Name of Book: Patricia Roberts' Second Knitting Book
Author: Patricia Roberts
Any other info: 1983. W H Allen, 0491031017



Types of patterns: Garments with some accessories

Number of Patterns: (some are variations, i.e. cardigan and sweater in same theme) scarf (2); mittens (1); hat (1); Gloves (1); Cardigan (19); Jumper (27); waistcoat (2); fingerless gloves (1); shawl (1); childrens (3); pullover (1); Man's Jumper (1); Coat (1)

Split of patterns: mostly women

Size Range: 36-40 in many cases but it can be hard to find the sizing within the jumble of instructions.

Colour/Black & White: 80's colour pictures

Schematics: No

Target Audience: The 80's revivialist with a love of mohair and inartasia, along with a yearning for public ridicule. Seriously nothing really looks above intermediate really.

How to knit guide: Yes and check out the lace gloves, long nails and incomprehensible diagrams.

Experimental

Comments: Gah, revenge of mohair and bad 80's hairdos, stoned models and scary charts. This is one to borrow to goggle at the idea that any of this was a good idea EVER. The cover says it all and that's saying a lot. The charts are handwritten and not all that clear, if you really wanted to knit them (WHY????) you'd have to rechart, honest, unless you're a real masochist.

What I missed on the first pass, formatting. Oh good gods, I did notice the multicoloured titles and the use/abuse of yellow for typefaces on white, but I didn't notice the fact that ends of patterns are shoved in wherever they would fit. So a pattern that starts on page 84 continues on page 81 for example. This is what happened before computerised formatting people, and still continues today by people who should know better.

I brought this to the inaugural Friday Fiber Fun meeting at the Tea Garden and I think I broke some people with the bad. It was also produced (and commented on) in This is Knit earlier that day, to much boggling and humour.

There are one or two okay patterns lurking under the fur but they're really nothing special.

Buy/Borrow: Only borrow this to boggle at what passed for fashion, why you shouldn't have designs with prominent features land on your breast and how to scare people silly. It also is an example of how some authors have learned and moved on.

Where found: Dublin City Public Libraries, thankfully stored away where it can't scare small children.

(see what I do for you all, suffer so that the truth can be told!)