Knitprovisation: 70 Imaginative Projects Mixing Old with New [Paperback]

Cilla Ramnek (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 9, 2007

Over 70 Creative Projects to Make, Remake and Remix
 
It's more important to be cool and look good than to stick to the rules! This is a book on knitting and crochet that will inspire knitters and crocheters to think outside of the box.  It challenges them to experiment and break with tradition-- to mix new methods, material, techniques and designs and enjoy the relationship that develops between design, texture, color, and shape.
 
Knitters and crocheters are encouraged to create new combinations with what they already have on hand--left over yarn, lacy placemats, and even vintage-style pot holders mixed with things bought new or second-hand. Or to try transforming something old into something completely new! To work on a whole garment--to embellish with embroidery or pom-poms, to mix plastic and fabric with rivets and sequins--or to just add little touches to finished garments. To explore the possibilities of mixing, matching, and restitching with yarn and fabric to create brand new garments and accessories.   
 
Knitprovisation is an invitation to all crafters to create a style that is their own. The possibilities are endless and the creative urge grows once you get started.  It's a must have for all adventurous knitters, crocheters and sewers!

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Cilia Remnek sees no conflict between design, craft and art, but moves freely across all disciplines. She is a qualified textile artist and has among other things, produced fabric for IKEA, held a number of exhibitions in Stockholm and Tokyo, and has also produced works of art for public display. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Product Details

• Paperback: 128 pages
• Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin; 1st edition (January 9, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0312362943
• ISBN-13: 978-0312362942
• Product Dimensions: 8.8 x 7.3 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 13.6 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 2.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (14 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,578,367 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars I'd give it no stars if I could..., April 29, 2007

By 

JLS RN "oakborn" (MO USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Knitprovisation: 70 Imaginative Projects Mixing Old with New (Paperback)

I had seen this book listed in the newsletter of my Local Yarn Shop. So while I was there the other day, I took a look at it. The owner of the shop said she wouldn't even have ordered it if she'd known what it was like.

From the other reviews I've read, I think you could call this a white castle book... either you love it or you hate it.

I unfortunately fall into the latter category. Perhaps the point of the book is to spark creativity but her examples of projects look like bad rejects from the 1960's and 70's with an over-abundance of granny squares and under-abundance of color sense, decent photography and happy-looking models.

This book is full of creations that could appear on the Stitchy McYarnpants website complete with breathlessly funny snarky commentary.

Perusing the book left me wondering "What was she thinking?!"

If you want real inspiration try "Unexpected Knitting" by Debbie New.

5 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Arty, full of inspiration and very cool, March 14, 2007

By 

A. Hanna "iHanna A" (Sweden) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Knitprovisation: 70 Imaginative Projects Mixing Old with New (Paperback)

I love this book, because it shows me ways to think that I couldn't even imagine before seeing them. But I agree with the reviews written before mine, this is NOT a book for the average person. Your need to be crazy creative I think to get this one. If you like cute or stylish or if you are the kind of person that likes to "blend in" this is not the book for you. Cilla Ramnek takes second hand knit wear and makes them into funky clothes art!

I'm not even saying I would wear anything from this book, but I feel the inspiration flowing from the pages. This book is a book to look through over and over again, before going to flea market or sitting down to design something new at the sewing machine. I want to use crocheted pot-holders on a bag, make a sweater out of not-at-all matching materials and experiment with my own knitting and sewing more.

It's just fun, smart and experimental! Get it if you get curious!

9 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Imaginative isn' t the word, March 11, 2007

By 

fiber farmer (Colorado) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Knitprovisation: 70 Imaginative Projects Mixing Old with New (Paperback)

I looked at this book at the local Borders before buying, and I'm so glad I did. There's nothing inspirational here and definitely nothing imaginative. Ghastly is a much better word!

This is a collection of the ugliest knitting I've ever seen. The projects are useless things, like an unsightly knitted tie, a sweater made up of sleeves and collar but stops at the armpits, and an embarrassing looking skirt for a little girl. I kept asking myself, "Who would ever, in their right mind, admit to having knit any of these?"

Honestly, I've never seen such a horrible display of bad taste in one book. I own and read a lot of knitting books and nearly every knitting book or magazine has at least one of these weird projects in the name of being cutting edge, but, good grief, 70 of them within a single cover? I gave the one star for just having the guts to even publish something this awful.