Customer Reviews

Knitting Lace: A Workshop with Patterns and Projects (Threads Books)

5 star:		(16)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I decided to learn lace knitting after never having done any other sort of knitting before. If this had been my first book on the subject, I would have saved myself a lot of time and frustration. I've been working from it for a couple of months now and it all makes sense to me. To use it you should know how to cast on and off, how to knit and purl, and how to do a yarn over;she will explain the rest. The diagrams of the basic stitches used are in the back and are quite clear. The book, which is beautifully designed, is divided into two sections. In the first, the author shows you how to knit, section by section, a reproduction of a historical knitted lace sampler. The stitches vary from simple ones with a few rows per design motif to quite complex ones with motifs composed of many rows. The second section explains the theory behind pattern construction. It is very clear and well organized. The author explains things such as why certain stitches work well together, how to build patterns out of combinations of other patterns, and how to make your own charts. In other words, it teaches you how to free yourself of pattern books. The given patterns, however, are very fun and beautiful to knit. I highly recommend this work to experienced knitters and beginners alike.

If you are a lace knitter and would like to have a copy of this publication, please contact the Dover Books (Customer Service) and request them to reprint this book. The more people making the request increases the probability of it getting back into print. The book is an excellent resource for learning to understand the process of lace knitting but the resale amount is utterly beyond reason. Check your local library for a copy and if they do not have one, ask the reference librarian to do an interlibrary loan, it may take a few weeks before you get it but you have not spend hundreds of dollars on it.

Meg Swansen of Schoolhouse Press is trying to get this book reprinted but has not been able to get a meeting with Brooklyn Museum officials so if you'd like to see this reprinted as much as I would, please send a letter (I never got any response to emails) to the Director of the Brooklyn Museum at at 200 Eastern Parkway, Brooklyn, NY 11238-6052 asking him to consider Ms. Swansen's request.

This is a immensely valuable resource for lace knitters and should not be available only to collectors.

The lace knitting/knitted lace patterns are uniquely presented in this book. All of the lace knitting/knitted lace patterns (there is a difference) are presented as 1 pattern for a very long scarf/sample strip.

The patterns are lovely, but the book is overpriced by the sources at Amazon.com. I checked it out from my library and simply made copies of the patterns I wanted to keep.

I have checked this book from my public library and found it clearly written, complete (in terms of how many lace patterns were reviewed), and the project, knitting a strip of dozens of lace patterns, intriguing and educational. I would like to have a copy of this book for my knitting library, to use as a reference when checking on the correct technique for a particular type of lace, for browsing for ideas for my own designs, and to have information that I need available at my fingertips.

However, the asking prices by various parties offering the book for sale seem way out of line for a book that retailed (I believe) at around $25 when it was published.

I have contacted the publisher, Taunton Press, begging them to consider re-publishing this book which is obviously in great demand. With the current situation, the used book prices are completely out of reach for a person living on disability with continuous medical bills, a mortgage, and a child for whom college looms closer every day.

Is there some way bring this situation back to reality? Paying over $100 for a book not even 25 years old is a really sorry state of affairs.

I emailed the Brooklyn Museum and was told the Museum is planning on publishing a reprint of this book next spring! When available the reprint will be listed on the Museum's website[..]

I contacted the publisher and received an e-mail reply on Nov 15, 2006. The publisher said they had no plans to reprint this book at this time. I guess, if we want the book, we are stuck finding an affordable copy. Joy.

According to the Schoolhouse Press web site this book is finally being reprinted!!!!! They say it will be available on October 15th, 2009. Look for it on Amazon.

I just saw a post in Ravelry from Meg Swansen to say they got permission to reprint this book so it will be available very soon. If you order it before 10/15/09 you can get free shipping. [...]
This book is amazing. It deconstructs a huge sampler in part 1 (over 90 "patterns") and part 2 is the best lace designing lesson you will ever get. That sentence does no justice to the actual learning value of this book. If you are interested in lace and want to understand it in a way nobody else has shown you, this is the book for you. If you want patterns to make some lace shawls or something, this book does have some value for you but you won't be happy with it.

This review was actually done on 9/20 but I had to delete my first review so I could post this one. :) I don't know why it kept the date of my original review.

Fantastic guide for the beginner knit lacer (like me).

I just purchased a used copy of the title with no library marks, no markings, etc.. In other words, in great condition, for 16.95 at www.powells.com. Worth shopping around.