Customer Reviews

Sweaters by Hand

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

 

 

I was impressed with this book for two reasons:

1. It 's about knitting sweaters from handspun yarn, and since I'm learning to spin-I found much inspiration/information on type of fiber and exactly how to spin (in detail)
for each sweater. The instructions were very thorough on how they created their yarns for each and every sweater.

2.The designs were beautiful, interesting without being over
complicated.

It challenged me to take my time with each process of sweater design, paying attention to detail, with the end goal
of creating the perfect sweater with the perfect yarn for that sweater. Each sweater was unique and deserved unique,
individual attention through the whole process from choosing the fiber, to the final knitting of the garment.

I would highly reccamend for a beginning knitter/spinner first sweater book,
or for an advanced knitter who wants a new challenge: learning to spin and work with handspun.

Rhonda Thomas
beginning spinner
beginning knitter
advanced crocheter

This is a lovely book that belongs in every spinners collections. The photographs are wonderful and the information is presented in a very clear and concise manner.

This book covers the basic information needed to spin a coherent yarn to specifications & produce the sweater shown. The knitting directions are well written. When dyeing was needed to produce a given effect in the article, the directions were also clear and concise.

I bought this book right after I learned to spin. I have made several articles from it, and have used it as source material for some original designs. Now that I teach others to spin, I use this book as a reference material for my students.

Sweaters by Hand is probably my favorite knitting/spinning book of all. Without being overwhelmingly technical, Helene and Rachael show the reader how to take a raw fleece and turn it into a beautiful, unique garment. They discuss all of the steps involved, with photos to show how it's done, with handling a number of different fibers -- angora, linen, mohair, silk, camel down, and a variety of different breeds of wool ranging from very fine to coarse. They talk about the characteristics and "behavior" of each kind of fiber and give practical tips on making harmonious matches between the fiber and the project. The introductory chapters are a sort of mini-course on spinning equipment, basic spinning technique, and tailoring the yarn to the intended end use -- a helpful background for understanding yarn and fiber in general, even for a non-spinner.

A budding designer would also find support here. Among the 24 sweaters chronicled in this book, some are suggested by the fiber itself (Yes, fiber can talk, if you know how to listen!). Some begin with a concept that evolves during the process of creating the yarn and the sweater design. Some are even created to use up leftover fiber from the other projects -- something which really appeals to a frugal mind like mine!

Although this book was first published over 20 years ago, the designs don't look "dated", and a knitter wanting to make a more trendy, less classic garment could easily adjust the patterns to create the desired effect. In addition to presenting two dozen sweaters that are lovely in themselves, the book can also serve as a starting point for the imagination. My much-read copy is full of sticky notes with scribblings that begin, "What if..." and go off in all sorts of directions, triggered by a phrase in the text or a picture.

This is a book that brings together many elements of the wonderful world of fiber and invites the reader to experiment on his or her own using the building blocks presented here. I've always wished there were a sequel to Sweaters by Hand -- I would love to have seen what Helene and Rachael did next!