Customer Reviews

Knitted Sweater Style

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Jo Sharp's Knitted Sweater Style may be just what some knitters want -- three dozen quality patterns. Most are multi-color intarsia efforts (Sharp's signature) for advanced knitters. There are several single color efforts suitable for advanced beginners and up.

My reservations about buying this book are threefold. First, I tend to shy away from expensive books that are just patterns. Unlike Meg Swansen's Knitting, this book doesn't have much in the way of technique tips or other timeless hints that I can use in my general knitting. Secondly, published in 1997, the designs are already looking a little dated. Third, there are better books out there for inspiration on colorwork. Kaffe Fassett's books are much more likely to provoke artistry. Sally Melville's Styles is a much more helpful guide for color combining and stash reduction.

So, a book to enjoy and buy if the designs really catch your fancy.

Although I hadn't knitted much of anything for many years, I found Jo Sharp's book easy to use. She has rated each pattern as to difficulty so that I wouldn't choose one which would frustrate me due to my lack of experience. Her styles are attractive and do not look dated even in 2001.

I just completed "Jessica" for my daughter-in-law and she absolutely loves her sweater. Now my son wants a sweater as well. The best compliment for me is that people say that the sweater looks professionally made, not like many other homemade items which have the "fireside touch" (you know, nice, but who would really want to be seen wearing them?)!

One drawback is that only Jo Sharp yarns are used. By using the weight and the yardage, any yarn store can help you select comparable yarns. But I would be reluctant to do that. Her soft New Zealand wool is far superior to US wool. Acrylics might be a suitable substitute, but they tend to pill up more readily.

You get what you pay for.

Jo Sharp appeared on the American scene with her incredible collections of new, inventive, beautiful designs and a wonderful line of knitting yarns. In this book, she can take a conservative style and through stitch-work make it quite lively and appealing, as well as an adventure to make. Other sweaters are bold intarsia, quite striking and unusual. Nothing is too difficult, and her wool is perfect for her designs -- a luxurious and durable wool in an ever growing number of colors. Knitted Sweater Style is her first hardbound book, combining many of her sweaters previously available as leaflets. Her newest book, Knitting Bazaar, is even more stunning -- her style, already creative, blossoms in the new book. Both would be an excellent addition to any knitter's library.

Jo Sharp has given us a knitting resource that is useful for the beginner, intermediate, and advanced knitter. The wonderful use of colour and styling make the simplest of patterns a very wearable work of art. Clear and concise directions also make the working of these sweaters gratifying and fun. Some of the charts are somewhat difficult to read because of the small size that was reproduced in the book, but fortunately we live in an age of advanced photocopying.

Jo,s original use of colour, styling, and fashion have made for a delightful book of knitting. she has created terrific designs for all tastes and abilities.