Rating: 
Summary: Pretty Pictures, Easy Beginner projects
Review: "Knitting Pretty" is a helpful supplement to my other books and I like the projects this tome offers. That said, it was incredibly annoying to read about a project and not be able to see a picture of the finished item!!! The major strike against this book is that it does not have a picutre for every project. For beginners, it is frustrating not to be able to compare the work-in-progress to the way the budding masterpiece is SUPPOSED to look when the last stitch is bound off. Chronicle Books should write a giant "Note to Self" to put photos of any and all craft items in future publications.
Some reviewers thought many projects were useless. Perhaps, but a beer cozy is a cute, whimsical gift and I am planning to make matching holders for a couple who shares my penchant for microbrews. =)
I appreciated the fact that Ms. Percival rates the projects. It gives the reader an idea of the difficulty level of each item. There is a feeling of accomplishment when the new knitter advances to a harder item, and also prevents one from diving into something too complicated before he or she is ready. After all, this is supposed to be a relaxing hobby. If it is too frustrating to begin with, the ranks of new knittiers could dwindle. (See "Knitting Without Tears" by Elizabeth Zimmerman--an excellent book for the advanced beginner)
The tone of this guide is encouraging and straight forward. The author writes in an easy style that is inviting to the reader and makes one feel that making an ice-skating scarf is not impossible. The word pictures Ms. Percival paints as she describes each project made me want to dive in and get going so I could see the finished result. Again, I wish there had been an actual picture to go along with it...
With regard to learning to knit from this book, another reviewer pointed out that everyone learns differently, so it is hard to do a fair evaluation on the efficacy of the instructions. I felt that the pictures were kind of small, yes, but this is the book that finally explained a yarn over to me! Successfully! I think that it is optimal to have several resources. I was lucky to have a wonderful mother-in-law who patiently taught me to knit. (This is no mean feat, as I am the clumsiest person in the tri-state area. Thanks, Cindy, I love you!) If there is not a knitting store or live person to instruct, "Knitting Pretty" could serve as an adjunct guide. I would ultimately recommend buying this book along with a couple of others, if the budget allows. If only one could be purchased, it should be Sally Melville's, "The Knit Stitch." This is not a harsh criticism. That book dedicates more space to teaching the instructional aspects of knitting, and was written with this purpose in mind. "Knitting Pretty" is a quick how-to, with simple, beginner projects suitable for gifts and practical use. It also builds a knitter's repetoire and prepares one for bigger things by building knowledge of techniques in bite-size increments. (See the paperweight)
Kris Percival and photographer France Ruffenbach did a bang-up job. "Knitting Pretty" is a guide for beginning knitters of hip patterns photographed invitingly enough to encourage those starting the craft to give them a try.
Rating: 
Summary: Indeed, a pretty book
Review: full of inspiration and not at all intimidating. I'm a beginner and a perfectionist, and won't try a new pattern if it looks to difficult. Percival is great at telling you what you need to know before you start, and the patterns are rated for difficulty-which I love. I'm disappointed, however, that not all the patterns have accompanying photos. It can be difficult to visualize what a project is supposed to look like, especially for those of us with limited knitting experience. The photos are beautifully simple, uncluttered and calm--just the thing to make you want to pick up your needles.
Rating:
Summary: it taught me...
Review: how to knit in 10 minutes. I used to know how to knit when I was a little girl, then I forgot. My husband taught me to crochet in grad school, and I picked that up quite quickly. I tried teaching myself how to knit again - through using many books (I'm a librarian), and failed. This book worked for me. Some of the reviews by experienced knitters here sound rather elitist. As for the lack of the gauge - is this really important for knitting a scarf? She does mention gauge, just not for every pattern. And the paperweight cover? it's good practice. The beer cozy is a humorous touch to what some consider an old woman's hobby. Take it from one who deals with sterotypes on a daily basis - I know it isn't and you know it isn't, so appreciate the creative nature of this book. If you consider knitting a science and follow recipes with no alteration, skip this book. If you consider knitting an art and are not afraid to be creative once in a while, check this book out.
Rating:
Summary: Great knitting book!
Review: I am a brand new knitter, and I found this book very helpful. The technical information was well written, and I felt the illustrations of different stitches were the best I've seen. In fact, I think this book would be helpful to anyone trying to become a book-taught knitter. I certainly refer back to the technical pages quite often. Some reviewers have not had positive comments for the projects in this book. I think it's just a matter of perspective! I think a beer cozy is a great gag gift, particularily for my friends who tease me about learning to knit. Those types of projects (and there are several in this book) are meant to be offbeat and campy. These little projects are also a good way to use up leftover yarn. I gave the book 4 stars only because it does not have a picture of every project. All in all, It's a lighthearted book with lighthearted projects, while still very informative and instructive.
Rating:
Summary: Some really cute and easy patterns!
Review: I bought this book Christmas of 2002 after having been knitting for about 5 months. There are some nice basic instructions in the front that I agree with other reviewers are nice for reference. The directions are written well for beginners- there are not too many abbreviations and the ones that are there are simply explained.
I made the daring halter and it is certainly daring but perfect for Spring Break in Miami Beach!:) I am now making the baby booties and was a little stuck for a half hour but got it figured out. I agree with everyone else about the lack of pictures for some projects- very frustrating for my girlfriend who made a tube top (and why is this in the kids' section anyway?).
Overall, I would recommend this book to a somewhat new knitter. Nobody can really learn to knit just from a book but get some personal instruction, make a few scarves for friends and then you can do the halter- not as hard as a sweater but more of a challenge than the scarves.
Keep on Knittin'...
Rating: 
Summary: The perfect pattern book for beginners!
Review: I had only been knitting a couple of weeks when I found this book in an Urban Outfitters. I loved the beautiful illustrations and the patterns that included NO abbreviations (very helpful for a beginner). I knit almost all of my Xmas presents from it this year including two beanies, five scarves, the shoulder bag, dishcloths, slippers, a child's purse, and a baby blanket. I have the supplies and plans to make the booties and poncho in the near future. This book really pulled me into knitting, and I love the difficulty ratings. It was such a thrill to finally complete a level four and have the finished product look EXACTLY like the picture! Should you not want it to look like the picture, these patterns are very easy to adapt, and the book even includes improvisation ideas in the text. There are a few items without pictures, but it doesn't matter. This is the PERFECT beginner's book, and I am so glad I found it.
Rating:
Summary: Anti-intimidating for Beginner's
Review: I like this book because it's a clear marker on the journey of becoming more comfortable with knitting. I can tell I'll grow out of it pretty quickly. But even then I'll use it to compare other more sophisticated patterns to the ones here, to understand the differences and learn that way. It's so easy to get lured into a pattern, thinking it's manageable, all of a sudden something happens and I'm over my head. With this book, there's nothing over my head! And the patterns are all so cuddly and fun, very engaging. A very good intial step.
Rating:
Summary: I love it
Review: I LOVE this book, it appeals to me in many ways the age deomgraphic, the projects as well as the level if difficulty, i learned to knit in feb of 04 but i can tackle many more advanced projects, i just prefer the easier ones, i was dissapointed in the no pictures for some of the projects but it motivates me to want to make them just to see what they look like!! All of the projects are well photographed, and show the project well, as for the beer cozy, well its a soda cozy to me!
I really do enjoy this book
Rating:
Summary: Pretty not bad
Review: I'm re-learning to knit for the third time and am quite addicted at the moment. This book is excellent for its descriptions of the stitches and how to execute them. It has some really fun patterns (I love the worm scarf!), but it doesn't have images for all of the projects, and sometimes it pairs two projects in the same photo but doesn't say which is which (easy enough to deal with when you know how to knit, but maybe not when you're just learning). I think the best part of the book is that it has some great suggestions in the back on where you can find more patterns and ideas.
Rating:
Summary: This Could Have Been a Much Better Book!
Review: Oh! All the potential was there. Funky projects, great photos, clear instructions.... If ONLY there were pictures of ALL of the projects! I like Percival's writing and I thought the beginning knitting instruction in the book was clear and helpful. In fact, I often refer to the beginning section of the book for helpful tips when I get stuck on projects from other books.
However, as a beginning knitter, I cannot visualize the projects that aren't pictured, and, according to the other reviews, neither can a lot of the experienced knitters. For example, there is one pattern in the book for a baby blanket. But you have no idea what it's going to look like. How about the Groovy Curtain? Shouldn't you get SOME idea of how it's going to look before you go ahead and make one to hang in your home? No photos of the Sculpted Hat (doesn't that just sound like something you would have to see before you made?) or the Urban Folk Shawl which is enough to make you crazy because it does sound cool, but how can you know for sure - and it takes 8 skeins of yarn....you kinda want to know what you're in for before you make that sort of investment. No photos of the Tube Top - how can you see where you may need to make adjustments for your body type? And what's an Ice Skating scarf? I NEED PICTURES!
And yeah, maybe some of the projects are a little silly, but the beer cozy looks like it would make cool wristbands and the paperweight could be stuffed with batting for a cat toy, or beans for a hackysack. I do like the two hats that are shown and the slippers and baby booties are quite cute.
Most of the beginning projects here you can either figure out on your own or find free on the internet. The level 3 projects are the best of the book, I think. I would be interested to see her next book and perhaps Percival won't have the bad luck of being paired with such an unfortunate editor.
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