Fitted Knits: 25 Designs for the Fashionable Knitter by Stefanie Japel Summary and Reviews
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Book Reviews of Fitted Knits: 25 Designs for the Fashionable Knitter
Book Review: Fabulous!
Summary: 5 Stars
I have been knitting since I was about 5 years old, and I have always loved to do so as I find incredibly relaxing.
The only problem I have had in the past is that projects either did not quite fit once finished (and unraveling and restitching is not exactly relaxing, at least not to me...), or I simply grew tired about half way through, or the assembly did not turn out nicely...
And so my knitted sweaters and jackets were never really worn as they looked, well, homemade.
But along comes this cute little book with the genius concept of knitting sweaters from the top down, which also helps eliminating much frustration with yardage - after all I don't mind a sweater that's a bit shorter than planned at the waist, but uneven sleeves or such... nope, that won't work. I find the book SO inspiring and it makes you want to come up with your own designs - easily.
As soon as I started knitting the yoke, I could immediately imagine what my finished piece would look like - something that you cannot when you start from the bottom up and in multiple pieces. And the yoke, or the top in general, is where you want your sweater to fit properly in all the right places, right? So, it makes only sense to start at the top and in one piece to actually fit the piece to YOUR body - as you go along.
At the same time, being the passionate hobby designer that I am, I had a bunch of ideas as I was knitting away of how to modify the pattern in future pieces - not because I did not like the one I was making but because it is so easy (once you get the hang of it) and the possibilities seem endless. This book really sparked my knitting enthusiasm. I am hooked.
Try it - it's a bit of a different approach, but you will just love the finished results. I finished my first jacket in just two evenings - and it FITS and it looks great, if I say so myself.
I can also recommend the "knitalong" link on the author's webpage (glampyreknits.com - bottom, it's a bit hidden...). There, I found many infos, further inspiration and lovely pictures of and from other knitter's finshed projects, and the results are truly amazing.
Book Review: Fabulous!
Summary: 5 Stars
Wow, the book just arrived--the designs are wonderful! Every single one is so cute...I can't decide which one to start with. This is a book I will reach for over and over for inspiration! I can't wait to try her technique for knitting from the top down.Book Review: Fashionable Knits for Every Skill Level
Summary: 4 Stars
I absolutely LOVE this book. I would wear a lot of the designs in here. I think some other reviewers are focusing too much on the yarns featured in the book...hello! Nobody says you have to use the yarn listed in the book! Gauge swatch, anybody? I digress...anyway, I love Stefanie's designs and hope she puts together more books of her fabulous patterns. I think it is the best collection of well-fitting, current and fashionable knits I've seen in one book. The only reason I am giving the book 4 stars instead of 5 is because there are several errors in the book. However, they are corrected on Stefanie's website on the errata page on [...].Book Review: Finally, knit patterns designed to fit!
Summary: 5 Stars
I cannot stress how much I love this book. I am not petite in height, (5'5") but I am slender and usually find myself making alterations to clothing and knitted patterns using variations on children's body measurements and adult's sleeve lengths. Even then, I often find myself steeking to attain the proper fit. The patterns in this book can be knit for a range of sizes, all of which are designed to produce a flattering fit. This book has put me on the lookout for others like it!Book Review: Fitted Is Right
Summary: 4 Stars
I've been a huge fan of Stefanie's for a while. Her first full book of patterns is filled with sweaters, fun tops, and amazing cover ups. I have found that her descriptions on how to fit tops is always well written and easy to understand.
The only major draw back (the minus one star for this book) is some of the out dated patterns. Some of them are so 80's I can't imagine anyone making them. This I find sad ... since I know that Stefanie is one of the hippest designers out there. I've read that her second book will be out next year. I just hope that it contains more of what I love from her (like the slightly showy wide necked sweater ... which I must start soon).