I've been anxiously awaiting this book for about a year now, ever since Yahaira announced that she'd been contacted to do a book. I finally got my copy in the mail today and started tearing through it immediately. Because Yahaira's shop was one of my early online yarn loves, I have a particular fondness and even read all the pre-pattern stuff. (You know you never read the narrative.) It's actually - wait for it - interesting and USEFUL! I want to read the pre-pattern stuff in all my books - is it always useful?
This book specializes in discussing luxurious yarns and patterns that will best compliment those wonderful yarns. The patterns are really lovely, and the way they're written up are very thorough and quite impressive. Most patterns include a schematic, sizes given in S/M/L/etc. AND actual measurements, along with finished measurements. A good number of the patterns span a wide range of sizes, up to 52"! (Hooray!) Not every pattern is made to that wide a range of sizes, but you won't be frustrated with the lack of range. And! The designs are actually things you would knit and wear!
Plus - this may be my favourite thing, as a designer myself (not for this book) - each pattern clearly states the designer AND provides a real live bio for each designer! (In pattern collection books, I've noticed that sometimes the designer's name gets buried - and they NEVER get their own bio.) I'm very impressed with Yahaira, the publisher, and whoever else is responsible for this addition. I hope it catches on.
For those of you who don't have access to a bookstore so you can thumb through it, I'm showing you a select few (mediocre) photos of the designs I especially like. (I have to buy things sight-unseen frequently because most of my local bookstores - and sadly, yarn shop - don't carry knitting books until they've been out for about six months. So I find it so helpful when bloggers post a couple of photos so I can get a feel for whether I'll actually like a book. But I can tell you, it's likely you'll enjoy this book.) I tried not to duplicate the photos Yahaira shared - fortunately, I had a different set of favourites.
And then there's my mostest favouritest, my definite must-knit. This will be the one I cast on, much to Travis' chagrin (he has a thing against sleeveless turtlenecks, but I love 'em!) I even have the yarn - the SAME yarn, colour and all. I'm a sucker for a cowl neck!
Oh, and for those of you thinking, "Yes, but how does this book make my butt look?"
Great! So add it to your Christmas list!
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