Knits from the North Sea: Lace in the Shetland Tradition [Paperback]

Carol Rasmussen Noble (Author), Margaret Leask Peterson (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: August 3, 2009

Discover the secrets of lace knitting with this wonderful collection of 16 projects. Discover the joys of lace knitting with this fantastic new volume, from two leading lace experts, featuring 16 original projects. Worked exclusively in lace-weight and fine yarns, these wonderful projects - including shawls, stoles, scarves, and triangles - are bound to become sure-fire favourites with knitters everywhere.

Editorial Reviews

Review

The winter months are the perfect time to knit. When I first came across Knits from the North Sea I was transfixed by the ethereal lace work. It is a breathtaking compilation of knitted shawls, stoles and scarves and I couldn't stop looking at it. As an intermediate knitter, the instructions themselves were clear and doable. This book will be in my library for years to come. I highly recommend it. It is the perfect gift for knitters even if they have never tried lace knitting before. --Barnes & Noble, Staff Recommendations

About the Author

Carol Noble is a knitwear designer and author who has been selling her own custom designs for nearly 30 years. Margaret Peterson is a lace expert from the Shetland Islands, who is well known for the quality of her lace and designs.

Product Details

• Paperback: 80 pages
• Publisher: Martingale & Co Inc (August 3, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1564778320
• ISBN-13: 978-1564778321
• Product Dimensions: 10.9 x 8.4 x 0.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (21 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #637,870 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

71 of 84 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Not for Lace Newbies, August 9, 2009

By 

beadntat (Knoxville, TN, USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Knits from the North Sea: Lace in the Shetland Tradition (Paperback)

I eagerly awaited the publication of a new book on Shetland Lace knitting in hopes of finding a well-designed, well-written, and well-charted authentic Shetland shawl pattern. It ain't here folks. There are a few nice stole designs, namely Carol's Alice Maud Stole, Carol's High-Country Wrap, and Carol's Alpine Meadow Stole. However, only the Alpine Meadow Stole and Margaret's Cockleshell Scarf speak clearly to the unique lace of the Shetland Isles. Several patterns (Carol's Peaches and Cream Scarf, etc.)reflect the lace of Orenburg, Russia -- not what one expects to find in a book on Shetland lace. All of the patterns are in chart form with written instructions to support the charts. The patterns are not in written format. I have identified several errors in the charts--be sure to check for errata before starting any project.

I strongly discourage new and less-experienced lace knitters from using the patterns in this book for their beginning lace projects. The lead author's (CRN) well-known bias against the use of circular needles and atypical recommendations for needle/yarn match-ups and blocking will leave newbie's incredibly frustrated and poorly guided in the art of lace knitting. Be aware that the CYCA yarn weight numbering system is incorrectly applied to many of the yarns in this book (ie., Jaggerspun Zephyr 2/18 is a #0, not a #2; Matchmaker Merino 4 ply is a #2, not a #3). I suggest comparing yarn to yarn when making substitutions. The recommended needle size for all of the patterns is *much* smaller than is customary in lace knitting. For example, CRN recommends that Doceur et Soie, a fingering wt. kid mohair and silk blend, be knit using US1/2.25mm needles. By way of comparison, Jane Sowerby, author of Victorian Lace Today, recommended a US7/4.5mm needle for the same type of yarn. I suggest that knitters start out using a needle that is ~2 sizes larger than the pattern states (a US3/3.25mm instead of a US1/2.25mm; a US5/3.75 instead of a US3/3.35mm) and make individual adjustments from there. I found this to be successful in swatching several patterns from the book (Carol's Ruffles, Margaret's Cockleshells, etc.).

The author has also taken liberties with the application of the CYCA skill level ratings. Only Carol's Peaches and Cream Scarf merits an easy rating and even that should be elevated to intermediate given the yarn/needle recommendation. Experienced knitters will know how to make the necessary changes to successfully knit from this book, others should look elsewhere for their Shetland Lace designs. In short, I found this book to be a huge disappointment--definitely not worth the purchase price.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Inspiring Patterns, September 22, 2009

By 

Knitter w Attitude (Minnesota, USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Knits from the North Sea: Lace in the Shetland Tradition (Paperback)

As an experienced knitter who is planning to knit her first lace shawl from this book, I don't understand why there are so many negative reviews (on Amazon and [...]) of Noble and Peterson's slim but lovely collection. Not every one of the 16 patterns was to my taste, but they all look wearable -- and the "Alice Maud Stole" on the cover is really stunning. (The "High Country Wrap" is a close second.) The authors' tips and techniques seem to have come under particular fire, but their instructions for provisional cast-on,"Russian grafting," and blocking, while doubtless idiosyncratic, are clearly written and illustrated; they're good ideas I'm going to try.

As for the nonsense about the Shetland Islands not being on the North Sea (!??) and the supposed absence of anything resembling an "Alpine meadow" there (that being the name of another nice stole pattern) ... these are such laughably untrue charges that they're not even worth answering. Go live on the North Sea for a year, as I have, and you'll see nothing wrong with these beautiful interpretations of the North Sea landscape.

23 of 30 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars What a letdown..., August 11, 2009

By 

Emily Tsialos (Atlanta) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Knits from the North Sea: Lace in the Shetland Tradition (Paperback)

I was so hopeful this would be the Shetland lace version of "Gossamer Webs", which really is a wonderful book. However, this book is such a half-hearted effort, with drippy descriptions and incredibly uninspired and mostly unauthentic designs, that you would be better off saving up for one of the more authoritative books on Shetland lace. Such a disappointment.