Customer Reviews

Lacy Little Knits: Clingy, Soft & A Little Risque

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(6)
3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

This collection of mostly tops is innovative and very pretty. I like the different ways the authors uses loose and open stitches in her patterns and the effects she gets without requiring the reader to have much actual lace knitting know how. The cover design is a take off on the "Scribble Lace" technique introduced by Debbie New in Unexpected Knitting. In that book it was cutting edge and altogether new, and this author is able to use the technique very well. It's too bad she didn't give some credit to the person who brought that technique to the table.

My favorite pattern by far is the Diagonals in Flight Cardigan. It's lovely from beginning to end and the models are gorgeous older women. I just love that!

However, I have some concerns about the book in general. I am cautious about any book that serves mostly as a brochure for a yarn company. Although I like many of the designs, this book is just that. The yarn company's website is given for further reference after each and every pattern type. To access their free bonus patterns they want to send them to you via e-mail rather than publishing them on their sight. Not for me. I also checked out the prices of some of the author's yarns and found them to be excessively pricey. Not surprisingly, yarn substitution is discouraged by the author. Had I known that these patterns were written for a specific yarn, I would never have purchased the book. For me, any pattern that assumes the knitter will knit only with a certain yarn, and that yarn only, isn't worth looking at. I believe that patterns should be written according to a stockinette gauge in order to finally fit an actual body, not to cater to and show off a yarn which may or may not be around next week. My personal quirk.

This brings me to my second concern. In many of the patterns, the gauge is measured over the pattern stitch. That means to me that a knitter either has to knit an alternate small project or two, for which there are no directions, and then calculate the gauge from that, or else has to do a lot of extra knitting with expensive yarn. Additionally, measuring gauge over a pattern stitch, especially an open stitch is incredibly difficult--this in a book that says it's for creating "hassle-free lace designs."

The author says that she's thrown out the rules, the line by line directions and charts and will teach knitters how to intuitively understand how to build the next row. I didn't find this to be the case. Indeed, there were no charts, but the directions were actually quite line by line and not at all intuitive. The concept of lining up pattern repeats or offsetting by one stitch every other row isn't intuitive, but simple common sense that nearly every knitter already has.

Finally, if you're a lace knitter, know that this book doesn't deal with actual lace patterns, as far as traditional lace patterns go. They're highly repetitive, use yarn overs, and feature very loose knitting with very expensive luxury yarns, but they're not true lace, in the sense of comparison with Shetland lace or classical lace. The techniques used include garter drop stitch, yarn over chevrons and triangles, scribble lace slip stitch, and some simple garter stitch laces.

All that being said, the tops are really quite lovely. All stitches are simple, but as stated above, they are used with very nice results. There is simple shaping and the stitches used create a body hugging garment in many cases, thus the "clingy" subtitle. I don't know about the "soft" part, but there isn't anything risque unless they're worn without undergarments. It's a pretty book and it provides some nice inspiration for me. The photography is nice and the models are pretty and normal looking. I especially like that part.

Bottom line, if you're not willing or able to use the exact yarns given in the book, some at $20+ per skein, you may be in for a difficult go of it. Even if you do use the exact yarns, the differences in how each person knits could set you up for a failure. The prospect of a flopped project at those prices is horrific to me, but perhaps there are other knitters who are braver than I am about that. As for me, I'll make my own lacy creations loosely based on the photographs and diagrams, but out of my own hand spun yarns, and the tried and true wools and cottons that are so readily available and that I love so much.

totally dependant on artyarns yarns. It will be VERY difficult to sub the yarns here, since the stitches are so simple that most of the effect comes from the actual yarns; many designs seem to use 2, 3 or more of their yarns, and like I said, the effect is mainly from their colours and a few yarnovers.... I'm in Europe, and thus depend on internet shopping to buy their stuff, which not many of the suppliers I know sell. And I am wary of shopping at too many different sites... I tend to stick to my few good suppliers that I trust. She does give amounts and types of yarn at the start of the pattern, then at the end she details which of her yarns have been used. But in the long intro, she says that subbing has to be done very carefully, as weight is not enough indication, the designs may not work unless the yarns are extremely similar.....

So yes, I feel more than a little ripped off. This book should have been called Lacy little knits by artyarns or something to that effect. Exquisite little knits was different. Her designs used a mix of yarns by different manufacturers. Much more user friendly.

There are some very pretty things in here, the prettiest is actually the cover look. There's also a ruffly lacey cardi which is cute. But I don't really like some of the designs - there are a tad too many modular thingies.... shrugs, shawls and so on - and I am not a fan of modular knitting, so if that's your thing, you will like this book - taste differs!

PS Conservative ladies, don't worry - unless you wear the two cardis mentioned above and a very strange halter top over bare skin, nothing in here is at all risque. Unless European and American meanings differ greatly....

I met Iris once when she came to my town (in Israel) and she was knitting something for this book so I knew I wanted to own it and I am really pleased with it. Many of the items are very appealing to me and most of them are quite simple to make. Instructions seem to be very thorough with all the information I need except for one thing: the yarns called for do not have listed anywhere their weight category in the knitting standards and in addition many of the items call for using 2 yarns together so if you have to substitute and I have to, then I must go by the gauge. This means a lot more work for me. All of the yarns are made by her husband's company and because it is American and the postage has become impossible for international sales, I can't recommend this book to anyone outside the western hemisphere. Five stars anyway because it's a lovely book.

The designs in this book are not risque, but they are light and somewhat see-through. Most of the models are wearing camisoles--which are really for very slim, non-busty types. Even though the pattern sizing does run larger, most of the designs, imho, would not look good on average/larger sized women who need to wear more substantial undergarments--in this respect, the book is similar to Loop D Loop. Two exceptions are the Diagonals in Flight Sweater (although if I'm wearing a sweater, I want it to be warm) and the Chevron Ruana--they would look good on most women.

On the other hand, if some of these designs were made in some nice (and much less expensive!) cotton, or linen, they would make great bathing suit cover-ups. But you're going to have to do a lot of swatching, because the author provides no substitution information. Start with the needle sizes mentioned in each pattern and go from there with your yarn choices.

I love many of the designs, but would use them more for inspiration, because I would want to definitely use different yarns on most of them. Also, I found the directions to be written in a rather convoluted manner, which just adds to the annoyance factor.

Decent book, but do check it out of your library first to see if the patterns are to your taste.

Unique designs using different gauge & content yarns in combination. The styles are pretty and demure. This is not a book for you if you're looking for "edgy" styles. The ones using one yarn are fine for beginners, but the combo patterns are definitely intermediate level (and time-consuming). Includes modular-style patterns and a detailed techniques section. My one complaint is that the author's yardage recommendations JUST HAPPEN to coincide with the yarn she uses, which of course, are all to be from her own company, ARTYARNS. I.e. a small lacy beanie hat doesn't require 379 yards. One needs about 1/3 of that. Humph! Also there are supposedly free bonus patterns you get if you go to her website. I e-mailed over a week ago and still haven't received them. Hmmm.

I'm a 53 year old woman who can see herself making several projects from this book. Some might be considered a little risque, but I think they're quite lovely. I'm happy with my purchase!Lacy Little Knits: Clingy, Soft & A Little Risque

Most of it designed for 18 year old girls size 2. There were 2 older models in there, one of whom looked ridiculous in the childish top she was wearing. Lots of the designs you have to make in little pieces and then put together. I am sorry I bought it, won't use a single design in it. I am an experienced knitter with 50 years experience.

I love this book. After looking at the images I knew I had to have it. I'm working on one of the Chevron Ruana now. I will definitely make good use of it, and will definitely tell all my knitting friends about this book.

This book is well written, easy to follow and contains unique, feminine patterns to choose from. I'm glad to have it in my knitting library.

They are all over my head at this time, so I haven't tried any of them. I do love the way the patterns look, enough so that I think I'll buy the yarn used to get the exact look. Since I haven't tried any of the patterns yet, I'm going to only give this a 4, better than neutral, but I hold high hopes. There are so many lovely patterns, the only thing that would lower my opinion is if I find the book riddled with errors (and no errata readily available and easy to find).