Knitting Noro: The Magic of Knitting with Hand-Dyed Yarns (Hardcover)

by Jane Ellison (Author)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description
Noro yarns are often called the “world’s most exciting yarns,” and their popularity is staggering. Each ball of this exquisite, multicolored yarn is individually dyed to produce a unique palette of vivid and subtle hues. No two balls are exactly alike.

In Knitting Noro, designer Jane Ellison presents more than 30 patterns to knit with Noro yarns. Designed to let the glorious colors of the long repeat variegated yarns take center stage, the garments are divided into six classic silhouettes with variations for each. From the Pullovers chapter, readers can make a striped sweater with ribbed details or a turtleneck sweater dress; from the Classic Jackets chapter, both a zippered hoodie and a long textured coat can be made.

From tanks to wraps, the patterns are accompanied by beautiful photographs and clear instructions. The figure-flattering shapes of these garments and the vibrant colors of the yarns are sure to make Knitting Noro a book that knitters of all skill levels will come back to again and again.

About the Author
JANE ELLISON, an expert at working with Noro yarns, has designed for magazines including Woman’s Weekly and Vogue Knitting. As the sales and marketing manager of Designer Yarns, she is responsible for most of the designs in their patterns books, including those devoted exclusively to Noro Yarns.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 128 pages
• Publisher: Potter Craft (November 4, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0307405745
• ISBN-13: 978-0307405746
• Product Dimensions: 9.8 x 7.4 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.5 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.5 out of 5 stars See all reviews (13 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #211,304 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

30 of 31 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Mediocre designs and pointless misinformation, December 10, 2008

By	Fluff City Mama (Seattle, WA) - See all my reviews

First of all, make no mistake - I love Noro yarn and I was looking forward to this book, since gorgeous amazing yarn like this really does benefit from the right kind of design - not too complicated or it fights with the yarn, but instead designs that have good lines, and either some unique touch, special elegance, or a stitch that interacts with the yarn for an interesting effect. Unfortunately, there was nothing like that in here.

The book consists of ordinary, basic designs, almost all in plain stockinette or rib stitch, with few details to make them memorable. For example - almost every item has pronounced horizontal stripes, due to the nature of the yarn, but that's SO not flattering, and it's a problem that occurs using ordinary sweater patterns with the Noro yarns. Why not have some designs that address that issue? Another example is entrelac, a technique that almost could have been invented just for Noro yarns, it gives such beautiful results. It's not mentioned in the book. Aren't those the king of things that should be included in a book about how to use a particular kind of yarn?

The disappointment is made worse if you go to Noro yarns own website, noroyarns.com, and click on the 'reference' section. There you will some interesting items from various designers that make good use of their unique yarns - why couldn't this book have had something like those, instead of the same things I've seen in a hundred books?

I also find the introduction (and even the title) full of misinformation. "Hand-dyed yarns"? No, they aren't. Noro dyes the raw materials, then spins the yarns from those. The author also implies the yarns are hand-spun, but they are not. Noro's own website has a picture of them being spun by machine. Why does the author include all these false statements about the yarn? It's way beautiful enough to stand on its own without making up stuff.

10 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A Possible Stash buster , November 10, 2008

By	good4me$ - See all my reviews

I really like this book. Any yarn with the same gauge as the featured Noro yarn can be used for these patterns. Easy knitting and basic desgins (good for TV knitting).

I plan on knitting many of the patterns in this book using not only Noro yarns but Manos, Mountain Colors, Blue Heron or Dune and let my imagination run wild while reducing my stash. For those that prefer more imaginative or avant garde designs, as has been the case with some of Jane Ellison's past designs, this is probably not the book for you. One of the design elements used is to combine more than one color of Kureyon, for example, in the same design with great results. (Also good for stash busting).

While the patterns are not necessarily classic, they can be worn for many a season from a fitted rib cardigan to a ribbed vest to a hooded jacket. The pictures of the designs are also clean and basic without any distracting background so that the design and the yarn stand out.

The only thing I don't care for are the use of rolled hems, but that is my preference and a very easy fix.

A good buy if you are a knitter that wants the yarn to do the work.

8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Sweater Book I've Been Looking For!, November 14, 2008

By	Kimberly Burk (Playa del Rey, CA USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

A friend showed me her new copy at our knitting group tonight, and I had to come right here to order my own copy ASAP! I have several of the Noro pattern books, but this one is going to be the most useful yet. Yes, the sweaters are basic pullovers and cardigans, but the details are delicious! And simple enough so that the focus is on the yarn.

I especially love the rolled hem and the exaggerated cowl neckline of a couple of them. Many of the patterns are simple and show off the striping effect of most Noro yarns. One sweater mixes bands of solids with bands of self-striping yarn, And the two row striped sweater reminds me of a famous scarf done in Noro Silk Garden yarn. I've used that technique in a pair of Socks, using Noro Kureyon Sock Yarn. I love the way that a two row stripe shows off the long color changes that make Noro yarns so special. I know I'll be knitting this sweater as soon as my book arrives!

Once I get through some of my Noro stash, I'll be using many of these patterns to do some stash busting and mixing it up! Hours of fun lie ahead!