Never Knit Your Man a Sweater (Unless You've Got the Ring) [Paperback]

Judith Durant (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: December 7, 2006

Is he sweater-worthy? According to Judith Durant no man deserves a sweater until the relationship has progressed to the level of long-term commitment. It’s just too risky to put all that time and effort and love into a knitted garment for a man who might be long gone by the time the sweater actually looks like a sweater.

But knitters do want to make soft, warm things for the people they love — new boyfriends included. So what is the proper project for the it’s been-four-dates-and-we’re-having-a-great-time guy? The Dinner Date Scarf, customized with the colors of his favorite sports team, doesn’t scare him with thoughts of commitment but does give him something warm he’ll be happy to wear to football games.

Simple, shaped projects should be saved for more serious, exclusive relationships. Mittens, socks, and hats are all perfect for that semi-committed phase — they require a little more time and effort but can be quickly dropped if things don’t work out after all. Only when the ring is in hand should work begin on the merino/cotton blend Half-Zip Pullover, a classic, not-too-heavy sweater he will wear for years.

Knit items are excellent gifts for men; they just have to be given at the appropriate time. With Never Knit Your Man a Sweater Unless You’ve Got the Ring, Durant not only warns stitchers about appropriate project-to-relationship ratios, she offers 22 of the smartest patterns available for men’s clothing and accessories.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Judith Durant is the editor of the best-selling One-Skein knitting books and the author of Never Knit Your Man a Sweater* (*unless you’ve got the ring!). She is also a founding editor of Interweave Knits magazine and a contributor to Interweave Knits, Beadwork, and Piecework magazines.

Product Details

• Paperback: 184 pages
• Publisher: Storey Publishing, LLC (December 7, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1580176461
• ISBN-13: 978-1580176460
• Product Dimensions: 10 x 8.5 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (11 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #110,178 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

In the late 1970s, Emerson College in Boston granted me a highly useful degree in theater, with a specialty in costume design. After spending several years hanging around the costume shops in New York trying to make ends meet, I was fortunate enough to land a publishing job; I've been working as an editor and writer ever since.

My mom taught me to knit when I was a young girl. The beadwork thing got serious while I was working as the book editor for Interweave Press. Many other crafty things have presented themselves along the way, and as a result I'm never bored.

Originally from Massachusetts, I spent fifteen years in New York City, then six and one-half in Colorado; the past six years have been spent back in Massachusetts. Retiring in France is a current dream.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

19 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars For more than just girlfriends!, January 29, 2007

By 

Evelyn Uyemura (Torrance, CA USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Never Knit Your Man a Sweater (Unless You've Got the Ring) (Paperback)

I haven't knit any of the articles in this book, so I don't know if they knit up as beautiful as they look. But I want to encourage any woman who has a man in her life (or any male knitter who has a man in his life) to overlook the cute but somewhat overdone theme of what to knit for a guy after the first date, first dinner-date, first sleep-over, moving in, engagement, etc. That's a cute concept, but it could limit the audience for the book unnecessarily.

There are maybe 20 patterns for men in here, and almost every one looks like something a man would actually want to wear (I'm not so sure about one sweater in a mango sort of color.) And the instructions look well laid out. Because the patterns increase in commitment level, they also increase in complexity and time and money commitment. So even if you're knitting for your Dad, you can gauge whether a headband, pair of mittens, pair of gloves (to die for gorgeous gloves), vest or Aran sweater is what you're prepared to knit. And if you're a guy who is learning to knit, you could follow the same progression. Just ignore the narrative.

If you have a father, husband, brother, uncle, friend, or ok, boyfriend who you want to knit for, take a look at this book.

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Never mind the gimmick, September 18, 2007

By 

G. P. Donohue "textillian" (Ellicott City, MD USA) - See all my reviews
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Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Never Knit Your Man a Sweater (Unless You've Got the Ring) (Paperback)

Yes, the sweater myth is kind of cloying, but since it is used as a device to take a knitter through more advanced shapes and techniques, I was able to quickly get over that. Very little space is actually devoted to the myth anyway.

The book starts out with garter stitch coasters and works the reader up to an Aran cardigan, introducing a new technique with each project. Most every point on technique that I could think of for these projects is covered in the asides.

The photography in this book is great, as it is not just for inspiration, but also for details in the projects, for those that the written instructions may not be enough. (Everyone learns differently.)

The projects are great (with one notable exception.) Initially, I was put off by the coasters and laptop covers, thinking of them as the modern equivalent of the tea cozy; but then I remembered back to when I was a 10 year old knitting, these would be the kind of projects I would probably make. (Not that this book is aimed at 10 year olds.)

The only project that I do not see any man wearing (and if they did, it would truly be a sign of love) is the square neck vest. It just seems so dated to me, but that could just be my opinion. Everything else in the book is something that any man could wear.

The only other caution I would make with this book is the sizing. Most patterns are sized for small, medium, and large. No extra large. Just be aware of that beforehand.

I love this book, both for its patterns and its inspiration. I think it would be a great book for any guy that wanted to learn to knit. Just make sure you cover up the title.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great knitting book, September 9, 2007

By 

K. Bradford - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Never Knit Your Man a Sweater (Unless You've Got the Ring) (Paperback)

I bought this book a while ago when I was looking for some new inspiration. The title is what caught my attention. As I flipped through it, I noticed that the writers took the patterns and presented them step by step. They probably did this on purpose so someone who has wanted to knit something but wasn't sure how to could do it.

I made one of the projects for myself (in girlie colors of course) and the patterns are pretty easy to follow. Even if you're just starting out, this book is definitely worth having a look at.