Customer Reviews

Maggie's Ireland: Designer Knits on Location

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

What a breath of fresh air!

I opened this book and was remided that knitting -- and textiles, design, and clothing -- have the potential to be both art and craft simultaneously. It doen't necessarily happen often, but it does happen... and it happens here in "Maggie's Ireland."

Beyond mere function (warmth and protection from the elements) the spun fleece of goats, rabbits, llamas, and fat little sheep and lambs have the potential to become wearable works of art, with all the aesthetic leaps of faith that implies.

These garments are not cardis, jumpers, pullovers, t-shirts, and socks -- all fine knitted goods in their own right. Instead, they go beyond just being what we need to survive -- they are the dusters, wraps and delights of imagination that refuse to conform to expectations and preconceptions of what handknitted craft should be. These are not mass produced ideas, and there won't be 16 people in your knitting circle all wearing the same raglan sleeved, solid color cardigan with 2 inches of ribbing at the bottom from this book. The designs instead take us from simply what we NEED to survive into the far reaches of what we WANT and what we revel in.

This is a book full of inspiration for those who require inspiration before committing their time, energy, and the fleece of some generous animal to hours of focus and imagination.

Moreover, the book itself is beautiful -- filled with the lush greens of Ireland that most folks never get to see for themselves and so just assume it's all a matter of Madison Avenue invention. But the colors and the knitting are both real -- and have the combined aesthetic impact of nature's overwhelming possibilities.

This is the work of dreamers and communicators. Every garment and object says something distinct and emotional about its maker and its wearer.

If you want servicable, econimical, and hard wearing, go to Walmart and get yourself some acrylic yarn.

The designs in this book are amazingly beautiful. Maggie uses a lot of interesting, but uncomplicated texture in her handknits. With simple garter ridges, bobbles, tubes, slits, and seed (moss) stiches, her designs are undeniably breathtaking. I love how she mixes natural fibers such as mohair and linen to produce lovely, attention-getting garments. Maggie's artistry is absolutely inspiring. You won't find the typical stockinette cardigan or ho-hum pullover in her book. Instead, you will find creative designs that many will notice when you knit one. Thank you, Maggie, for sharing your awesome designs. Your book is wonderful!

Not at all what I expected. The photography is beautiful, but with the exception of about two patterns (the only two I'd seen before I bought the book - big mistake!), every pattern seems to be a boxy, shapeless tube made in funky raggedy knitting - more pop art than garment, reminiscent of the seventies. There are some very cute and funky hats ... but most of the sweaters I won't ever make.

Maggie really thinks out of the box. I just finished taking two classes from her and she is absolutely delightful. All her books have wonderful and inovative designs in them. These are not for people who are afraid to use knitting as an art form and who are afraid of trying something different.

LOVED, LOVED, LOVED it! Checked this book out of the library last night and just had to order it immediately. Spent the last week combing through local bookstores looking for knitting inspiration. All I found was the same old boring books/patterns/styles. Obviously this book is not for everyone, but for the rest of us it's a great gift. Not sure how to categorize Maggie's funky styling - kinda nomad meets the goddess? Asymetrical, richly textured designs. Reminds me of Tienda Ho fashions in California. Check out the incredible sweater coats! For those of us who prefer the road less traveled, this is a pot of gold at the end of a rainbow.

I am a passionate fan of Aran knitting, and could not wait to get my hands on this book. To be brutally honest, I was shocked at the wierd, ugly garments in this book -- to call them "designer" is an insult to designers like Elizabeth Zimmerman, Meg Swansen, Alice Starmore, Lily Chin, Debra Newton, etc. Who on earth would wear such stuff? Even the dog sweather is totally ridiculous. I was hoping for some fresh, new Aran designs, expecting some designs to be trendy, but not this--this stuff is just plain bizarre. I will admit -- there are some beautiful pictures in this book, but if that's what you're looking for, then get a coffee table book on Ireland. I can't imagine anyone spending their precious time and money making any of these items -- where on earth would you wear them?

Maggie, you rock sister! All I need now is the figure to wear your gorgeous designs! I love your romantic coat tails, the inspiration of linen in your color sense (I crave warm neutrals). If anyone has seen and liked Indigo Knits and Shibori Felted Knits, you will see much design inspiration for their patterns from Maggie's designs. In reference to one of the reviewers above, I never saw Elizabeth Zimmerman as a designer, but rather as a technical knitter, and while I do appreciate Alice Starmore's work, her colors are so dark and heavy. These designs are light and airy, romantic, feminine, and elegant. I've never been to Ireland, but as an Irish American, I felt that I had seen the home of my ancestors for the first time, and fell in love. I'm ashamed to say I never new that linen was such a big part of Irish history, just seeing the warm golden silky flax made me want to become a part of that era. There is really only one design in the book that is avant garde, and I bet the designer had a blast breaking all the rules and going for something totally new and different! Its gorgeous to look at and more power to the knitter who has the panache to carry off this look and be more admired for it! My personal favorites are the O'Toole TableMat (raggedy my eye, this is a piece of art that I would bask in the warmth of its presence all my life - it brings home the ocean and all its color, warmth and texture - absolutely ingenious combination of textures, soft warm cozy faded denim, dreamy fluffs of pale blue angel hair, and flecks of linen in willowly waves of open lacework), the Cashel Cusion (made in gorgeous linen and ivory mohair - a piece de resistance for casual elegance in the home), and the Connemara Coat (long, elegant turn of the century romance made from ivory mohair and linen)- once I put it on I would have a hard time taking it off! Thank you Maggie from one ocean gal to another, you gifts have created a spark in my knitting life!

This book came to me in GREAT used condition. It was well worth the hunt and wait, instead of buying it new from my local area. The book was packed very well and I received it in a very timely fashion. My hats off to the seller and thank you very much!

I give this book 1 star for the beautiful photography and a 2nd star for the well-done, readable layout and high-quality stock. The author and publisher obviously cared about putting together a gorgeous book, and it shows.

The unusual garments are another matter. Unconventional, unexpected designs entice me when they capitalize on color, texture, and creative design details, while flattering the body they're worn on. These, however, are so eccentric and ill-fitting that that I find them bizarre and unattractive. Sometimes a knitting book or magazine may not include any designs I would make, but I can still be inspired by some of the work and find an individual design element or two that would be fun to incorporate into a future knitting project. Not so with this book, though--nothing appealed.

From the reviews, it's clear that some people love the book. Given the idiosyncrasy of the designs, try to go through the book at your library first before spending money on it.

With lush photos and fun, funky patterns, this knitting book is a must-have! It is a gorgeous book, and I am really glad that Maggie chose to have her pieces photographed with such authenticity in her homeland. The colors and textures come to life, and you can see where Maggie's inspiration and genius come from.