Customer Reviews

Lavish Lace: Knitting with Hand-Painted Yarns

5 star:		(8)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

Out of the many books on lace this is the one that is definitely holding my attention for a long time. Knitting lace is one technique that has befuddled me but on the first read-through of this great book - I already understand basic how's and why's of lace knitting.

With this explanation packed book one can go way beyond the basics - you have basic explanations and then you have the directions to "see" / envision your lace project in another light. I like the layout of the book - clear charts and photos, how-to design sidelines, very clear explanations and directions for envisioning your project.

This is a must have for lace knitters. The only problem I have is that all the patterns are charted. I prefer to knit from written instructions. Many times, both are included, but not in this book. The photos are very nice. There is a nice variety of projects also. Just be prepared for charts.

If you've never knit lace before, and are afraid of complicated instructions, fine yarn, and tiny needles, this book is for you. Each project is explained with simple charts and extra tips including "Beginner's Edge", "Technical Tips", and "Learning Curve". If you go through the projects in order, you will build on your skills and be an expert before you finish the book.

If you are an experienced lace knitter, this book will help you explore your creativity as you test swatches with different yarns, play with different colorways, and let your imagination go wild. You will find that lace knitting can be modern and stylish, as well as old-fashioned and elegant.

If you are thinking about buying this book to learn more about lace knitting, stop thinking and buy it today! You won't regret it.

This is a good lace learner's book. The projects develop from very simple to more complex. For each project there is an excellent discussion of yarn, needles, and the pattern as well as the author's inspiration for the project. Unfortunately, the author tries too hard to justify the yarn selection. It's clear she has a friend who dyes the yarn and is trying to showcase the yarn often at the expense of the lace pattern.

For each project, there are photos and discussion of the pattern knit in other yarns. Then, in a section called "learning curve" there is an explanation of what you should be learning and why this project fits in this position in the sequence. The "technical tips" section shows that Cheryl Potter understands lace and is a fine teacher of lace knitting.

However, the book as two tragic flaws. First, the yarns selected mask the glories of the lace. A begining lace knitter needs to see the pattern clearly. And, if I'm going to the trouble to knit lace, I don't want anything to hide the pattern. Second, the photos don't show off the lace. None of the photographs made me want to knit the project.

This book is a good addition to a collection of lace books, but won't stand alone.

I liked this book so well, I ordered a second copy as a gift for a dear friend. I won't always be able to afford the hand-painted yarns to work with, but even just using less expensive yarns will still create some truly beautiful works of art. The patterns aren't difficult to follow, and the results are worth the concentration! I highly recommend this book!

I was expecting a little more out of this book than an advertisement for various hand-painted yarns, but alas, that's all it amounted to. The designs were all for short (and I do mean short; nothing you could wrap around your neck and still have tails left) scarves and a shawl or two created with designs that you could find in just about every single pattern book out there. There's one triangle shawl, for example, that uses only the blackberry stitch--I was expecting just a bit more than that.

The one nice thing about this book is that it offers comparisons between yarn types; it offers a sample of what the design looks like in, say, a worsted and a sport weight. However, this doesn't counter the fact that the scarves are rather unappealing, frumpy, and not really useful for keeping someone warm; perhaps the first two are a personal opinion, but I'd really like to see someone attempt to keep warm with a 2' long scarf.

Your money is better spent on "Folk Shawls" if you're interested in keeping warm, and any number of lovely lacework books if lace scarves are what you're in it for.

This is truly a lovely book to look at. The patterns are easy to read, and the yarns used are gorgeous. The photography leaves a little to be desired--at the top of each pattern is the item displayed in a somewhat haphazard manner. Only one brand of yarn is used throughout the book, but it can easily be substituted with your favourite handpaint. The only thing I was somewhat disappointed in was the standard shawl and scarf patterns presented. I was hoping for some daring, unique lace patterns, but that was not to be. If you like traditional lace projects, then this is the book for you. If you're looking for something more cutting edge, then you may want to look elsewhere.

This is a good book for the beginning lace knitter. The instructions are clear and complete. All the lace patterns are charted so it is also a good introduction to reading lace charts.

My biggest complaint is that only one brand of yarn was used and it wasn't always easy to figure out what would be a suitable substitute. Also by using variegated yarn the lace pattern was frequently difficult to see in the photographs. those criticisms aside, I think this book is worth it if you want to learn to knit lace.

This was my first attempt at knitting lace. As someone that considers herself to be an experienced knitter, I was sadly disappointed at the level of frustration that I experienced. The author could have given a lot more attention to helpful hints and guidance rather than the self-indulgent commentary on her designs. But, what really makes me say "not recommended", was that after all the frustration, I reached a point in the pattern that wasn't working. I did the math and realized that the instructions were wrong. This was all very maddening. When one pays for a book of patterns, you want to have the confidence that what you are following is correct.

An AWESOME book which dispells the myth that all lace must be made with itty-bitty yarn and needles. After finding this book in my local library, I was so moved that I had to buy a copy from Amazon. Almost finished with the first pattern and have found incredible passion towards lace knitting - even on a size 5 needle. A must have for all knitters!!