worthy knits.

Vogue, it's not, but there are some really great basics here to work from.

This is not a learn-to-knit book, but a perfect choice for a new knitter's first book of patterns. Even as a more experienced knitter, I was thrilled to find a book full of items I would love to make for myself and my friends. The projects start out very simple and gradually get more complex, but nothing beyond an advanced beginner level. Techniques and tips are presented throughout the book in sidebars next to relevant projects, and a small section in the back of the book covers some more basic techniques.

I really like the way the projects are presented. Each item is nicely photographed so you can clearly see what you will be making. In addition, there are close-ups of the yarn used. Often swatches of other yarns which you might try are shown as well. Throughout, you are given suggestions to encourage you to make your own variations on the patterns. The instructions and schematics are also clear and precise.

The "18 contemporary projects for today's knitter" are a striped scarf, a seed stitch scarf, a felted tote bag, a small purse, a basic cap (knit on straight needles), a funky chunky hat (also knit flat), a ribbed stocking cap (knit on circular and double-point needles), striped socks, mittens (both a pattern for flat knitting and one for circular knitting), a ribbed tank top in ribbon yarn, a sleeveless funnel-neck top, a drop-shoulder rolled-neck pullover, a round-neck cardigan, a v-neck pullover vest, a hooded zip-front sweatshirt, a v-neck cabled sweater in either a pullover or cardigan version, a shaped turtleneck with 3/4-length sleeves, and a knee-length coat with patch pockets and collar.

A wonderful collection of all the essential patterns you want to knit!

I recently learned to knit and bought this book because I wanted to try something more challenging than a scarf. Well, I tried the fat hat pattern and found the instructions confusing. Speaking as a beginner, I didn't find the pattern easy to read AT ALL. In fact, I'm still trying to figure it out.

Some of the illustrations are helpful and the basics section is useful. There are some nice photos of the projects.

I only wish that the patterns were more clear to the beginning knitter. I wanted so much to like this book!

As many have said before, this book is NOT a how to guide to teach you how to knit. I recommend Stitch 'n Bitch for that.

This book is an excellent *companion* book however, and I know since I bought it along with Stitch 'n Bitch, the two of them being my first ever knitting books as I taught myself this wonderful craft.

Hip To Knit has great beginner projects, starting you out with a scarf, and working your way through various hats, bags, a pair of socks, and then into sweaters. Though the sweaters aren't all that enticing as far as glamour goes, they do look comfortable and easy to make. I especially like the long sweater coat.

I am currently 2/3 of the way through the "Most Basic Hat", which was EXACTLY the kind of hat pattern I was looking for. Simple, basic, and with a nice decorative twist (swirling decreases at the crown). I'm using a slightly eyelashy yarn imported from Spain, so I wanted the yarn to shine through instead of a fancy pattern. The instructions are VERY simple, the tips and tricks useful and well written.

This book will not please every palette, but it does have at least a handful of patterns I'd like to try, including two more I have already bought the yarn for. I'll keep both Sitch 'n Bitch and Hip To Knit in my craft tote for a long, long time. They're my new "girls' best friend"!

This is a great place to start if you have basic knitting skills (can you make a scarf?) and want to bump it up to more complicated patterns. In addition to just being cool-looking, the patterns in the book aren't written in cryptic knitter-code, but written out (VERY WELL) in normal, regular, plain old English. I was scared to death to make a pair of mittens on double-pointed needles, but found the instructions to be so well-written that my first pair came out perfectly... and I don't think I ever had to go back and correct mistakes.They also emphasize the knitter's ability to improvize and make changes based on what he/she wants. They give guidelines for a certain size needles and type of yarn, but there are all sorts of helpful tips for what else might look cool, or how to use something else...All in all, this is a great book for the young and hip knitter... or someone who just wants to be.