The Jean Moss Book of World Knits (Threads) [Hardcover]

Jean Moss (Author)

Book Description

Series: Threads | Publication Date: November 14, 1997

Internationally known knitwear designer Jean Moss offers 36 beautiful designs for sweaters, hats, socks, and soft furnishings. Includes detailed instructions and charts. Each design is based on a traditional textile.

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

Inspired by the diverse textile traditions of the Shoowa people of the Congo, the nomadic Baluchi of Afghanistan and Iran, and the Ixil of Nebaj in Guatemala, this new book by British knitwear designer Moss should have wide appeal. Although many of the projects are ambitious, Moss includes a wide array to choose from?not only sweaters and jackets but also pillows, throws, hats, and socks. Recommended for knitting collections. (Color illustrations not seen.)
Copyright 1997 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 151 pages
• Publisher: Taunton Press (November 14, 1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1561581984
• ISBN-13: 978-1561581986
• Product Dimensions: 11.3 x 9.3 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.9 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 3.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,667,219 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

One of Britain's leading knitwear designers, her innovative combinations of texture, colour and styling have been widely influential over the years. A self-taught knitter, she has been producing her own unique collections of handknits for more than twenty years, as well as designing for Rowan Yarns and many international fashion houses such as Ralph Lauren, Laura Ashley and Benetton. She teaches in the UK and Europe and is a regular visitor to the US.

Passionate about design, Jean is an ardent maker who has always believed that good design should be available to all who appreciate it, not just the few who can afford to buy couture. With this in mind, she has written many books, the most recent being Sweet Shawlettes.

Jean has three sons, three grand-daughters and two cats and lives in York and Mid-Wales with her partner Philip Mercer. Together they host regular knitters' tours in the UK and abroad, where participants can knit along with Jean and other star designers in the relaxed atmosphere of some of the world's most beautiful cities and gardens. Music is another love and she enjoys sessions with friends and family whenever and wherever she gets the chance. She firmly believes in vegetarianism, sustainability and the power of love and laughter.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

28 of 28 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Patterns with a 'new' look will keep me going for months., November 7, 1999

By 

Karen (Palmer, Alaska) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Jean Moss Book of World Knits (Threads) (Hardcover)

I bought this book after spending an hour 'skimming ' it and Starmore's Celtic Collection. For me, it was the unique touches...creative details and colors that made the difference and made me select the Moss book. I am in a stage of my knitting where I want it to be fun and interesting. I decided that the patterns Moss put together here were not only going to be superb when done, but would keep me interested while knitting. No boring knitting here...but repeats are easily learned...I have not found myself chained to the book while knitting. I find the color combinations refreshing and interesting...NOT AT ALL garish like some can be. For the combinations that I love but cannot give a lot of time to...there are small items (socks/pillows) that I can make to satisfy my craving. Moss offers a wide variety of skill levels so that there is something for almost everyone in this book. In short, I find this book delightful and full of projects that will keep me knitting happily for months. The recipients of my work (if I can bear to part with them when I am finished) will be thrilled. I am very happy with my book and have put three of the projects on my "must do as soon as possible" list. My teenage daughters, my sister and I have ALL found items in here we are obsessed with creating. I am working on my first project from this book now. The directions are clear and the charts are easy to follow...complete yarn information allowed easy yarn substitutions. This book won't be spending much time on the shelf. Knitting with Moss in this book is FUN. Happy knitting.

17 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars What a dudd, May 28, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: The Jean Moss Book of World Knits (Threads) (Hardcover)

I was so in love with Moss's previous books that I scooped this book up without even looking at the contents, wanting a quite place to savor the work of a master. Silly me. These are not the timeless classics of her previous books. Instead of her trademark texture with subtle motif coupled with wonderfully detailed styling, we have ugly overbearing designs against mostly ho-hom sweaters. Did I mention the socks and afgans? Yuck. There are a couple of nice sweaters, but nothing to motivate me to pluck down $150 in yarn and spend months knitting. Ironically, Vogue featured an original pattern that was based on one of the sweaters in the book and it is far better then the one it is based on and much nicer then anything in this book. Save your money and hunt down one of her earlier books.

13 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Not patterns you want to knit, January 30, 1998

By 

Evelyn ([e-mail]) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Jean Moss Book of World Knits (Threads) (Hardcover)

A disapointment after her previous "classics" book and her published patterns. Maybe Ms. Moss wanted a write-off for her trip through Africa and the Middle East, but I'm not inclined to help fund it. The designs in this book are (with the exception of one sweater vest) not the kind of thing you would actually WEAR anyplace (including Casual Fridays), regardless of how interesting they may be to craft as a technical exercise. Frankly, as a working mom I just don't have time for knitting "exercises," which may explain my frustration with the book. Most of the designs suffered from some very unfortunate choices with regard to the colorways. There are some interesting "bits" of designs and constructions that you might be able to use in another sweater project, but on the whole I found it to be very derivative of what Fassett was doing 10 years ago without adding much of additional value.