Knit It Your Way: Change the Yarn to Suit Your Style

Rating:
Summary: Title is deceptive
Review: For years I've been trying to alter knitting patterns to accommodate different types, sizes of yarn. The only way I knew how to do this was by hours of experimental "swatch" knitting, comparing stitches, measuring, etc.

So, when I saw the book "Knit it Your Way: Change the Yarn to Suit Your Style" advertised, I became very excited - at last, I thought, charts, explanations, a Method that would eliminate all that "swatching."

When the book arrived I could hardly wait to start reading. I quickly realized the only "Method" that was mentioned was - you guessed it - "swatching." After a few pages talking about her experience with hours and hours of knitting swatches, the author then regales us with many photos of herself in self-knit clothing. It is not something that I would even pass along to a beginning knitter.

The title of this book completely misrepresents its contents.

Rating:
Summary: Title is deceptive
Review: For years I've been trying to alter knitting patterns to accommodate different types, sizes of yarn. The only way I knew how to do this was by hours of experimental "swatch" knitting, comparing stitches, measuring, etc.

So, when I saw the book "Knit it Your Way: Change the Yarn to Suit Your Style" advertised, I became very excited - at last, I thought, charts, explanations, a Method that would eliminate all that "swatching."

When the book arrived I could hardly wait to start reading. I quickly realized the only "Method" that was mentioned was - you guessed it - "swatching." After a few pages talking about her experience with hours and hours of knitting swatches, the author then regales us with many photos of herself in self-knit clothing. It is not something that I would even pass along to a beginning knitter.

The title of this book completely misrepresents its contents.

Rating:
Summary: Could use some more yarn varieties for comparison
Review: This book by Cynthia Yanok Wise is a must have for those designing or wanting to design their own knitted garments or modify a pattern by using a different yarn. The book urges creativity beyond the printed pattern and provides numerous examples detailing the changes that can be accomplished just by using a different yarn.

Rating:
Summary: Could use some more yarn varieties for comparison
Review: This is not as bad a book as some reviewers have made it out to be. Reading it, I got the sense that this author was NOT someone who gets all the yarn she wants from doing work for the yarn companies, but instead has to actually BUY her yarn, like most of us.

The styles were basic, but nice, and were shown as completed garments in both yarn choices. Many pattern books show other colorways and yarns, but only as pattern swatches. It is a much cheaper book than "Simply Beautiful Sweaters" which was totally about $$$$$ yarn.

It would have been nice to see more closeups of the yarns that were used, so it would be a little easier to substitute what you already have. I also thought her yarns, even her nicer ones, did not look all that different in photos from some of the rock-bottom discount yarns available--the cover photo really suffered in this regard. Perhaps the next printing will have some of these issues addressed. It still is a pretty good book.

Rating:
Summary: Major Disappointment
Review: What a disappointment! This is a book based on the empty promise that the author is going to show some new way to solve the age old knitter's dilemma of yarn substitutions and how to make them. There is nothing new in this book; she solves yarn substitutions the way we all do and have been doing for a million years; swatch, swatch, swatch. This information is available from magazines, books, classes and other knitters!

She does show examples of sweaters knitted in two different weights of yarn, and for the novice knitter I suppose this could be interesting, and possibly informative. However, for any knitter who has made even one successful yarn substitution, I feel this book is an expensive retelling of an old tale.

I would strongly suggest that anyone thinking about purchasing this book first seek out a copy to look through.

Rating:
Summary: Major Disappointment
Review: What a disappointment! This is a book based on the empty promise that the author is going to show some new way to solve the age old knitter's dilemma of yarn substitutions and how to make them. There is nothing new in this book; she solves yarn substitutions the way we all do and have been doing for a million years; swatch, swatch, swatch. This information is available from magazines, books, classes and other knitters!

She does show examples of sweaters knitted in two different weights of yarn, and for the novice knitter I suppose this could be interesting, and possibly informative. However, for any knitter who has made even one successful yarn substitution, I feel this book is an expensive retelling of an old tale.

I would strongly suggest that anyone thinking about purchasing this book first seek out a copy to look through.