Customer Reviews

One-Skein Wonders

5 star:		(48)
4 star:		(14)
3 star:		(9)
2 star:		(4)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

There are about a dozen of these books out right now, all about small bits -- bits of time, bits of yarn, bits of color....

Most of them have 1-2 dozen little things to make with a little yarn in a little while, or a lot of fat yarn in a weekend. Some are cute-- but some not. Some really original-- and some like bad Xerox copies of things we've all seen before.

This book, however, is different. Different in that there are many many many (101) abreviated projects to choose from, and most are original and quite different from everything else in the book! Beat that!

I have already made the lovely "filigree" lace collar on p187 and am very pleased with the ease following such simple and straightforward directions. There are a couple more collars and neck bits I can try next -- maybe after the hair ornaments, or the gauntlets, or one of the interesting flower decorations....

I also like the lay-out of the book with the center color photo index of projects (easy to re-find ideas that have flipped shut) AND the nifty table of contents that breaks down the projects by yarn size! This is a "knit up your scraps" book designed by real knitters!

So, bravo and well done! I counted up those projects that I would either want to knit for myself, or would knit for friend/family, and came up with 42 out of 101. I don't know about you, but that's a high hit rate for me.

I bought this book for myself recently because I've been wanting to make myself a new scarf. I was shopping for gifts at a local store and noticed it on the shelf and it appealed to me in several ways which I will describe here.

I was attracted to the book because of its title. Having created a stash of yarns over the years, I thought it might be a fun way to use up leftovers as well as work up some fast projects.

It turns out there are a lot of things I like about this book but there are also several things I don't like.

Things I like
There are a lot of items to make.
The projects include a sketch of the item and the pattern.
The projects are creative.
The stitches are creative.
There are color photos of each project.
Most of the projects are knitted. A few use crochet.

Things I don't like
Most of the recommended yarns are specialty yarns that are not available in the big box craft stores.
You need to know a bit about substituting to be able to use a different yarn and have the project turn out right.
Each yarn has different weight and yardage. The patterns call for one skein of a particular yarn but you may need more than that if you substitute.

Two major warnings:
1. There are errors in this book! The first pattern I tried has a typo and it took me 3 days to figure out what was wrong. Since the pattern was complex, at first I thought I was making some kind of mistake. This was stressful for sure. I did find an errata sheet on the publishers web site but it does not include the pattern that gave me trouble (Honey Tangerine Scarf): http://www.storey.com/files/correct/20010116020616.pdf. Many of these changes are already in my book but some errors are still there, plus the one I found in the first project I tried. So I don't have a warm fuzzy feeling about the instructions.

2. This book is not for the beginner. The stitches that I've tried are not simple and I think a beginner would have a hard time. I don't think you have to be an expert, but don't buy it if you are just starting to learn to knit.

Getting back to the contents of the book, there are 101 projects. The projects are grouped by type of yarn. Color photos are in the middle of the book.

Each pattern is contributed by a yarn shop and these are listed at the back. When I was having trouble I emailed the shop that contributed my pattern and they answered and said there was a typo. They invited me to come by for help but they are across the country from me. They also gave me a phone number.

Types of projects in the book:
Scarfs
Hats
Bags
Accessories
Socks
Shawls
Doll accessories
Baby sweater
Baby booties

The projects are fun and should work up quickly and make great gifts as long as you don't run into an error that takes you three days to figure out.

There's a glossary in the book that explains some of the stitches.

In summary, I like the projects and hope to make many of the items. I do wish the publisher had been more careful before printing it.

This book is different from any other knitting book I have. First of all the patterns are arranged by yarn weight which is really nice. The next thing is that the patterns are in the book one right after the other with a sketch near the pattern and all of the color photos in the middle of the book. At first I thought that was strange, but I really like just going through all of the color prints at one time to pick out what I want to make. All of the stories about the yarn shops are together in the back of the book.

I've made 2 things (Felted Coasters and Cozy House Socks) so far and they've turned out really nicely. I'm going to start a scarf that looks like a ruffle around the neck next. I'm also interested in the knitted wine bottle gift bag. I would think this book would be a great addition to anyone's knitting library - especially because it will be fun to buy just one skein of a really nice yarn knowing you'll be able to find something to make with it.

Like other reviewers, I love the layout, organization, and variety of projects. HOWEVER, be aware that this book is full of pattern errors. For that reason, I would not recommend this book to beginners, or to those who rely on patterns for exact directions.

Here are a sampling of errors I found. I haven't written out details of the corrections; that's Storey Publishing responsibility.

The Gossamer Shell Scarf (p. 55) tells you to cast on 20, and then knit according to the pattern. However, the pattern stitch requires more than 20 stitches.

The Twisted Knee-High Sock (p. 44) contains incorrect instructions about arranging stitches before the heel flap. It has has incorrect directions for turning the heel.

There are others - be sure to read the other reviews!

I have (as I am sure most knitters have) a yarn stash!! I purchased this book to help me get through it! There are some nice patterns and all have pictures. The book's chapters go by weight of yarn, so you need to know what you have on hand prior to picking out a pattern. I have only knitted up one pattern so far and I already found a mistake in it, so I hope the rest of the book isn't the same way. It was for the Quick & Classy Cabled Clutch on pg. 23 -- the pattern is all fine and good until you get to your increase rows. Row 3 should read: P5, C4f, K4, P3, K3, P3, C4f, K4, p5 and Row 7: P5, K4, C4b, P3, K3, P3, K4, C4b, P5. Same mistake in the decrease rows, you will need to make sure and K4 either before or after your cables. I was hoping for more patterns of other "stuff" besides a bunch of hats and scarves, but what can you expect with one skein. Plus I don't crochet and there are a few patterns in this book, however most are for knitting.

The patterns in this book have an inordinate number of errors. I find it rather irresponsible of the publisher to put out a volume of this nature without testing and verifying the instructions. Very frustrating experience!

Being a constant yarn-impulse buyer, I am always looking for books like this. I too loved Last-Minute Knitted Gifts and Weekend Knitting, but this new book has over 100 patterns! That is amazing! Considering that the other two books are both $25 for only 30-50 patterns, 100+ projects for less than $20 is truly a rare find.

I also read the comments about the projects being ugly and not very unique--I couldn't disagree more! I found them all adorable (I've made the easy mittens, the beaded bag, and the ice-scraper mitts so far) and not unique?! Did I mention the ice-scraper mitts?! There is a wine bottle gift bag, a doll shawl, felted evening bags, beaded napkin rings--I felt like there was SO much more than the socks and scarves I was expecting.

And every knitter knows that there are many skeins out there that are 1000 yards or more. As a matter of fact, the reason I bought this book was because I found a skein of yarn that was 1100 yards of the most gorgeous hand-dyed cotton and I couldn't not buy it. Still it was $50 and I could only afford one so I am so happy that I found this book. The color photos all in the center of the book make it very easy to flip through and choose a project.

I highly recommend this book! You will go back to it again and again.

I own this book. I bought it because I liked the concept and because I have other Storey books which I have enjoyed. However, there were so many errors in the patterns in this book, that I had to print the errata from the publisher's website, whereas I normally just write the corrections in the book itself. My impression was that it was hastily produced in order to cash in on the knitting craze. And in the end, I wasn't that thrilled about finished items knitted using this book.

It taught me a lesson about buying pattern books, though. I no longer buy them hot from the press, but either check them out from the library to review before buying or read reviews written by people who have bought.

On the cover of "One Skein Wonders", one will note the appearance of several hats, sweaters, and collars. This is a fairly accurate representation of what lies within the book.

Make-up: "One-Skein" is divided into sections by the weight of the yarn used to complete the project. I find this useful, personally, because I can search for a leftover ball of a certain weight in my stash prior to choosing a project. The book feels sturdy enough, and is almost entirely new-looking after six months of use. However, I am very irritated by the layout: patterns with tiny black-and-white images for most of the book with color images sandwiched in a color section in the middle. This is, as far as I can tell, simply a money-saving maneuver by the publisher.

Patterns- Most of them are rather original and useful: A garter-ridged hat, adorable openwork scarves worked in every weight from fingering to extra-chunky (Gossamer Shell Scarf, Pandora Scarf, and the Pink Aura Scarf), a few lightweight shawls, and some functional socks. What really bothers me, though, is that there are 5 patterns for collars, none of which are attractive. Several are worked in chunky yarn and are meant to look like polo shirts. Two are ruffled and are made to please Great-Aunty Edna Mae. As I teenager, I am flabbergasted. There are also a few cowls, which do not appeal to me in particular. And the hideous curlicued Curtain Tiebacks are something straight out of a horror film. There is also an ice-scraper mitt, which I think totally pointless. The pattern for needle-felted coasters is next to useless; there are no instructions, simply a few sentences telling you to needle-felt the coasters you make. The three armwarmer patterns are cute and seem very wearable. The only cute crochet patterns in the book, however, were childrens' hats: a ruffled one and a zigzag one.

That said, I do recommend that one purchase this book because, out of its 101 projects, at least half are practical to make. It is affordable and worth its weight in yarn.

Full of fun projects. This is a must have, especially if you don't buy many knitting books. It's a great beginner book with a multitude of projects - makes an excellent stash-buster book for seasoned knitters. Beware, there are no supurbly-earth-shattering-original ideas. The patterns seem fairly easy and the general variety is great - more than just scarves for sure! There are lots of good ideas for gifts - easier to justify an expensive yarn if you only have to buy one skein. Pair this book with a yummy yarn for a thoughtful gift for a new knitter.

The format is a little strange - the color photos all in the middle and the pattern in monochromatic pages in the front and back - don't let this turn you off - it actually simplifies finding projects - with only a few pages to flip through.