68 of 72 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
Good concept but disappointing, April 3, 2003
By A Customer
This review is from: A Knitter's Template: Easy Steps to Great-Fitting Garments (Paperback)
The description of this book sounded good---six different body templates with three different armhole setting and gauges ranging from 2 to 6 stitches/inch in half stitch increments; I thought it would be something like Ann Budd's eminently user-friendly book "The Knitter's Book of Handy Patterns" except offering other sweater style options than that book did (i.e., straight up and down sweater with set-in sleeves). I didn't know how the authors would do it since sweater side shaping is dependent on row gauge and the wearer's proportions which are highly individualistic, but I was hoping for something better than what was presented, especially since the price level of this book is high compared to other knitting books. Here is what you get:
. A body schematic chart to record your relevant body measurments (shoulder width, chest, waist, hips, back length, armhole depth, etc.)
. A table with sizes by chest measurement showing their standardized body measurements on which their instruction tables are based.
. A blank pattern sheet for you to copy and then fill in with the appropriate data.
. Instruction tables (one table per stitch gauge) showing relevant numbers to fill in at specific points in your blank pattern sheet. Examples: how many stitches to bind off at the start of your armhole and decrease rate up to shoulder; inc/dec rate if your style has side-shaping. Warning--the tables are set up only to vary by stitch gauge, the row gauge is fixed, so you may have to change their increase/decrease numbers if your row gauge doesn't match. For example, the table for 5 stitches/inch has an assumed row gauge of 7 1/2 rows/inch. Also, if your length proportions vary from their standardardized proportions, you have to make adjustments.
The above portion of the book, along with some general guidelines on how to implement occupy only about half of the book, the rest are actual designs the authors have done with novelty yarns using the template idea. The designs didn't appeal to my taste and didn't look especially well-fitting on the models.
My advice is unless you really like the sample designs, your time and money would be better spent with a calculator, a piece of paper, pencil, measuring tape, your swatch, and perhaps a favorite sweater or a piece of readywear as your template.
Help other customers find the most helpful reviews
Was this review helpful to you? Yes
No
27 of 27 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A Most Valuable Resource, May 1, 2003
This review is from: A Knitter's Template: Easy Steps to Great-Fitting Garments (Paperback)
We have a knitting store in manhattan. we are extremely selective about the books we carry. everyone who works in the store owns a copy and we suggest it to all of our customers. this book is invaluable as it allows you to adjust and create patterns. the format carefully takes you through the entire process from selecting yarns, to determining gauge, to creating a pattern. in particular, it gives you great confidence and supports the use of a wide range of yarns, from the traditional to the novelty. this book also encourages holding many yarns together for a truly unique garment.we suggest this book for all levels of experience.
Help other customers find the most helpful reviews
Was this review helpful to you? Yes
No
22 of 22 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A Knitter's Template, April 22, 2003
This review is from: A Knitter's Template: Easy Steps to Great-Fitting Garments (Paperback)
I loved this book. I think the authors out did themselves. I am a knitter that tends to buy & hoard yarn and figure out what to do with it later; or see a pattern and wait to find a yarn. This often leads to the problem of mismatched gauges and needle sizes. I'm short with a broad back and so I generally fit in between pattern sizes. I apparently knit looser than most because I rarely use the suggested needle size for a garment.
I am working on my second garment using this book and found the preconstruction work quick and painless. I had already gotten my measurements for the first garment and could just move on. The yardage chart is very helpful and not in every book.
The photos are beautiful-especially of the yarns themselves. I find this very inspiring. I love to use novelty yarns but sometimes only as an accent or to blend. The authors seem to understand this.
I think I am a pretty clever knitter but the authors have ideas and suggestions I am not sure I would have come up with on my own; like the "stripe sequence" in the Arroyo Avenue sweater as well as several in the Changing the Tone chapter.
I don't think I will ever have to worry about finding the right pattern again! I will make my own with complete confidence that the end product will fit perfect and look the way I want it to.
Help other customers find the most helpful reviews
Was this review helpful to you? Yes
No
