If
you admire the intricacy and timelessness of Fair Isle
knitting but think it looks too complicated, this book
might just be what you need. It promises
to be very easy, with step-by-step instructions, easy
projects and all the information you require to get
started. But is this all true?
I
was impressed by the user-friendly layout of this book. It
even starts out by showing you how to use it for the
best results, and is divided helpfully into three sections. These
are the basics of knitting, the patterns and finishing
techniques. Each section is divided into
a number of lessons, twenty-eight in total taking you
from things like understanding yarns and ball bands
and having the right kit to aftercare. In
between you can actually learn to knit—from casting
on to the basic stitches you need to learn in order
to do this style. If you are a quick learner
you might be able to truly get all you need to know
to make the projects, but most people would probably
be better off learning the nuts and bolts of knitting
elsewhere and getting a few plain projects under their
belts first.
There
are some very clear diagrams in here, some of the best
I have seen, and a particularly informative and simple
guide to working out tension. The patterns
themselves come with a handy guide to what they all
look like on two pages, and each pattern is easy to
follow and starts from the simplest, getting harder
throughout the book. The projects come after
a set of related patterns and give you a chance to practice
what you have just learned while making something attractive
and useful. A child’s cardigan, hat
and scarf set, bag, throw, mug hugs and my favorite
the hot water bottle cover are some examples. Finally
you can learn how to block, press and look after your
new items as well as add beads and buttons or make simple
trims like pompoms and tassels. I don’t
think I have seen many knitting books that explain what
you actually need to know better than this one, very
highly recommended.
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