Meg Swansen's Knitting

Rating:
Summary: 5 plus on technique, 3 on style
Review: I find this book delightful. An up-to-the-minute collection of miscellaneous techniques is at the beginning of the book. Then, in addition to the great patterns, Meg has scattered other orignal tips throughout.

Rating:
Summary: Concept, Clarity, Charm, and Color - the 4 Cs of Knitting
Review: I'm biased about this book because I know Meg Swansen well, and am grateful to her for teaching me a great many things about knitting. That aside, I still must sing the praises of this amazing book.

There is no other work I know of that encompasses the techniques of the crocheted steek (a Mary Hounsell invention), jogless color changes in 2-color knitting (which Meg invented), the Purl-When-you-Can border (which Meg also invented), and knitting a tube (sleeve or sock) with 2 circular needles instead of double-pointed needles (a Joyce Williams invention). These are innovative techniques that have never been pulled into one place before, and if you're a "thinking knitter", you really should read this book! Meg is a collector of new techniques and variations, and in this book she shares freely the cream of the crop.

Meg's writing style is open and compelling, and she gives you glimpses into her life as Elizabeth Zimmermann's daughter and as a thinking knitter on her own.

You will love this book.

Rating:
Summary: Unispiring sweaters
Review: I've flipped through this book countless times while browsing my local library's knitting section and I'm always turned off by the boring and frequently ugly designs and color schemes. This author apparently has never met an earth tone she didn't like. How about adding a little sparkle to some of those muddier colors with some jewel tones? I can't speak for technique having never used the book. My advise is to browse through it at the library or book store before purchasing it here. Put it this way--it never inspires me enough to check it out of the library---for free! Of course, I'm not a big fan of her mother's book, Knitting Without Tears (I can imagine the gasps of outrage since she seems to be a knitting godess) and wish I'd spent my money on something less boring. I've had Knitting Without Tears for nearly four years now and have yet to use it for anything. It's just wasting space on my shelf. Since this book is a much bigger investment be wise and borrow a copy before buying.

Rating:
Summary: High quality publication but not a very good book
Review: I've had this book for over a year, and I browse through it from time to time. There are a few sweaters that I happen to like, although I have found that the knitting instructions are very, very chatty rather than precise (Swansen's personality is more important to her than the knitting). The yarns used -- I ordered
some from Schoolhouse Press -- are the cheaper, lower grade wools, almost suitable for rugs rather than knitwear. Some of these sweaters have promise if you are willing to convert them into much higher quality (and not much more expensive!) yarns. It's is difficult to convert, however, since Meg does us the favor of not including diagrams or measurements in the patterns, ultimately thinking we'd all make them in the same yarns and get the same stitch gauge, which is surprising from a woman who is supposed to be a knitting expert. But, yes, some of the sweaters are quite nice and photographed well, though I did get tired of seeing the author in most of the photos, reading the author's rather dull autobiography and reading the author's overly-personalized text -- rather like this is a book about Swansen with the sweaters incidental. The sweaters themselves are presented nicely, but the color of the yarns used, for the most part, are awful. Either the colors are too bland, blending into each other, or they are horribly garish. Swansen needs to take a class in color theory for garments. Shudder. Swansen presents only sweaters for adults, and another surprise is how effeminate are the sweaters for men. I guess the men where Swansen is from (is it Minnesota or something?) are much, much sillier than those here on the east coast. I also found the book way overpriced. This was a big bestseller when it first came out, owing to Meg's friends who posted gushing reviews. Knitters are always hungry for new books, and I don't begrudge having this one added to my library. I would recommend, as I think another reviewer did, that you look at this in a store before purchasing -- the garishness and roughness of the sweaters, combined with the chatty and often unhelpful instructions may be a caution on whether or not you want to invest.

Rating:
Summary: Not for the New Knitter
Review: Meg Swansen continues in her mother's revered footsteps with her book, MEG SWANSEN'S KNITTING, then "Knits On". The patterns are timeless, the colors are gorgeous - classic with a lovely update. I wish I were a friend of Meg Swansen, I'd love to sit with Meg and a pot of tea for the afternoon of knitting. I find her style of writing very easy to understand, very helpful on many levels. This is the type of book I keep by my bedside to dream over. The pictures are a treat in themselves. I'll be busy knitting for a long time with this lovely book.

Rating:
Summary: outdated patterns
Review: The patterns seem a bit repetative, but this book is good for adding new techniques to your repretoire.

Rating:
Summary: Great book for all knitting knuts!
Review: This is a great book for the library of any intermediate or advanced knitter. Meg has designed clever and stunning sweaters. The Turkish pair are all but mesmorizing. Still, I may never knit any of the sweaters. They're beautiful but I've seen them in person and they are generally too heavy for my climate. All the same, they're photographed beautifully and are simply wonderful to drool over even if you live in warmer parts of the world.

Still, the quality that makes this book a keeper is the wonderful tricks and techniques section in the front of the book. Tired of bloops of underlying color when attaching i-cord; Meg offers a simple and totally effective solution. There are dozens of these tips which can transform your knitting from amateur to finished.

Rating:
Summary: Another beautiful knitting book from Meg Swansen
Review: This one tops them all! Meg has outdone herself in this beautiful book. The patterns are wonderful and inspiring and make me itch to get going on one of the vests at the back of the book. I love the autobiographical section at the beginning and the techniques section is worth the price of the book alone. Meg is surely following in the footsteps of her talented mother, Elizabeth Zimmermann. I would recommend this book full of great patterns and beautiful photos taken in natural settings to any knitter, beginner to expert. There is something here for everyone! Kudos, Meg!