Customer Reviews

Sexy Little Knits: Chic Designs to Knit and Crochet

5 star:		(10)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(4)

 

 

The designs in this book are very very cute. I can't wear them (except the bathrobe, which I do plan to knit for myself) but I have a step-daughter who can, which is almost as good.
I give it only three stars as I am attempting to knit the Blue Suede Bikini and am finding the instructions to be very poorly written. At this moment I am literally drawing the design out on graph paper to discover where the lace pattern would lie and how the increases should work. The instructions for the construction of the bottom from crotch to the back are particularly obtuse.

I am not a beginning knitter but I've had to rip out several times before I resorted to graphpaper.

I do hope to see more from Ms. Paige but I hope that she is able to improve her directions.

I loved the patterns in the book and bought it on the spot. There are however alot of errors in the patterns that can be overcome with alot of patience and work which is an annoyance when the book cost thrity something dollars new when I got it. I have written the publisher and the artists website but have yet to hear from either. The book offers great starts to wonderful projects that you will spend alog of your own time trying to figure out because her instructions are wrong at some point. I have still made a couple of the peices however and have been very happy with them once I finally figured out what in the world I should do to make it work. I would not recommend this to a beginning knitter at all. They will get frustrated... I still am.

As a machine and hand knitter, it is obvious that the garments on this piece were constructed on a machine and then the directions were interpretted for hand knitters. This makes for some wild instructions and impossible gauges. When changing a machine pattern to a hand knit pattern, you can't simply replace "needle" with stitch, as is done in this book. Furthermore, some manuevers that are easy and common on a machine are awkward and seldom used when knitting by hand, but this book does not offer alternatives.

In short, I find it highly doubtful that any test garments for these patterns were actually produced by hand. They work great on a machine, but for the hand knitter, I cannot recommend this book.

I just need to clarify the previous reviewer, whose 1 star review I think was very unfair to this book. I wouldn't feel comfortable wearing some of the things in here, but none of it is downright trashy. No thongs with funfur trim! Instead, it's a book of cute bathing suits and undies to knit. Are the models all thin and lean? Yes, but so is the author (pictured in one of her bikinis); she is designing for her age group (which is mine too, coincidentally) AND her body type. I like the tank tops, but I don't think I'd knit most of the other things in here; I just don't like to show that much skin. But some gals do, and we don't need another book of sweaters. Ms. Paige presents something we DON'T see all the time, and for that I applaud her. And the designs in here ARE really cute, if you're okay with showing off!

Wonderful designer, but she needs help with the pattern writing.

I've been knitting and crocheting for 28 years and was very excited to begin making these items. However, I found a definite error in the very first pattern I tried (suede bikini bottom) and finally gave up, making it my own way (I had to pay $21.95 to design it myself?). I went onto the halter and am already frustrated at row 3. The author's pattern writing style is such that she assumes that you know what she means, leaving out specifics which are VERY IMPORTANT in patterns.

Perhaps the celebrity status of the author caused her editor to be hesitant in pointing out the numerous errors and omissions in her patterns.

Most of the five star reviews on Amazon are from people who have not attempted to make any of the patterns yet.

This was an expensive book, and not worth the frustration. I've seen previous posts where knitters have contacted the publishers for help only to be ignored. Therefore, I cannot recommend this book to anyone, regardless of level of experience.

I have tried to make a couple of things from this book, and must say that the instructions were hard to follow in those particular cases, and for one item, that is the bikini in fixation, the gauge was TOTALLY impossible to get. I wrote to the publishers asking about corrections a couple of times, and was completely ignored. I am seriously annoyed, and will NEVER EVER buy a book by this author again.

Old review.....
I have to echo the previous reviewer (Bronwyn) - I'll probably just make the tank tops from this book - and the net sweater - oh, and the cute little top from the cover. I knew what to expect from having read the blurb, but ordered it anyway even though I knew I would never wear a knitted bikini.... because I wanted something DIFFERENT. Some of the designs are way too bare for me, but it's fun to have something completely different. And I must say that they are really not vulgar. To wear the bikinis, you need to have an amazing figure, and to live on a beach - but I can see the bikini tops as little tops under transparent or gauzy tops - much cuter than either of my two usual options - boring skin coloured bra or obvious pretty bra a la Carrie Bradshaw.

I think it's a little bit unfair to criticise a book for living up to its name and cover.

This book is full of Errors. Period. Save yourself $22.00 and countless hours of frustration. Boycott the Author- Boycott the Publisher- Boycott the store that you bought it from. They are all shameless!!

The world is full of cute and striking Patterns provided by responsible Authors and Publishers. Ashley Paige and Potter Craft do not fall into this category.

I got this book a couple of years ago and I love it. Yes, these are mostly teeny, tiny bikinis. I have made 2 for my daugter, and 1 for my sister in-law. There is no plus-size (I made mine for encouragement!). Make no mistake these patterns are not at all forgiving, but they are so cute and sexy you want to knit/crochet one up and run for the beach! I really enjoyed the authors little bit of family history and photos. Teeny, sexy bikinis from a girl who grew up at the beach.

There are so many beautiful patterns in this book including a luxurious bathrobe, a number of the gorgous retro bikinis Ashley Paige is famous for, and some really cute tops and skirts.

Most of which come with horrid patterns that are nearly impossible to create. It's beyond typo errors, it feels more like whole sections are missing. Having knitted by hand and with a machine, it feels like these patterns were made for a machine and then translated for hand knitting but never actually tested. Maybe one day they will come out with another book called "Sexy Little Knits: with Actually Knittable Patterns."

i was looking for a book that had cool bikinis and cute spring/summer pieces. this book had exactly what i was looking for and more! the book is divided into three parts: swim wear, cute tops 'n bottoms, and a lingerie style section. there are bikinis that are not meant to be worn in the water, but there are also ones that can get wet and be worn to swim in. they also don't sag or gap because you either work an invisible elastic into the edges or you work with yarns that have elastic built right into them, like Cascade's Fixation. Ashley Paige truly designs fun, cute stuff! she is a true California girl and it comes through in her designs. i like that both knitting and crochet are represented in this book, as i enjoy both equally. the book has diagrams with measurements for each and every piece. i did feel the need to chart out entire patterns on my own knitting grid paper, though, in addition to taking some notes of my own before starting any of the projects. i also took some extra time to write out my own row by row directions for certain parts of the patterns because it would have been too difficult to keep track of my decreases and increases and the lace pattern in the one bikini i did so far, "the blue suede bikini". the patterns are written in run together paragraphs, not row by row. a good example would be, "work in lace pattern according to chart one for 24 rows...at the same time decrease 2 stitches on each side every 4th row 9 times and 1 stitch at the beginning and end of every 4th row one time". this is the type of language of this book's patterns. the patterns are just so cute and cool though, i felt it was definitely worth my extra time. this is the one book that i have that i absolutely love 90% of the patterns. i will be making patterns from this book for a long time to come! this is definitely not a book for beginners, though. it is a book for someone who has medium or better skills in knitting and crochet. there is no instructional section at all - just the patterns, diagrams with measurements of the finished pieces, charts, and tons of great photographs of the completed projects. this book brims with sassy, hip patterns for hot knitting 'n crochet chics! i love it! :D