Men's Knits: 20 New Classics [Paperback]

Erika Knight (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 1, 2009

Whether you’re a man or a woman, chances are you’re holding this book because you want to find the right knitting project for a man in your life—be it your husband, your dad, or your best friend. But men are difficult to buy clothes for, not to mention knit for. They don’t want anything fussy, or too trendy. The color palette needs to be classic and the yarn should be soft but§ durable. They want something comfortable they can wear for years.

So join knitter extraordinaire Erika Knight as she takes on the knitwear that men love. Knight started her career designing menswear and over the decades she’s completely figured out their clothes-buying mentality. In Men’s Knits, she applies that expertise to come up with 20 projects that guys are sure to wear. Using classic shapes, a mostly neutral palette (but with some teals and chocolates thrown in for the slightly flashier guy), and natural yarns like wool, bamboo, and hemp, every piece is distinctive and stylish.

For men young and old, these designs will become the sweaters, vests, scarves, and hats they reach for again and again. The zipper cardigan is perfect for both reading the paper on Sunday morning and a casual dinner with friends on Sunday night. The herringbone sweater will impress his future boss at his next interview, or his future in-laws at their next family gathering. The argyle vest works on every man, whether he’s buttoned-up or laid back. Together, they’ll be the new classics you’ll want to knit, give, and maybe even borrow for years to come.

Whether it’s a textured vest or a hand-dyed sweater, you’re sure to find something that’ll look good on the man in your life–and not end up forever buried in his bureau.

Editorial Reviews

From Booklist

*Starred Review* What does it take to make a new classic sweater? The answers are: attention to detail; meticulously following directions; using luxurious yarns such as alpaca, cashmere, and even hemp; and creating shapes that echo the training of world-renowned British author-designer Knight, who puts her background in menswear tailoring to the best of all possible uses, sharing 20 patterns exclusively for men. The first chapter delves into more know-how than how-to’s; its contents cover types of yarn and garment care, not casting on and off or the stitches of knitting and purling. The rest of her book showcases 25 men and a dog (Rufus) wearing 20 sharp, well-designed knits that will look good no matter the man’s age or size. In fact, all patterns—in addition to materials, gauge, and directions—feature full-color finished photographs of the garment worn by different male models. Count these among Knight’s new classics: an ombre-striped full zip cardigan; a bulked-up collegiate cable sweater; and vests in plain style, argyle, or checkered patterns. Recommended yarns listed. --Barbara Jacobs

About the Author

Renowned knitwear designer ERIKA KNIGHT is the author of more than ten acclaimed craft books including Simple Crochet and Classic Knits. She currently resides in Brighton, England.

Product Details

• Paperback: 144 pages
• Publisher: Potter Craft (September 1, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0307460495
• ISBN-13: 978-0307460493
• Product Dimensions: 7.6 x 0.4 x 9.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #133,315 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

18 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Great pattern book of men's knit basics!, May 16, 2010

By 

Timothy R. Peters "Timmy" (Ohio, USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Men's Knits: 20 New Classics (Paperback)

I think the one-star review is unwarranted. This book of men's patterns is exactly what I've been looking for. My favorite features:

-A photographic table of contents (as opposed to pattern names in text only) gives you at-a-glance knowledge of the patterns; that is, you can simply open the book, and on the first couple pages, you see every pattern inside and its page number. I knew within 30 seconds whether I wanted the book or not, instead of spending 5-10 minutes scrutinizing every page to see if any of the patterns even suited my style.

-Flexible sizing: finally, a men's book of patterns that doesn't START at size 42" chest for every pattern. I'm very thin, and rewriting patterns meant for barrel-chested or stocky men isn't the type of easy knitting experience I'm looking for. This book has many patterns that start at 36", making it more appropriate for thin or thin/athletic body types, or even just for those who like zero or negative ease in their garments. I simply knit a slightly finer guage, and it sizes the garments down to my frail 33" chest.

-Masculine designs and color suggestions! I must say, many "men's" patternbooks are filled with bright colors and shocking color combinations, ultra fancy (and feminine) stitchery, novelty yarns, and many other feminine or even grandma-style designs. These are all great for a variety of projects, but the simple truth is that men want classic, simple, fully-fashioned garments with muted colors, and the photos and models reflect this. If you happen to love brighter colors, then simply use a different color yarn to complete the project, or add some flashy stripes! This is totally logical, and is not a negative aspect of this book, or of any pattern! It's knitter's choice when it comes to these details.

In short, this book has the best designs for men, and although some of them are ultra-simple (a couple of rather identical, very basic cardigans), overall this book represents the best in modern, classic knitting for men. I prefer it to the oddly-sized Rowan patterns, which often feature whacky colorwork or overdesigned elements.

16 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Just what i was looking for., February 7, 2010

By 

Pearl Wise (New York, USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Men's Knits: 20 New Classics (Paperback)

I'm really surprised by the poor review one person gave here. I couldn't disagree more. The designs are exactly what I've been looking for--masculine, chic, up to date. I'm already making the cabled cardigan and look forward to making several other designs for the men in my family. Yes, the yarns specified are expensive, but all you have to do is substitute another yarn that knits to the same gauge--a no-brainer. The only negative is the thinner yarns and needles called for in a few of the designs--I prefer bigger needles and thicker yarn myself.

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The best knitting book for current sweaters for men, July 1, 2010

By 

NeedledAtNarberth "nan" (narberth, pennsylvania) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Men's Knits (Paperback)

I have desperately been trying to find good knitting patterns for sweaters for guys in their twenties. This pattern book is a breath of fresh air from the tired or non-existent or ugly patterns I find in the knitting stores I frequent in Pennsylvania, New York, New Hampshire, and Vermont. Get ahead of the trend--COOL hand-knit sweaters for guys are stylish. I just wish someone in the knitting store or pattern business in the U.S. understood that. The instructions are straight-forward and clear. The criticism of the person who gave the one-star review is unwarranted in that the author has thoughtfully offered options for her knitters--a boxier (that is, bigger) sweater on a larger needle or a slimmer-fit sweater crafted on a smaller needle. It is the second option that makes this knitting book for men so up-to-date. I am specifically referring to the v-neck cardigan, which I am currently knitting with Rowan Felted Tweed (as opposed to the Bamboo Tape used in the book). For those who prefer quick projects with heavy yarn on large needles, the instructions are there, but also available are the patterns for sweaters to be layered or worn on days of moderate temperature. The latter are knitted on smaller needles, but that fact is critical. This is the second time that I am using the exact same yarn (even the same color) for a sweater for my son. The first time I used size 6 needles: after a year's wear, the sweater has stretched to a size larger than intended. The pattern that calls for size 5 needles in *Men's Knits* makes that important difference in tight, uniform knitting.