Knit Wit: 30 Easy and Hip Projects (Hands-Free Step-By-Step Guides) (Spiral-bound)

~ (Author) "This book has a dual personality..." (more)
Key Phrases: anchor dread, knit wit, regular dreads, Mission Falls, Manos Del Uruguay, Cascade Fixation (more...)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Since knitting’s become cool again, a number of purportedly hip books have burst onto the scene. While none have matched the blockbuster success of Debbie Stoller’s Stitch ‘N Bitch, some—like this one—have at least come close to duplicating that book’s sassy, upbeat approach. Singer founded the Web community Knitty.com, and her book will appeal to beginning and intermediate knitters. She explains the basics, and her drawings and illustrations are comprehensible. Still, there’s no shaking the feeling that she’s imitating Stoller, with comments like, "Now that you can knit and purl, you know almost everything necessary to follow any pattern. No, seriously. Stop looking at me like that." Her funky patterns instruct readers on making hats, scarves and other warming devices, such as the "too good to pass up" Postmodern Legwarmers; apparel (including a vest, skirt, pullover and bikini); as well as somewhat less useful items such as boas and cozies for items like ice cream pints and laptops.
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Review

Amy Singer’s lively introduction to knitting is well organized, and thorough. -- Pam Allen, Editor, Interweave Knits

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Product Details

• Spiral-bound: 128 pages
• Publisher: Collins (September 28, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0060740701
• ISBN-13: 978-0060740702
• Product Dimensions: 9.4 x 6.9 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 15.2 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (35 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #183,649 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

97 of 98 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars A mixed bag..., October 16, 2004

By	K. Carlson (Seattle, WA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Like many of the previous reviewers, I love knitty.com and always eagerly await every new issue. It is truly the best knitting site on the web. Since I was such a fan, when I saw that the editor, Amy Singer, was publishing a book I immediately put it on my wishlist.

This book is a bit of mixed bag. It's not exactly a book for beginners - the "learn to knit" section at the start of the book seemed to be added as an afterthought. It rushes through the basic stitches and completely omits any advance techniques (cables, using double-pointed needles, finishing, etc.). So just buy it for the patterns - and as others have pointed out, yes, some of these you can get for free on the website, but many are new. Here's a breakdown:

Previously on knitty.com (though a few have been "updated"):
legwarmers, rockstar scarf, coif (head scarf), nosewarmer, fuzzy feet (felted slippers), sound system snugglers (CD/earphone cover), Suki tote (felted bag), Banff turtleneck, Kyoto pullover, Surf & turf skirt

New:
free-standing muffler (it's like a turtleneck without the body), pixie hat, sacred & profane convertibles (mittens/fingerless gloves), dreadlock hat, third-eye chullo, ice cream cozy, laptop cover, magic skirt, yoga mat bag, bikini, purple haze cardigan, janda hoodie, freak vest, girlie boxer shorts, hidden agenda sweater (guy sweater), water bottle sling

* Plus three misc. scarf/belt patterns

People seemed divided on the spiral-bound, flip format...I'll side with the "not a fan" folks, but that's just my personal preference. It's not so bad.

Overall, a solid three stars. Despite any of the book's shortcomings, it is beautifully illustrated/photographed and the patterns (new or not) are some of best out there.

35 of 39 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Not my cup of tea...., January 30, 2005

By	Dianne Foster "Di" (USA) - See all my reviews (TOP 100 REVIEWER)

Need a felted bucket for your kniting/crocheting supplies? Ever thought about making a nose warmer for these cold winter days? Have you or someone you love got a svelte figure that would look good in a knitted skirt? If you can say yes to these questions KNIT WIT by Amy Singer may be the book for you.

Singer says she is horribly allegic to wool, however, several of the projects in this book appear to be constructed from wool fibers (are they synthetic, or did soomeone else knit them?). Several of the projects involve felting, which refers to the process that takes place when you accidently wash your favorite sweater in hot-hot water. Her book looks like a steno pad which you can stand up to read a page. Thus the claim to be a no-hands set of instructions.

For a novice knitter like me, much of the information found in "Stich and Bitch" and other books illustrating the primary knitting steps proved invaluable. I used a combination of the `Dummies" book and S&B to teach myself how to knit and purl. You won't find much elementary information in Singer's book, but it is interesting if you have moved beyond the Dummies book. Singer's projects appear to be created with the more skilled knitter in mind, but even if I claimed to be such a person I would not be interested in making most of them.

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Not for Beginners, March 24, 2005

By	Reader (New York, NY USA) - See all my reviews

This is a good book--the projects are great, hip, and interesting, and they make you really want to get to work. But one problem was that in one of the first projects, an 'easy beginner's' project (the nosewarmer), the whole project depends on the knitter's knowledge of Wrap-and-Turn, or Short Rows. Beginners will not have this knowledge, especially not if the information in the "basics" section is new to them. In addition, nowhere in the book is there an explanation of Wrap-and-Turn, and only after consulting three other how-to books and the internet was I able to get a grasp of what that meant. To do this to a beginner can be quite discouraging. And it's too bad, because the book is overall very good, and the knitty.com site is great.