Customer Reviews

Swing, Swagger, Drape: Knit the Colors of Australia

5 star:		(19)
4 star:		(7)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Several garments from this book were presented at my knitting guild. Random people from the audience (none were huge, but none were mini-model types either) tried them on, and they all fit and looked really great! The presenter explained that increases were placed throughout the body of the garment as part of the design motif, rather than at the seam edge. For a number of the jackets, they would fit nicely over the shoulders, and then have a very nice flare that would begin part way down that that looked flattering on numbers of different ladies that tried them on. And there were several very interesting garment constructions. One very interesting coat with nice looking collar draping turns out to be mostly a large rectangle which was described as having a few increases and decreases in just the right places.

From the photos it is clear that the designs are very interesting and the colors are wonderful. But what really impressed me from seeing the actual garments on real people is how well the shape and fit were designed as well, qualities that are not as obvious in the flat model photos in the book.

Wow! (all the rest is commentary).
Run, don't walk to get this book!

This is another wonderful book from Knitter's! Alexis Xenakis's photography is excellent as usual, and the editors from Knitters are meticulous with everything from the graphs to their instructions. They have thought of everything.


The colors and patterns are spectacular. All are wearable and there are choices from conservative colors to bolder colors. Clearly, a great deal of time was spent in this book.


The designer goes beyond just the design but has something for all levels of knitters.
For beginners, the book walks you through the building blocks of each design. For the power no-holds-barred knitters like myself, the patterns and colors are organized so that they can be used as a springboard for going beyond what is presented. Knitters' also has a website for people to play with color choices.


Would I make and wear any of these items? Absolutely! I immediately found some items that I do plan to make.
As I went through this book, I wanted to run away to a desert island with this book, needles and two crates of yarn and do nothing for a year but play with the designs.

What if you are not a knitter? The book is worthwhile just for the photography itself and would be a wonderful coffee table book! Need I say more?

I bought this book mainly for the gorgeous cardigan on the cover, but that was just the tip of the iceberg! This book is full of stylish, innovative designs that are not too far out for the average person to wear. What impresses me most, however, is the creative, imaginative use of color. Several garments are shown as a basic design in various colorways, all of them stunning. This designer is a true artist. The photography is outstanding as well. You won't be disappointed with this book.

I just saw the book in my LYS today. The photographs are beautiful, the designs are unique and definitely reflect the colour palette of Australia. Many of the designs are charted and quite detailed. It is definitely a book for experienced knitters who have an eye for unusual and eclectic design. Not sure how it is that the LYS already has the book and Amazon does not yet.

This is the best knitting pattern book I have seen in a long time. The multiple color choices, the clear directions, the broad range of sizes and the variations on the patterns add up to WOW! I always check out knitting books from my library first, so I can go through and decide if they're really worth buying for me. This one was an absolute, resounding "Yes". I wouldn't even wait to put it on my Christmas list - wanted it now!
Thank you, Jane Slicer-Smith!

This book is loaded with inspiration. Whenever Alexis is set loose on location, you know you're in for a treat. There are patterns made and shown in multiple colorways and variations in length. The intarsia patterns alone are worth the very reasonable price of the book. But my favorites by far are the mitered vests, capes, shawls, vests and jackets. Jane's sense of rich, saturated, unexpected color combinations is exciting and inspiring. There are lessons in the back of the book, complete with small projects to get you familiar with the specific techniques that the large projects use. Jane is an excellent teacher, and if I had the opportunity to attend a workshop I would jump at the chance! She elevates the use of the mitered square and triangle to high art. ("Domino Knitting" and "Knit to be Square" by Vivian Hoxbro are excellent primers on the subject, but the projects in those books are more utilitarian than they are objects of wearable art.) I have way too many knitting books, but this one is a must-have.

This book has many great, exciting projects. These are mostly large projects, with a few smaller, easier projects to start with. The instructions on how to knit the mitred squares is not as clear as other books with this technique. This would be for the experienced knitter. However, it shows true inqenuity and garment construction with a new and interesting flair.

Jane Slicer-Smith is an Australian knitwear designer whose garment creations exhibit a masterful use of color, fabrics that move easily with the human form, yet present a customized and flattering fit. Profusely illustrated with full color photography by Alexis Xenakis, "Swing Swagger Drape: Knit The Colors Of Australia" is a compendium of patterns showcasing her creations and offering step-by-step projects that can be expertly accomplished by even the most novice needlecrafter. From jackets to vests to sweaters and more, "Swing Swagger Drape" is an ideal and highly recommended addition to personal and community library needlecraft instructional reference collections.

I just received this as a Christmas present. It's beautiful. The patterns have interesting things going on, probably not for rank beginners but not painfully difficult either. The one on the front is the most appealing to me so far. Some of the designs are shown in multiple colorways. There's at least one good one for guys.
Now I just have to find the knitting time. Commuting by bus was great for that, but nowadays I drive alone(shame on my CO2 footprint). Happy knitting.

This is real eye candy. Techniques are esoteric, designs are to die for. Don't expect to pick this up and scan...it takes some real concentration, but the end result is well worth your time. A must for my library