The Knitting Man(ual): 20+ Projects for Guys [Hardcover]

Kristin Spurkland (Author), John Valls (Photographer)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 1, 2007

THE KNITTING MAN(UAL) presents a dynamic collection of clothing and accessories that regular guys actually want to wear. Designed to appeal to both male and female knitters, the 20+ projects are based on traditional silhouettes interpreted with modern colors and construction. Reflecting author Kristin Spurkland's Scandinavian roots, with a little vintage inspiration woven in, these straight-up and stylish projects—Nordic Hats, Sleeveless Hoodie, Go Anywhere Gloves, Saturday Morning Slippers, Retro Vest, Everyday Sweater, and more—range in complexity for knitters of all skill levels. Featuring technique photographs, clear instructions, and options for customizing yarn colors and pattern styles, THE KNITTING MAN(UAL) is a must-have guide that women will love to knit from—and men won't be embarrased to buy.Reviews“No tacky fitted sweaters or his-and-her vests here. These patterns were created by the designer and knitting teacher after a male student told her about his frustration with male patterns. From hiking socks to a sporty pullover, these patterns scream practicality and casual-cool.”—Foreword Magazine “Basics for men with a contemporary twist—THE KNITTING MAN(UAL) offers a smart collection sure to inspire anyone who knits.” —Leigh Radford, author of AlterKNITS and One Skein“Chock full of creative styles and classic knits--with valuable tips and tricks throughout—THE KNITTING MAN(UAL) is a definite go-to collection for any guy who knits.” —Michael del Vecchio, author of Knitting with Balls: A Hands-on Guide to Knitting for the Modern Man“Kristin Spurkland is one of the freshest and most exciting knitting designers today, with a keen sense of what's modern and wearable. I'm constantly amazed by her work.” —Debbie Stoller, editor-in-chief and co-publisher of BUST magazine and author of the Stitch 'n' Bitch series“I love this book and I want to knit everything in it. It's a pleasure to see knitted classics that are as fresh and thoughtfully designed as the ones here. Kristin Spurkland's THE KNITTING MAN(UAL) will be treasured by guy and girl knitters for a long, long time.” —Pam Allen, creative director at Classic Elite Yarns

Editorial Reviews

From the Publisher

* More than 20 knitting patterns for men's clothing and accessories with a contemporary commercial appeal. * Projects include sweaters, socks, hats and scarves, slippers, mittens and gloves, hoodies, throws, and more. * Featuring a range of project difficulty for knitters of all skill levels. * Geared to men who knit and women who knit for them.

About the Author

Kristin Spurkland is a freelance designer who teaches knitting and crocheting classes professionally. Her work has appeared in Vogue Knitting, Interweave Knits, Knitters, Family Circle Easy Knitting, and Knitscene, and on Knitty.com. The author of Knits from the Heart, Crochet from the Heart, and Blankets, Hats, and Booties to Knit and Crochet, Kristin stores her needles in Portland, Oregon.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 128 pages
• Publisher: Ten Speed Press; First Edition edition (September 1, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1580088457
• ISBN-13: 978-1580088459
• Product Dimensions: 8.4 x 0.7 x 9.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.5 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #821,810 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

26 of 26 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Every man who knits needs this book, June 25, 2008

By 

Jeremy Bredeson (Columbus, Ohio) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Knitting Man(ual): 20+ Projects for Guys (Hardcover)

As a male knitter, the biggest frustration is patterns. When you walk into a knitting shop and look at patterns, you'll find approximately thirty-seven billion patterns for women and children, and four for men: one sweater, one pair of socks, one hat and one scarf. This is only a slight exaggeration. The same holds true for books in any given bookstore: hundreds for women, one (or zero) for men.

When presented with The Knitting Man(ual), I admit to some skepticism. I'd seen books of knitting patterns for men written by women (most of whom wrote the patterns for what they'd like to see on the men in their lives or even what they'd like to knit for the men in their lives and then steal to wear) that left me feeling the entire range of emotions from mild disappointment to full-on disdain. To say that I'm a skeptic about certain subjects would be like saying that the surface of the sun is a little warm.

The Knitting Man(ual) is a great collection. The introduction is a fun read; the techniques section is mercifully short and concise. And then there's the patterns themselves. Classic styling, good-to-fantastic instructions and charts, very little confusion (admittedly, I was thrown off by the picture for the Seaweed Throw vs. the chart -- the photo shows the throw turned at a 90 degree angle to the chart; turn one sideways), and wonderful color choices for the knitted models make this book a good choice for all knitters.

Admittedly, there are some patterns that didn't thrill me (such as the Saturday Morning Slippers), but then there were some delightful (and I don't use that word often) surprises, like the Everyday Sweater. That little flash of color in an otherwise solid sweater is a wonderful touch that makes it less boring to knit a plain-colored stockinette sweater.

One of the best features of this book is that a good portion of the patterns have multiple variations. The Nordic Hat has three different versions. The Hiking Socks have two separate lengths, complete with the bare minimum of instruction on how to change them to make them bigger. The Classic Socks are fantastic, with two different versions, a plain-color textured version and a multicolored striped version. I'm a sucker for texture, and the bias ribbing on the calf of these socks is fun and isn't just a plain stockinette tube.

Kristin Spurkland has put together a strong, masculine collection of patterns that male knitters and female knitters alike can appreciate and enjoy. The colors are bold; the yarn selections are thoughtful both in feel and price. The textures will keep interest focused on the design, the construction, and (ultimately) the person wearing the garment. The designs are classic and very male. If you knit for men, this book would be a very good selection for your knitting library and will hold your interest for a good long time.

16 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Really Good, September 22, 2007

By 

R.Davis "Rglazapple" (Wichita,KS) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Knitting Man(ual): 20+ Projects for Guys (Hardcover)

I really like the fact the sweater patterns in this book are simple and straightforward. There is colorwork for those with more advanced skills, so this book should appeal to a wide audience.
I am a begining knitter, but I am starting on a sweater from this book now. I LOVE the sock patterns! This is one of the first books that has realistic "man sized" socks.The vest was a little geeky, but if your man likes vests, it should work beautifully. Instructions are clear and a good summary of basic skills.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great book!, August 28, 2010

By 

Tim TenClay - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Knitting Man(ual): 20+ Projects for Guys (Hardcover)

This is my favorite knitting book; I recommend it frequently.

I've made many of the patterns and been happy with every one of them.