Son of Stitch 'n Bitch: 45 Projects to Knit and Crochet for Men [Paperback]

Debbie Stoller (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: November 1, 2007

Debbie Stoller knows that at least half the projects women knit are intended for the men in their lives. She also knows that knitting
for a boyfriend or husband or father is full of pitfalls. The answer Son of Stitch 'N Bitch, the hip, smart knitter's guide to knitting for men.

A "knitting superstar" (San Francisco Chronicle) and author of the New York Times bestselling Stitch 'N Bitch: The Knitter's Handbook and other Stitch 'N Bitch books, Debbie Stoller combines fashion savvy with uncommon knitting sense. Here's how to get the right sweater measurement (because size definitely matters)—and why never to bring him along to pick out the yarn. Why "what's your favorite color" is a dangerous question—and how you can't go wrong with luxury yarns for even the most rugged of boyfriends. Best of all, here are 45 edgy, hipster patterns that are guy-vetted and approved, many designed by male master-knitters or women with men as design partners. Here's the Night & Day double-sided Brooklyn Bridge scarf. The Biker Boy sweater with a patch on the shoulder to protect against messenger bag wear and tear. Lucky Socks—think rat pack at the casino. Skull Isle Cap & Mitts. The Ernie sweater. Hangover Helpers—stuffed plush "beermeister" and "whiskey bottle" pillows. The Retropolitan Cardigan, with a geek-chic take on Mr. Rogers. Plus Man Hands (fingerless gloves), a Hackie Sack Hoodie, Pinup Girl Illusion scarf (oh, behave!), and more.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

The newest from bestseller Stoller (Stitch 'n Bitch) gives men their first chance to snuggle up with her fuzzy, fashion-forward knitting projects. While the book is aimed largely at the women who knit for them, men will be happy to know that Stoller's first concern is for their particular tastes: many interesting elements—fancy stitches, unusual yarn, unique designs—are anathema to most males, who prefer simple pieces in a darker palate. Part two includes a wide array of (not too) colorful, occasionally edgy projects. Though there are designs which any man would be proud to wear (scarves, caps, tube socks and sweaters), many projects are geared toward younger men; among funky fashions, two standouts are the well-proportioned biker jacket (with long, slim arms and body for full coverage) and a felted DJ Bag with a retro cassette tape pattern (though some designs—such as the beer bottle–shaped throw pillows—are just plain juvenile). As expected, Stoller's directions are clear, terms are well explained, illustrations are easy-to-follow and accompanying photos are stylish and sexy, though projects are not rated for difficulty. Those unafraid to venture beyond their comfort zone will find something suitable for most any man on their holiday gift list. (Dec.)
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Review

"The newest from bestseller Stoller (Stitch 'n Bitch) gives men their first chance to snuggle up with her fuzzy, fashion-forward knitting projects. While the book is aimed largely at the women who knit for them, men will be happy to know that Stoller's first concern is for their particular tastes: many interesting elements—fancy stitches, unusual yarn, unique designs—are anathema to most males, who prefer simple pieces in a darker palate. Part two includes a wide array of (not too) colorful, occasionally edgy projects. Though there are designs which any man would be proud to wear (scarves, caps, tube socks and sweaters), many projects are geared toward younger men; among funky fashions, two standouts are the well-proportioned biker jacket (with long, slim arms and body for full coverage) and a felted DJ Bag with a retro cassette tape pattern (though some designs—such as the beer bottle-shaped throw pillows—are just plain juvenile). As expected, Stoller's directions are clear, terms are well explained, illustrations are easy-to-follow and accompanying photos are stylish and sexy, though projects are not rated for difficulty. Those unafraid to venture beyond their comfort zone will find something suitable for most any man on their holiday gift list."
— Publishers Weekly (Publishers Weekly )

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 215 pages
• Publisher: Workman Publishing Company (November 1, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0761146172
• ISBN-13: 978-0761146179
• Product Dimensions: 8 x 0.7 x 8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (51 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #131,622 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Debbie Stoller is the bestselling author of the Stitch'n Bitch series of knitting books and calendars. She comes from a long line of Dutch knitters, has a Ph.D. from Yale in the psychology of women, and is the editor-in-chief of Bust magazine. She lives in Brooklyn, New York.

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

49 of 51 people found the following review helpful

3.0 out of 5 stars Some good, some bad November 7, 2007

By E. Braun

Format:Paperback

The patterns are about the same difficulty as previous Stitch 'N Bitch books. I like the review of 'the curse of boyfriend knitting' and a bit of an overview on how to select yarns for boyfriend projects and the like.

My issue with that info is just it's all really basic, and doesn't offer much beyond common sense. If you're just learning, maybe it would help. I know i've tried knitting for male friends before with less-than-excellent results, since I clearly look at things from a woman's perspective.

As for the patterns, some are good some are eyesores. I've had a few male friends look through it and they've hated everything but three or four patterns. Knit ties? Knit beer pillows? Not so sure they'd be happy with that, but some of the hats and scarves are nice. Sweaters i'm always wary of- it takes a lot of effort and there's no guarantee they'll like it (and for the record, the men in my life laughed when they saw some of these sweaters.)

Might be fun to flip through, some can be used as a girls pattern, but let the intended recipient flip through it before venturing forth on anything time-consuming.

...Unless you're a guy and it's your call, isn't it?

40 of 41 people found the following review helpful

2.0 out of 5 stars A very mixed bag January 3, 2008

By Deepa Nirmal

Format:Paperback

I had looked forward to this book with great expectations. If you are a woman who has knit for men, you know how difficult it is! This book disappoints. It is very much in the same vein as the previous SnB books, which renders it quite useless for men over 30- because we all know men are way more conservative dressers than women. Most of the projects scream "hipster", or they are just plain silly. The sushi and happy face scarves? Why not just knit sushi (there are free patterns online) and a little happy face keychain instead of knitting scarves that look terrible when worn. And everybody ought to know that knit ties are a truly bad idea.

There are a few nice, classic patterns that will not look dated very quickly. All 3 of the sock patterns are good- but honestly, there are 30 million sock patterns on the internet, you don't need this book.

If you have little boys in your life, or teenagers, perhaps you will get some mileage out of "Son of SnB". If all the men in your life are 30+, just put the book back on the (virtual) shelf, and keep looking!

35 of 40 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Get Knitting! November 19, 2007

By Legal Knitter VINE™ VOICE

Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase

I am SO pleased with this book. While some of the projects are downright silly (the dead teddy bear springs to mind!) that is in keeping with the spirit of the Stitch 'n' Bitch empire and there's nothing wrong with goofy knitting. The majority, however, are spot on in terms of what the men in my family would actually wear. My teenage son, in particular, glanced over my shoulder and said "will you knit me that" on almost every other project. The section on choosing colors for men's sweaters, although very common sense, is advice I wish I had been given years (and many sweaters) ago. Live and learn.

Although I would probably go back to more traditional pattern options when knitting for my husband, those aren't the kind of sweaters my sons are willing to wear. If you like the Stitch n Bitch style, and have "hip" guys to knit for, this book is a must.

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful

1.0 out of 5 stars Seriously Disappointed July 15, 2008

By selan

Format:Paperback

I was hoping to find some cool NEW ideas for guys. Same old stuff- sweaters, scarves, hats... & the ties do not look well made at all.
Skulls are still in, but not new.
Honestly, not one man/boy in my life would be interested in any of these items, nor do i have the desire to make any of them...I have loved the other S&B books, & eagerly opened the package, but alas... blah!

Also, as said by others, the book is seriously lacking in crochet options.

I rarely write a negative, but just had to say it here.

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful

2.0 out of 5 stars Knitter, beware! January 9, 2009

By Timotheos

Format:Paperback

There are so many errors in the pattern instructions that beginning knitters should avoid this book altogether. Only the experienced knitter will be able to spot the errors, ignore them, and piece things together with the help of the photos.

Clearly, the publishers managed to cover the cost of the (for once!) beautiful photos and attractive models by skimping on professional editing and proofreading.

Stoller's Web site, which posts errata for her other books, offers no help for the errors in this book, now in its second year after publication. I suspect the errata would be longer than the book itself. Knitter, beware!

11 of 12 people found the following review helpful

3.0 out of 5 stars Not Exactly Male or Crochet-Friendly February 10, 2008

By H. Doremus

Format:Paperback

Like many other crocheters, I was hoping against previous experience that crochet would get an equal spotlight, but it sadly does not. In fact, crochet seemed to be an afterthought when this book was compiled. So were men, evidently.

While I was looking mostly for myself - since I have more occasion and desire to wear a sporty sweater than a lace wrap - I pointed out several of the patterns to my mother and joked about which male relative or friend I could inflict them upon. I don't know a single man who would want to wear a faithful recreation of the sweater Ernie the Muppet wears on Sesame Street. And while it's fun to laugh about what my brother might think if he was gifted with such a sweater, it's not a good enough joke to buy the book over.

There were some nice patterns in here, but they were few and far between. Most I could more readily see myself wearing than any of my male friends. That on top of the lack of crochet patterns saw me pass over this installment in the Stitch n' Bitch series.