Lace Style [Paperback]

Pam Allen (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: February 2007

With an emphasis on innovative designs that range from simple to complex, this collection of contemporary knitting projects includes garments and accessories for women. Featuring projects with a sense of style that will appeal to knitters of all ages, it includes designs for socks, hats, sweaters, dresses, and shrugs. A basic primer on knitting lace that is closely linked to the projects in the book includes information on how to knit lace, choosing yarn and needles, types of increases and decreases, reading charts, simple ways to achieve a lacy effect, ways to incorporate lace designs in knitting patterns, and information on blocking. Each pattern has detailed step-by-step instructions, lavish lifestyle photographs, and plenty of detail shots. Experienced knitters looking for inspiration and beginners trying lace knitting for the first time will find everything needed to knit lace with confidence.

Editorial Reviews

From Booklist

A lovely addition to Interweave's Style series, this collection of beautiful lace patterns will appeal to knitters interested in lacework regardless of skill level. Projects range in size and complexity--small to large, socks to sweaters. Unlike many pattern books that provide only one or two pictures of each project, projects in this collection of modern knits designed by 18 fiber artists are illustrated with multiple color pictures photographed from many angles, including several close-up images that highlight project details, giving readers a wonderful sense of what the garment looks like from all sides. In the "Design Notebook" section, the authors break down the components of lacework stitch by stitch, explaining how yarn overs and decrease combine to create holes of various sizes. Illustrations and photographs are useful for explaining concepts and techniques so readers can better understand the structure of the projects as well as design their own lace patterns. A useful reference for a technique that intimidates many knitters. Jennifer Palmer
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

Review

"A valuable collection for knitters wishing to take their lace knitting to a higher level."  —Library Journal

"Ooh-la-la!"  —The News & Observer

"Presents the whole spectrum of holey projects, not all achieved in the expected yarn-over, double decrease method—some employ drop stitching; others, huge needles, thinner yarn."  —Yarn Market News

"Five out of five stars! I just love it. This is a wonderful book."  —Knitting News

"Beautiful, wearable garments from several popular designers. I was delighted with the wide variety of garments and expertise levels presented."  —All Info About Knitting.com

"This is one of the most accessible lace knitting books on the market and well worth bookshelf space."  —Monsters and Critics.com

"Lace knitting might conjure up images of old-fashioned shawls and bed spreads, but this new book shows how this addictive knitting technique can look fresh, exciting and fashionable."  —Knit Today magazine (UK)

"The innovative and contemporary designs in this book are absolutely amazing!"  —KLIATT

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 160 pages
• Publisher: Interweave Press (February 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1596680288
• ISBN-13: 978-1596680289
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 8.5 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (30 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #486,229 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

62 of 62 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Lace for the fashionable knitter, young or old, February 23, 2007

By 

Joanna Daneman (Middletown, DE USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Lace Style (Paperback)

There are a plethora of lace books for knitting; about five years ago, knitters discovered that lace knitting is hypnotic despite its complications (you get a "song" in your head as you repeat the pattern, according to knitting guru Meg Swansen.) And the results are magical--delicate webs of astonishing beauty with very little yarn can be made by most intermediately experienced knitters.

This new book is refreshing in that it does not call for only cobweb-fine yarn. In fact, a lot of the patterns are made from bulkier yarn including the cover model, which is a very nicely designed loose jacket that would fit most people and is eye-catching in a peridot shade of yarn. It's knit in a medium bulky weight yarn despite its look of a light cardigan. This model would be great for any knitter to try out lace as it is not particularly complicated, and the result is fashionable for minimal effort. This is a tempting pattern, a light jacket you can throw over jeans or a good pair of slacks--I plan to make one soon.

There are more ambitious projects--including Shirley Paden's lace dress. This designer is known for her figure-skimming fit and this dress is no exception. Done in an eye-catching arrowhead-like lace pattern, it is calf-length and done in an aqua-sapphire tone. For the fashion-conscious knitter with a good figure, this would be quite a beautiful dress, possibly something you'd take on a cruise or wear for going out on cool summer evenings.

There are some shawls, none terribly difficult, and shrugs, those short bolero-like jackets that go well with backless dresses. Hats and socks and a few other items round out the patterns.

There is a how-to section about lace knitting and shaping, so beginning knitters will find that with some study, this may push up their skill a notch or two and get them into some sophisticated results while still being able to knit fairly quickly with thicker yarns. The experienced knitter will find plenty of interesting designs. The emphasis is more on shape and fit here, and less on the intricacies of the lace itself as in Shetland or Orenburg lace knitting.

Most knitters will like this book if they enjoy textural and lace knitting or are looking for fashionable pieces that are wearable. I give this book a big-thumbs up.

58 of 58 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A nice collection of wearable patterns, June 20, 2007

By 

Camy Tang "Romance novels with a kick of wasabi" (San Jose, CA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Lace Style (Paperback)

I enjoy this book quite a bit. The patterns are things I would definitely knit and wear.

There are not many shawls or scarves in this book. It focuses more on lacy garments. While some reviewers were hoping for more shawls, I was very pleased to have less of those and more things I could wear.

Here are the patterns:

1--Just Right Wrap, a hip-length wrap jacket
2--The Point About Cuffs, lacy cuffs to be worn under a blazer or long-sleeve jacket
3--Lily of the Valley Shawl
4--Floral Lace Anklets, cute lace socks
5--Lace-Edged Corset, a strappy tank top
6--Featherlight Lingerie Dress, an airy dress-like top shown worn over a tank top and tights (it's too short to be a dress, but as a top, you still need to wear something under it)
7--Little Silk Shrug
8--The Essential Tank Top
9--Tailored Scallops, a very cute cardigan jacket (pictured on the cover)
10--Ooh La Lace Dress and Stole, a fitted mock turtleneck sleeveless ankle-length dress and matching stole (I don't care for the mock turtleneck and will probably try to knit it without it.)
11--Retro Redux Shrug, a little larger than the Silk Shrug
12--Katharine Hepburn Cardigan, which can be made hip-length or ultra-cropped
13--Long Long Lacy Gloves, fingerless
14--Peek-a-Boo Cloche hat
15--Show-Off Ruffle Skirt, fitted with a nice twisted rib pattern
16--Leg Cozies (leg warmers)
17--Lacy Waves Top, a 3/4 sleeve sweater
18--Greta Garbo Garden Hat, a wonderfully flamboyant hat knitted and then shaped using blocking and wiring
19--Never Wimpy Wimple, can be worn over your head or down around your neck like a scarf
20--Sterling and Crystal Cuff, a bracelet knit with silver wire and Swarovski glass crystals
21--Shetland Shawl Turned Vest, a tank top with straps crossed in back

Some of the patterns were things I couldn't see myself ever knitting, but the majority of the designs were exactly what I was looking for--lacy, wearable garments. The cardigans and shrugs can be worn dressy or casual, which is great for someone pragmatic like me.

33 of 36 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Another winner in Interweave's Style series, February 21, 2007

By 

Carol S. (Pennsylvania) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Lace Style (Paperback)

Interweave Press is consistently producing some of the most interesting and inspiring knitting books on the market. Lace Style is the latest entry in their Style series, and features 21 patterns which use lace. Some are the kinds of patterns you'd expect -- a lace stole, socks -- while others use lace as stitch patterns in entire garments. The book cherrypicks from many of today's top designers, including Joan McGowan-Michaels, Veronik Avery, and Nancy Bush, to name a few. High production values with lots of color photography and tips in the back for how to work with lace and use it in your own designs. Lovely patterns, inspiring and challenging -- another winner.