Knitter's Handy Book of Top-Down Sweaters: Basic Designs in Multiple Sizes and Gauges [Hardcover-spiral]

Ann Budd (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: August 21, 2012

Fiber and yarn enthusiasts nationwide will celebrate Ann Budd’s latest addition to The Knitter’s Handy Book series. Answering to a growing interest in knitting sweaters from the top down and knitting seamless sweaters that require little finishing, this handy book offers instructions for knitting five basic sweater types: circular yoke, raglan, modified-drop shoulder, set-in sleeve, and saddle shoulder. Patterns are offered in multiple sizes and yarn gauges and for a broad age group.

Following the basics for each of the five sweater types are three diverse patterns from top designers that illustrate some of the many ways that instructions can be used as springboards for creative expression, including color, texture, and shaping variations.

Also included for intermediate to advanced knitters are personal design touches, detailed charts, clear instruction, and quick tips to expand knitting possibilities and maintain creative originality. A key reference for knitters of all skill levels, this is the new essential knitting resource on your bookshelf.

Product Details

• Hardcover-spiral: 264 pages
• Publisher: Interweave Press; Spi edition (August 21, 2012)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1596684836
• ISBN-13: 978-1596684836
• Product Dimensions: 7 x 1.2 x 9.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (74 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #23,320 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #30 in Books > Crafts, Hobbies & Home > Crafts & Hobbies > Needlecrafts & Textile Crafts > Knitting
  • #34 in Books > Crafts, Hobbies & Home > Crafts & Hobbies > Needlecrafts & Textile Crafts > Fashion

Editorial Reviews

Review

Praise for Ann Budd's previous title, "Sock Knitting Master Class"
..".the patterns! Beautiful, yet functional stitch designs and fun colors. This is a complete book." - "CraftGossip.com"
"Some features I particularly like in the book: each pattern has a box listing the different techniques used in the pattern; An overview of different styles of creating parts of the sock, such as a few different heel types, toes, and cuff treatments; both top-down and toe-up construction techniques; a handy DVD in the back. If you are looking for some great new sock patterns or just looking to get started knitting socks, this book is sure to have what you need." - "A Woolie Tale yarn shop"
"You think you already know everything there is to know about socks? After all, there are a multitude of sock books on the market these days, perfectly good books. You know everything. Except...do you really? Most (though not all) sock books I own are either filled with patterns with not a whole lot of time spent on technique, or they're full of guidance but with blah patterns. Of course, some do hit the balance between pattern and technique. Some are fairly exhaustive, in fact, and you may already have them on your shelves. But...they're not THIS book. First, this book is by Ann Budd, a genius in our time..."Master Class" is the right name!" - "KnittingScholar.com"
"It's not often that I scoop a book from the top of the review pile and take it home with me, and it's even less common for me to sit down and read it right away. But with sock knitting on my mind, I was intrigued, so last night I sat down to peruse this over a cup of tea. I was absolutely delighted to see that the first chapter of the book is devoted to explaining the whys and wherefores of sock construction. Top-down or toe-up? She's got it covered. Heel flap, short row or afterthought heel? Ditto. Want to choose from a pointed toe, a spiral or star toe, or a toe band? She's got your back with that, too.

About the Author

Ann Budd is the best-selling author of Sock Knitting Master Class, The Knitter’s Handy Book of Patterns, The Knitter’s Handy Book of Sweater Patterns, Getting Started Knitting Socks, Interweave Presents Knitted Gifts, Knitting Green, and Simple Style. She is also the coauthor of Bag Style, Color Style, Lace Style, and Wrap Style. She is a book editor and the former senior editor of Interweave Knits magazine. She lives in Boulder, Colorado.

Product Details

• Hardcover-spiral: 264 pages
• Publisher: Interweave Press; Spi edition (August 21, 2012)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1596684836
• ISBN-13: 978-1596684836
• Product Dimensions: 7 x 1.2 x 9.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (74 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #23,320 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #30 in Books > Crafts, Hobbies & Home > Crafts & Hobbies > Needlecrafts & Textile Crafts > Knitting
  • #34 in Books > Crafts, Hobbies & Home > Crafts & Hobbies > Needlecrafts & Textile Crafts > Fashion

More About the Author

Ann Budd is a book editor and the former senior editor of Interweave Knits magazine. She is the author of Best of Interweave Knits, Getting Started Knitting Socks, The Knitter's Handy Book series, Simple Style, Interweave Presents Knitted Gifts, Knitting Green, and a coauthor of Bag Style, Color Style, Lace Style, and Wrap Style, all published by Interweave Press. Ann lives in Boulder, Colorado. Visit her website and blog at www.annbuddknits.com.

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

85 of 87 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars 300 reasons to love this book! August 11, 2012

By fiddlestickchic

Format:Hardcover-spiral|Amazon Verified Purchase

I am a knitter who knits in the round more often than not, and I was truly anxious for this book to come out.
It did not disappoint, In fact this book is even BETTER than I had imagined!
Why???
Because with all the numbers in this book of sweaters , one can knit sweaters from from a toddler/ child size to a mans size 54!

Additionally,,,what is included in this book are quite a few really pretty patterns for women that were designed outside the numbers box, that are so darn cute that I want to make most of them ( this is NOT a usual thing in pattern books for me)

These designs are good for any age women,, as a side note, I am on the light side of my 50's but my DIL's saw them and liked them also, I think that the difference may come down to fit b/c I do not like negative ease whereas they do~
My personal preferences is 2 inches of ease,not much more than that.
These garments are NOT negative ease garments BTW, but can easily be knit that way if desired~and I will do just that for any design and yarn they happen to pick out for Christmas gifts for them.

There are 300 patterns in this book that are top down knit in the round,,,THEN,( quote) " add in the cardigan options and you've got 600 possibilities, without counting neckline, edging ,color and stitch pattern variations". (!!)

How great is that for those of us that like well fit top down knitting??
I am not kdding you,,this book makes me VERY happy as a knitter!

This means I can knit for EVERY member of the family in any style from seamless yoke, raglan, set in sleeves or saddle shoulder sweaters! Additionally there are some directions for those of us who do like to steek our cardigans .... but I still would advise looking into Alice Starmemore's book on Fair Isle for additional info on that. That is the number one book that I refer to for steeking info whether I am knitting Fair Isle garments or not... b/c I do not knit my cardigans in the one piece back and forth method that a lot of fans of top down knitting do,,,, unless I am not knitting w/a cotton yarn( then I am forced to knit back and forth)

If I had to say there would be ONE knitting book of 2012, THIS would be the book to get!

I am especially pleased that many of the guest designed sweaters are using dk weight yarn b/c I have given up "big yarn" of years ago, in favor of a slimmer silhouette and a softer garment for myself. Never fear,,,those of you that use a lot of worsted and beyond, the numbers are there for you also!

Currently I am using fingering weight yarns for my own garments now b/c I need to knit a few dressier well fitted sweater that I can also wear w/ a skirt and boots in winter.
I have given many sweaters from the early years of my knitting that were knit in " big yarns" to charity, and while I do have a stash of big yarns left over, I tend to use then for hats or slippers or throws,,nothing goes to waste in my home. (

ALL gauges start at 7 stitches per inch, and go up to 3 stitches per inch ~ In each and every size, so EVERYONE has tons of wiggle room for whatever they have in their stash or if you fall in love with a yarn that you simply MUST purchase b/c it is so pretty that you simply cannot pass it up, you are covered here!
Then there is the person that combines yarns to get a lovely texture or a spinner that could also benefit this book also.

I LOVE the fact that I can learn all these methods in top down knitting b/c I had been knitting bottom up all my yoked and saddle shouldered sweaters and B/C I am a small person I tend to need a very small shoulder fit so this method works better for me
I always employ this method when it comes to children's knits, b/c I can replace length in sleeves and bottom the following year so much more easily~ This was the real reason I started to learn the top down method in the first place b/c I used to be very comfortable in bottom up knitting before I learned,

For the life of me I cannot understand B Walker's book on these methods b/c her style of writing is not as clear to me say, as EZ's books w/ her well known EPS mehtod.

Armed w/ this book, you can take bits and pieces of what you want to add to create your own flattering look for your particular body shape, b/c we all know what works best on us more than any pattern books does. You cant go wrong w/ a fit as you go way of knitting. No months of hard work on a pieced sweater only to sew up the pieces and see the whole thing look horrible on you! I'm sure we all have a few of those in our closet that never saw the light of day,,,( at least I do)

Included in this fantastic one of a kind book is informattion on how to create the collar you like as well as any neckline you favor, so NOTHING is forgotten in this book!
The ONLY thing I am not so sure about is the way the saddle shoulder is addressed here, b/c when I knit bottom up, I have my " saddle" run into in sleeve and use that as a design element to carry a cable down the entire arm. Here the saddle ends at the edge of the shoulder, and a more set in sleeve look is used which will be a good thing to add to my knitting skills.

What I am staying is this,, WHERE ELSE, can you get ALL the numbers to make SO many sweaters in every size and gauge possible??

This book is simply a gold mine of information and sizes!
I can see NOTHING that could possibly be negative about it in any way at all as I do not knit overly imaginative sweaters for my very conservative dressing husband or sons,
As for the girls if it is pretty and pink/purple, its a go, so I am not concerned about not having actual men's patterns in the book,, all the numbers are right there for that grey yarn he always seems to like~
I am in the process of knitting hats and mittens for 7 children from Ann Budd's first book,,," The Knitter's Handy Book of Patterns". I have used that book over and over again in the years that I have owned it.
I can take both these books anywhere with me and never second guess amount of yarn or size.
These books fit quite well into my carry on when I travel.
These books plus your stitch dictionaries(I use Barbara Walkers) = thousands of design /pattern/color/gauge options if you are a top down knitter.
It bears repeating,,,,,this book IMO is THE best knitting book of 2012. Finally(!) I can start weeding out many of my other books that are cluttering up my kntting/ sewing studio!
I hope you all love this book as much as I do!

ETA 8/23/12, One more thing I have just received a book that works nicely w/ this book ( or any other one for that matter) on 211 ways to cast on and cast off,, b/c this really can give a knitter a ton of really great ideas to make any project look more professional,,,,,(or just more fun)~
You normally have plenty of time to consider your cast off when knitting top down, but your cast on( as I am finding out) is equally important,one sweater I am working on calls for a provisional cast on , however I will work a nice row of solid knit b/f I go into any given pattern so there is no chance that top could look wonky in any way at all,,,I wanted to add this b/c it is very important and makes a difference b/w a beautiful handknit garment or a sweater that screams homemade,,,,(,and there is a difference!!) Happy knitting to you all! Read more ›

73 of 74 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent Information Dense Reference for Knitters and Designers August 9, 2012

By Anastasia McPherson TOP 1000 REVIEWER

Format:Hardcover-spiral|Amazon Verified Purchase

Wow is my first response to Ann Budd's new book of top down sweater patterns. I own Ann Budd's Handy Book of Sweater Patterns, so I was familiar with the amount and type of information in these guides but I was still impressed.

Budd reviews four basic types of top down sweater construction Seamless Yoke, Raglan, Saddle Shoulder and Set-In Sleeve. Each style has several patterns made in this style and all of the patterns are attractive. The only possible criticism here is that there are no patterns for men or children, even though the book includes metrics for both children's and men's garments for each style. The book then includes proportions and metrics for each style of sweater in a range of sizes for men, women and children based on guage and stitches per inch. This makes things very easy for the prospective designer or knitter. Want to make a sweater out of those ten skeins that have been in your stash for years? Make a guage swatch and find your stitches per inch - the charts will then provide how many stitches to cast on and how, when and where to increase with a stitch count for every step in every guage in yarns from fingering weight to super bulky. Sweater proportions are also reviewed for each style and each size. How long are sleeves? How long is the body of the sweater? The neck hole? The armhole and arm skyce? It is all here for every size and every guage in every style.

Nor are these metrics and proportions limited to just plain colors or styles. Lace and color work have been addressed not only in the patterns provided as part of this lovely book but in theory as well.... And the possibilities of complex colorwork and lace from the top down are well explained, nor are they limited to traditional and modern fair isle; there is a zig-zag colorwork pattern in the saddle shoulder style that is a stand-out in terms of design and construction and the pattern should be carefully read by all knitters for the amazing learning opportunity involved.

Overall Ann Budd's new book is a gem, a jewel a must have for knitters and designers. The information is comprehensive and well-organized and allows for the creativity of the individual knitter but fully supports those new to sweater construction. the charts are clear and well organized and the information is applicable and transferable to many other knitting problems and quandaries. A superior book and reference. Highly recommended. Read more ›

52 of 53 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars I Love "Top-Down Sweaters" August 18, 2012

By Phyllis Staff TOP 500 REVIEWER

Format:Hardcover-spiral|Amazon Verified Purchase

Top-Down Sweaters is my third (and clearly my favorite) of Ann Budd's "knitter's handy" books. My first, purchased years ago, showed me clearly how easy it is to design or adjust a sweater design for any person, any type and gauge of yarn. Hooray! But this book explains even more. Here's my take on "Top-Down Sweaters:"

PROS:

1. When I use one of my Ann Budd "handy" books, I know I'll have a book that lays flat, so I don't have to weigh down the pages. I wish more publishers would print their books with spiral bound pages and a hard-back cover.

2. There are many lovely designs in this book with plenty of ways to change them to make the garment you've been dreaming of.

3. Techniques abound. But this is more of a "learn by doing" book than a strictly technique book. I've been wondering how to work the caps of sleeves on a sweater I'm now knitting. I want to have the sleeves knitted in but wasn't quite sure if I could do this with a set-in sleeve. Now I know how! (HINT: Think short rows.)

4. I'm in love with the coral cardigan on the cover, but I'm not fond of raglan sweaters because that style makes my shoulders look narrow. Using her easy instructions, I can adapt the color and stitch to make myself a cardigan with saddle sleeves rather than the raglan I do not like.

5. Tips are offered throughout the book. As a new spinner, I was pleased to learn that knitting in the round is perfect for hand spun yarn because the imperfections are spread throughout the garment rather than appearing in ugly clumps.

6. Paper is nice and heavy. Photographs are clear, bright, and colorful. I couldn't ask for a better prepared book!

CONS:

None. This is a terrific addition to my knitting library....

OVERALL:

Top-Down is a book that will offer many options for every knitter, from the beginner to the pro, and for every body, from small child to large adult. Get it, or give it to a confirmed knitter. Read more ›