Expectant Little Knits: Chic Designs for Moms to Be (Hardcover)

~ (Author)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

Just open a magazine or turn on the TV and it’s clear that moms-to-be are proud of their “baby bumps.” No more hiding those growing bellies; today’s pregnant woman wants to wear stylish, modern, even edgy fashions. And these 22 gorgeous knit projects, created by a pool of talented designers, fill the bill. Expecting mothers—and the friends and families who want to knit them a gift—will be overjoyed to find so many attractive possibilities. A truly luxurious cashmere car coat features bell sleeves and ribbed cuffs, while a v-neck tank design (made from a simple stockinette stitch) uses pleats that can accommodates an expanding tummy. From a cleverly designed cowl sweater with discreet nursing panels to a dazzling beaded black evening dress, every garment is beautiful.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 128 pages
• Publisher: Lark Books (January 1, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1600591515
• ISBN-13: 978-1600591518
• Product Dimensions: 10.1 x 8.8 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.6 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #729,147 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Knitting for mom-to-be in your life, June 17, 2008

By	armchairinterviews.com (Minnesota) - See all my reviews

When knitters contemplate pulling out their needles to knit for an expectant mom, most are eyeing cute booties or miniature-size cardigans for the baby. Few consider knitting for the mom-to-be; however, Suzanne J.E. Tourtillott's new book, Expectant Little Knits: Chic Designs for Moms to Be will soon see that trend change. Over a dozen designers have come together to create the twenty-two stylish and chic patterns to show off the baby "bump."

The first section of Expectant Little Knits provides an overview of contemporary maternity fashions and constructions techniques. The final nine pages cover basic knitting techniques. The pages in between feature stunning sweaters which have finished bust sizes of 27" to 50", with the average falling in the range of 34" to 44". The majority of the tops are sleeveless, featuring clever design elements including pleats, empire waists, discrete and not-so-discrete buttons for nursing, and lace in side panels.

Each pattern provides a generic yarn description and yardage requirements and is suitable for beginning and intermediate knitters. It is only at the end of the pattern that the details of the model yarn are provided.

Of the twenty-two patterns, there is one coat, three dresses, eight tanks/tops, four pullovers, three cardigans, two hoodies, and a jacket. My favorite is the "Motherhoodie" shown in Noro's Silk Garden, which I've already made two of for pregnant friends.

My only complaint about this book is that many of the designs are shown in mohair and alpaca, which may be too warm for the average pregnant woman.

Armchair Interviews says: If you have a mother-to-be in your life, knit something for her.

8 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Here's a little what to expect..., February 16, 2008

By	G. Ronnevik (Fergus Falls, MN) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Well, I couldn't find a review anywhere on the internet for this book, but the picture on the cover looked like something I would wear, so I went ahead and ordered it, not knowing what to expect. Therefore, I can't say whether or not I'm disappointed, because there were no real expectations.
First off, there is a wide variety of styles and sizes, from what I can tell. I haven't knitted any yet, but since I'm a tiny person, I always look to see if the items are huge or not. Since there is such a wide variety of designers, the sizes seem to be different too. The bust size in the category small ranges from 32" to 38" for the finished size, depending on the sweater. I'm guessing this is so women of all sizes can find something wearable in here. They are all tops, except for one dress that is short enough to be a top. Some of them I hate, and others I love. The styles are so different, from hounds tooth little sweater that you would wear to a proper country club to a hemp tank top. This makes me think that everyone can find at least one thing they like.
One compliment I have to give is that each design has very detailed schematics which makes it nice when planning out a project. The other things to expect from this book is a wide range of yarns used, depending on designer. Some sweaters use expensive Rowan, while others use super saver red heart. The yarns used are listed at the end of the pattern, but in the materials listed, it gives details like use "750 yds of wool/silk blend DK weight yarn in red." So even though they give credit to yarns used in design, they leave it open to you to choose a yarn in your price range/preference. I'm guessing I'll have to be extra careful checking my gage in this book!
I am also happy that I don't have to use tiny needles in every sweater. The smallest is needle size is US 3 but one has a size US 17 needle, and most are between US 5 - US 9 because face it, we're only pregnant for 9 months, and the sweater will have to get finished within that time frame!
The photography is worth comparing with other knitting books, both good and bad. The bad is it's not artsy and beautiful, like they are capturing a precious moment as in some other knitting books. The good part about that is you actually have some good pictures of the whole sweater on someone, so you can see how the shape is, and some practical expectations of how it will turn out. I have not started knitting yet, so I can't say anything for the accuracy of the patterns, but I can say they seem incredibly well laid out and detailed.
I hope this helps, even though it's not all the pictures of the projects!

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars End results so-so, July 3, 2008

By	Melissa Swartz (Phoenix, AZ) - See all my reviews

There are a wide range of patterns in this book, I picked 3 that looked cute and potentially wearable beyond pregnancy. I followed the directions other than adding 1/2" at the bottom of the body pieces (I'm taller than the average person), and my first pattern didn't fit well together at all. I check gauge frequently and measured the final pieces to make sure they matched up right, but it looked very sloppy at the end. (I made "Anne's Tunic". I also couldn't get it to tie properly without gaping wide open across the belly, very NOT flattering over the bump!!)
I am working on a different pattern from this book also in my spare time ("Making Waves") that is shaping up to be quite different than I imagined it would be - the picture doesn't quite capture the detail of this. I don't mind the difference so I'm proceeding on and hoping the pieces fit better this time. I'm a bit disappointed but still hope to get something good out of this.