The Knitter's Guide to Yarn Cocktails: 30 Technique-Expanding Recipes for Tasty Little Projects [Spiral-bound]

Anastasia Blaes (Author), Kelly Wilson (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: May 1, 2007

Not your grandmother's knitting bookThe new needle arts enthusiasts are young and hip. Most are either new to needle arts or are crossing over from knitting to crocheting and vice versa. This book presents knitting as a fresh and exciting leisure activity, dispelling any former notions of the hobby as grandmotherly. Each fun project in The Knitter's Guide to Yarn Cocktails teaches a specific skill so techniques can be learned in easy increments. The simple patterns offer a mixture of techniques which are the ingredients for learning more advanced projects. Angled toward the younger needle arts enthusiast, each project is inspired in name and attitude by a popular drink. By completing a "Yarn Cocktail" pattern, the reader will have created a beautiful unique accessory or garment and mastered a new knitting skill, and be empowered to tackle a more challenging project. Each pattern is accompanied by a recipe for the drink that inspired it, encouraging needle artists to knit as a fun social activity. But remember, the authors' motto is: Yarn Over, not Hangover!

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Anastasia Blaes was taught to crochet by her grandmother at six 6 years old. Too rebellious to follow traditional patterns, she soon began designing for herself. Discovering that others were interested in her original designs, she sold original finished garments locally and in a baby boutique in Chicago. Anastasia has designed for such companies as Lion Brand Yarns and Jeanette Crews Designs. She is a member of TNNA and the Prince William Purlers knitting guild, where she served on the board as publicity chair for the years 2002 and 2003.

Product Details

• Spiral-bound: 160 pages
• Publisher: Quarry Books (May 1, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1592533191
• ISBN-13: 978-1592533190
• Product Dimensions: 9.6 x 9.2 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,018,205 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Drinking and knitting don't mix, August 29, 2007

By 

Armchair Interviews (Minneapolis, MN) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Knitter's Guide to Yarn Cocktails: 30 Technique-Expanding Recipes for Tasty Little Projects (Spiral-bound)

Taking their inspiration from the cocktail set, Anastasia Blaes and Kelly Wilson have created a knitting book aimed at the new generation of knitters. Each project in this book is inspired by a popular cocktail and focuses on a specific skill, allowing knitters to learn skills incrementally. Eventually these "ingredients" may be mixed together, enabling knitters to undertake the more advanced projects in the book. While a few of the projects are suitable for beginning knitters, the majority are for intermediate or experienced knitters.

The book is laid out following the cocktail motif. The first chapter "Ingredients" covers knitting basics: knitting tools, terminology, yarn and knitting abbreviations. The following chapters group projects by drink category such as "classic cocktails" (textured knitting), "martini drinks" (cables) and "garnish with a twist" (edgings). While the cocktail motif is initially amusing, the novelty wears off and knitters may find it all a bit too cute. One helpful item is the ice cube illustration included in some patterns, standing for "refresh." This icon indicates that techniques used in the pattern are referenced earlier in Yarn Cocktails and helpfully, the authors have include the page reference for the technique.

Most of the patterns here are geared to the younger knitter, with the majority of patterns being for accessories rather than clothing. Clothing patterns include five tops (of the camisole persuasion), two skirts, boxers, knickers and a lace vest.

The final chapter includes recipes for all the drinks referenced in the book--although this reviewer would not recommend drinking and knitting--as it can lead to a great deal of day-after ripping.

14 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Not what I expected., June 27, 2007

By 

kkw - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: The Knitter's Guide to Yarn Cocktails: 30 Technique-Expanding Recipes for Tasty Little Projects (Spiral-bound)

I purchased this for a gift, and upon review found no projects of interest. Maybe if you are into retro projects, like knitting a tie; or want to knit your man a pair of boxers,(whatever), you might want to check it out. The mitered stole is very pretty, as for my taste that is about all this book has to inspire me. This was not a book for my gift giving purposes nor one I want in my library.

5 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great Ideas!, July 6, 2007

By 

ladybird ink (Des Moines, IA USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Knitter's Guide to Yarn Cocktails: 30 Technique-Expanding Recipes for Tasty Little Projects (Spiral-bound)

I ordered this book as a gift for my best friend's teenager who is interested in jewelry. As someone who has returned to knitting after a 35 year hiatus, I was impressed not only with the number of patterns (28) but with the variety. I can't wait to make the High Roller vest with one beautiful cable down the front and a super quick pattern for the rest so I can actually have it done fast. And After Dark Martini Sweater looks like something from a fancy boutique. But the best part of this book is the information on fiber properties and the challenges they pose, the tips, and the instructional guides which will get me back to speed. This book is a gift I'm going to give myself, too.