Japanese Inspired Knits (Marianne Isager Collection) [Paperback]

Marianne Isager (Author)

Book Description

Series: Marianne Isager Collection | Publication Date: April 1, 2009

Inspired by the seasonal festivals and traditions of Japan, this blend of traditional Scandinavian knitting with distinctive Japanese influences explores the beautiful design elements steeped in folk customs. Created especially for women, these patterns are true to the Japanese ideals of high-quality design and materials. Twelve sweaters, oriented around the months of the year, are each knitted using nearly a dozen different techniques. With project names like “Sake and Soba,” “Summer in Tokyo,” “Rice Fields,” “Flower Buds,” and “Stone Garden,” knitters will have plenty of inspiration. In addition to standard knit and purl combinations, the patterns feature double knitting, domino knitting, shadow knitting, lace, cables, entrelac, intarsia, and stranded two-color knitting. All techniques are described in detail with clear text and illustrations, and an illustrated glossary at the end of the book provides technical instruction needed for any project. Also included are Japanese ideographs that relate to themes that inspired the projects, a Japanese calendar, plus lush travel photography of Japan that will inspire any knitter.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"Like pointillist paintings, Isager's designs rely on the detail you can only get at a fine gauge."  —Clara Parkes, editor, Knitter's Review, and author, The Knitter's Book of Yarn

"The shaping and construction of the garments are from the Danish side of the designer's brain, mitred squares, shadow knitting, single-piece construction, not an extraneous or fussy bit to be found."  —Knitty.com

"Isager uses techniques advanced knitters clamor for—double knitting, entrelac, shadow knitting—her silhouettes merging traditional Japanese kimonos with classic Scandanavian pullovers."  —Yarn Market News

"These are nice patterns . . . the patterns are all very detailed covering as much as 10 pages."  —Knitting News

"A lovely and wearable collection which stands out from the crowd . . . these knits will turn heads and shake down a rain of compliments from knitters and non-knitters alike."  —Simply Knitting

"Fuses European elegance with decidedly non-European patterns and designs influences . . . exquisite design from a master artist."  —Cast-On.com

"East meets West in this collection of knitwear designs inspired by the seasonal festivals and traditions of Japan."  —Quick & Easy Crochet

About the Author

Marianne Isager is a textile designer who has taught at several design and crafts schools in Denmark, most notably the Skals School of Handicraft, where she helped create their line of knits. She is the author of Classic Knits and Knitting Out of Africa.

Product Details

• Paperback: 144 pages
• Publisher: Interweave Press (April 1, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1596681144
• ISBN-13: 978-1596681149
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 8.4 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.7 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (11 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #354,117 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

36 of 38 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A season for all knitting, Japanese-styled, March 29, 2009

By 

Joanna Daneman (Middletown, DE USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Japanese Inspired Knits (Marianne Isager Collection) (Paperback)

This collection of knits by Marianne Isager is Japanese-inspired but not completely given over to designs that are completely Oriental.

The book is organized by month, and a different, seasonally-appropriate design is featured. There is everything from textured knitting, lace and colorwork.

One pattern, a swing coat, cleverly imitates Japanese traditional indigo, with a sort of double ikat pattern woven in. The dark blue knitted in wave motifs on a blue background and looks like the fuzzy double-ikat weaving. And the coat is elegant in shape as well.

There is also a moon pattern with a motif like "shadow knitting" which is alternating color bands and garter stitch, a sort of eye-teasing, flickering design. This is a very plain flat pullover, but the moons make it special.

A beaded flower bud design looks like the slightly ditzy, but girly designs you see in Japanese knitting magazines. The beaded-bud pattern uses a blob of garter stitch along a row of color to make a very pleasant effect on light yarn.

The sizes in this book tend to the s-m-l and not many are extra-extra large, so if you are knitting for an extra-large person, many of these patterns will need to be adapted or are simply not suitable for a big physique. For example, there is a Fan Jacket, with a fascinating construction (knit from the underarm in radiating increased garter stitch-ending in rounded lace at the lapels.) This goes up to size 44 but no larger and it's a very pretty jacket indeed but you would have to knit it in a different gauge to try to make it larger; adapting it would be very difficult.

The best thing about this book are the shapes of the garments, which are creative. The designs are not knock-your-eyes-out fabulous, but they have a subtlety that is worth a second and third and in some cases, many more looks.

65 of 79 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Ho-hum designs, with a side of cringe-inducing exoticism, May 2, 2009

By 

A. S. Kaku (Tokyo, Japan) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Japanese Inspired Knits (Marianne Isager Collection) (Paperback)

I understand that with so many knitting books coming out, it's not a bad idea for an author to have some kind of a hook. But these patterns are "Japanese-inspired" the way Ashton Kutcher is a Kabbalist. At best it's a case of marketing over matter, at worst it's yet another case of co-opting. That all the knits are modeled by a white girl with tastefully straightened black hair doesn't help with the cringe factor. While the patterns are good practices for various techniques and may be to many people's tastes, their supposed provenance is firmly of the Pier 1 Imports school of thought--they only look Japanese to people with no familiarity with the culture and are happy to fill in the massive blanks with superficial, possibly quaint, ideas.

Harsh? Sure, but what do you expect when you tart up a standard cable sweater with a name like "Sake and Soba" and stick characters for "Autumn", "Red" and "Winter" together on a page like they make any kind of a sense as a single word? Oh I'm sorry, you meant that to be just exotic-looking page decoration? I'm sure it'd make a great tattoo too, on anyone who can't read it, that is.

Bottom line, I would emphatically *not* recommend the book for those who are genuinely interested in infusing their knitting with traditional Japanese garment construction, motifs or colors, or with contemporary Japanese styling.

12 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars I love this book!!, June 3, 2009

By 

Corey Hansen Joseph (Tucson AZ) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Japanese Inspired Knits (Marianne Isager Collection) (Paperback)

I knit every day. Sometimes I think it's a habit and not a hobby. This book inspired me to do something more than 'another pair of socks'. The designs are beautiful, though not for a beginner or even an advanced beginner, more like an advanced intermediate level. The instructions assume a lot of knitting knowledge and experience. If you want a book to inspire you to greater things, this book could do the trick. It was fine for me, but a friend who borrowed it spent hours at the local knit shop, sitting in the 'help' corner. Also, for those of you on a budget, all the patterns use a great deal of yarn. To spend the time making these beautiful garments would be a waste without using really nice yarn. A typical piece in the book, when using fine yarn, could be more than $200.