Unexpected Knitting [Hardcover]

Debbie New (Author)

Product Details

• Hardcover: 248 pages
• Publisher: Schoolhouse Pr (September 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0942018222
• ISBN-13: 978-0942018226
• Product Dimensions: 12.6 x 9.6 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 3.5 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (23 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #774,141 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

96 of 99 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars this is high art, December 17, 2004

By 

Deepa Nirmal (St. Paul, MN, USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Unexpected Knitting (Hardcover)

Debbie New takes knitting forever out of the realm of craft and into that of high art. This is NOT your Grandma's knitting! With fiber and needles she conjures up artworks on scales ranging from statuesque to small. There are pieces both functional and beautiful, and while the book might be intimidating to beginner or intermediate knitters, it will be a source of inspiration and a delightful addition to the coffee table.

I made a 'scribble lace' capelet based on one of the techniques and it never fails to turn heads. While I am just an advanced beginner, I certainly aspire to one day be able to create magic with fiber like Debbie.

Highly recommended!

58 of 59 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Wow!, November 9, 2005

By 

book worm (library bookstacks) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Unexpected Knitting (Hardcover)

Just when I thought I had enough knitting books on my book shelf. This is an amazing and very inspirational book on knitting. New approaches knitting from two angles, one being very free-form and the other, scientific. The free-form approach is very liberating, especially since it doesn't require the usual "let's knit a swatch first, and then get to the fun stuff later." Knitting a swatch can be a real drag. And even if you do knit a swatch and measure carefully, there is still that thought lurking at the back of the mind, is this going to come out right???? and more importantly, is it going to fit? Knitting can become more of a chore, than something fun and creative. New shows how one can just jump in and start knitting, adjusting along the way to make things fit to size. This makes knitting and the whole creative process fun and flowing, with marvelous, colorful results. As a side note, I have never seen such happy kids photographed before in a knitting book. These kids look genuinely elated, which is understandable since they are wearing very colorful and beautiful pieces of works.

Her scientific approach makes me feel like I almost need a math or science degree to follow, however after careful reading, it is very interesting and ingenious. Much how things in nature are ordered, New shows how knitting is very similar. This will certainly appeal to the mathematician or scientist who knits as well.

The book also showcases some of New's works of art, such as knitted scultures among other things.

Two thumbs up. This book will surely inspire and be a source to turn to when one wants to release creative energies.

42 of 42 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Not for beginners, February 25, 2006

By 

Monika Steinbauer "yarnloopie" (Ontario, Canada) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Unexpected Knitting (Hardcover)

This book was beyond my expectations. I've been a knitter for over 30 years now, but I never thought one could knit such pieces. They are works of art more than knitted pieces. This book is a joy to look at, over and over and over again. It helps thinking outside the box and that there is more to knitting as one would believe. Great book!