Customer Reviews

Sally Melville Styles: A Unique and Elegant Approach for Your Yarn Collection

5 star:		(8)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Melville has found a brand new technique, which is unusual in itself, since so much in knitting is just one designer copying ("adapting") another. I was glad to see someone daring to be unique. At first glance and at many glances later on, I have to say that her styles in this book are really beautiful -- and she incorporates many different techniques, many different designs, so there is bound to be something for everybody. She's also attentive to color by presenting sweater models in a variety of schemes, so those who like bright colors, or heathery colors, or earth tones will find something they like. The sweaters look fairly simple to knit, also, and if you are using color in the knitting, it is in a way that is not intricate. I have yet to try one of the woven looks, but it must be faster and simpler than intarsia or color stranding. The only disappointment is that these designs are not readily available as kits -- I'd like to make some of them identical to those in the book. The Mannings in Pennsylvania has a few of the designs kitted, but not the ones that I want. Melville presents a really nice collection of sweaters. This is one of the best knitting books on the market, comparable with Jo Sharp's new Knitting Bazaar as two of the most inspiring books I've ever owned. Hope to see much more from this author in the future.

Of the dozen or so knitting books I've bought in the last two years, this is the book that I use the most. I'm knitting a second design and pondering several more. Still, even if you don't like the looks of the designs, this book is worth buying if you have a box or a closet or a room full of leftover yarn or yarn that just hasn't quite become a sweater. (Who us knitters, buy yarn just because? :))

There are two huge reasons to have this book if you have yarn. First, Sally provides a very thoughtful chapter on how to organize your stash in a manner that will both stimulate your creativity while protecting your valuable stash. Secondly, she provides terrific instruction on using the color wheel to combine colors in a manner that doesn't just look like you threw a bunch of leftovers together. The designs are a bit boxy -- in part, I suspect, because of the complexity of the color work in most of the sweaters.

This is not a book for beginners, but a fabulous resource of intermediate and advanced "fiberholics".

I would have bought this book on the strength of the customer reviews so far alone, but thought I'd look at it first. I'm glad I did. Unlike the rapturous reader who says s/he'd knit any sweater in the book, I didn't find anything I'd knit. First off, Melville favors techniques that don't look knitted. She likes slip stitch color knitting, woven stitch (a/k/a linen stitch), and a technique for knitting a piece and then using that knitting as a warp for weaving in colors of yarn with a darning needles. The many assurances of how FAST this really is to do make me suspicious--I prefer to knit, not weave with a darning needle. An interesting technique, but it nor any of the others (also a lot of garter stitch) are looks I'm after. I would really appreciate a book on using odd balls--but also work on accepting the fact that the pattern/yarn/dye lot event is a rare thing indeed, and all those extra balls of yarn come in handy for color work, darning, strips in small projects...but it will never all be used up!

This book is lovely, presented in a way that makes me want to read it again and again. Because I normally plan my own designs, I found no patterns that I wanted to knit in this book. However, I found Sally Melville's concept for using leftover yarn inspiring. I have long been unable to throw away my leftovers and have organized my stash similarly to Sally's suggestions. I have found my own way of interpreting the information in this book and will certainly use some of the stitch and color suggestions. This book is a great addition to my library.

I would actually rate this four and 1/2 stars. This book has excellent suggestions for how to store your yarn stash and how to combine different weights and colors of yarns. Also there is a good section on creating your own patterns and why you do some types of shapings to make items fit better. The patterns themselves are pretty interesting and if you like vests (I don't) there are several. One complaint I have is that most of her designs have what look to be very pricey yarn in them--she can justify buying it because she's in the business. Most of us do not have those kinds of yarns, so be forewarned--your results WILL vary. Also, on the "knitting as warp" technique, it would have been extremely helpful to have a "before weaving" gauge as well as one to be measured after weaving in. Definitely worth buying, just for the topics covered, as it is a good price for a hardback.

This book will make you think about knitting and yarn in a different way. I keep returning to it and always come away with a new idea or plan. The ideas for combining different yarns, overdyeing, and how to make simple ideas timeless are well worth the price of this book. You immediately look at the stash in a different way, asking how you could make a collection of fibers into something unique with Sally's helpful ideas and advice.

Truely original designs and great use of multiple yarns. I have to confess to be a collector of yarns one ball at a time. This the perfect book for the adventurous knitter that wants to experiment with yarn. Not since Kaffe Fassett have I seen another truly inventive great teacher. Thank you Sally, you are appreciated, very much!

This is a very exciting book! It is the only knitting book that I own that I would like to knit each and every sweater/vest shown. I have never taken a class from Sally Melville, but she has presented her designs in a very clear and understandable way. This book is a must have for any knitters library.

I ordered this on a whim knowing nothing about Sally Melville but since XRX published it I thought it would be good. Its exceeded my expectations by leaps and bounds. The sweaters are just fantastic. I can't decide which one to make first. The ideas on design and color work are great. Sally has done an excellent job. This book is great for handspinners too. We all have all sorts of leftovers, what a way to incorporate all of it. I recommend this to any knitter, its wonderful.

I just received this book and I cannot say enough about it. It is wonderful. She discusses color, color wheels, color intensity, and how to choose colors that will work together well in a sweater. That discussion alone is worth the price of the book. She suggests tricks, including using a kind of kalidescope to see how colors will look with each other.

She also uses dyes on one sweater, and swatches patterned like the sweater (which she previously knit as UGLY and ill-colored as possible) to demonstrate how dyes will make the colors harmonious and beautiful. She uses a number or different dyes and they all produce beautiful results.

The sweaters are gorgeous! Some are garter stitch, some are slip stitch, and some are stitched after knitting, with patterns,like carpets or geometric patterns. The patterns are classic and timeless. I can't wait to knit these sweaters.