Book Depository Link; Ravelry Link
Types of patterns: Domestic patterns mostly
Number of Patterns: 18
Split of patterns: mostly sewn
Colour/Black & White: COlour
Schematics: yes
Target Audience: multi-crafting Jane Austen fans
How to knit guide: no
Experimental/Classical/Modern: Classical
Comments: Despite the picture of a woman knitting a pair of socks on the front there are only two knitting patterns in this book. The book opens with an introduction to craft in Jane Austen's books and then to things like materials and tools. Each project has a list of novels it appears in and some commentary about the uses at the period.
Letter Case: Sewn - Intermediate, a lined lettercase
Linen: sewn, intermediate, lace trimmed pillowcases, you could make this an easy project by decorating existing pillowcases
Cravat: Sewn fairly simple, also provides period images of tied cravats but no real details
Workbag: Sewing and embroidery: Intermediate, an embroidered project bag
Paper Flowers: Beginner made from rice, silk or firm tissue paper
Purses: Knitting, Sewing & Netting : intermediate/Advanced. Our first knitting project, a Misers Purse a knit flat pattern sewn with minor increasing. Rings keep the coins in the purse, the ends are decorated with Beads and tassels. The Netted Coin Purse is small enough to learn how to do netting, lined with a contrast fabric, with a clasp.
Huswife: Sewing rated as beginner, this is a small fabric case with pockets to hold needlework and sewing tools. Scissors, needles, tape measure, thread, pins and pin cushion are contained in this item. It has contrast fabric on the outside
Carpetwork: Needlework and sewing rated as intermediate, canvaswork, not charted, I have needlework experience and would find this a frustrating design.
Muff and tippet: Sewing, intermediate, using fake fur and contrasting cotton fabric.
Pin cushion and thread case: Sewing, rated beginner
Transparency: Painting rated intermediate/advanced. Using glass paint and a rectangle of glass they're painted. The hardest bit is the outliner from personal experience.
Bonnet: sewing intermediate level, gathered bonnet, this uses a straw bonnet to get the bowl
Reticule: Sewing, knotting and embroidery rated as intermediate/advanced. "using a knotting shuttle make a series of evenly spaced knots in the thread" are part of the instructions
Knitted Rug: Knitting, she says advanced, I say beginner. if you can cast on, knit, purl, can follow basic instructions, and can cast off, you're able to make this rug. There was mirth at the Fiber Fun Friday about this. The worst part is the poorly done chart. (In fact according to the Yarn Standards Council it ranks as Beginner and maybe at a push Easy)
Muslin Cap: Sewing beginner rated, a lacetrimmed muslin cap.
This didn't impress me, I was underwhelmed by the patterns and thought that there was a lot of missed opportunities and I wouldn't trust the ratings for the patterns. For a knitter the patterns are very basic and pretty mundane. If I was interested in Regency period costuming or dressing I would be interested in this. It's well illustrated with a lot of period details but I wasn't impressed overall.
Buy/Borrow: Borrow, you might be more impressed than me but it didn't fill me with an urge to break out needles of any sort.
Where found: Dun Laoghaire Rathdown Libraries via Borrowbooks
Monday, 17 January 2011
Sunday, 16 January 2011
Styles - Sally Melville
Book Depository Link; Ravelry Link
Types of patterns: Garments, mostly
Number of Patterns: 27
Split of patterns: Jacket/Cardigan (6); Dog Coat (1); Vest (7); Children's Cardigan (2); Child's Jumper (1); Jumper (6); purse (1); coat (2); dress (1)
Size Range: 40-54 inches for adults
Colour/Black & White: Colour
Schematics: yes
Target Audience: impulse stashers. More intermediate or advanced knitters.
How to knit guide: Not the basics but some more specialist techniques are put forward
Experimental/Classical/Modern:
Comments: This book has dated a bit but some of the information is invaluable. She explores colour theory quite well in the beginning of the book and also shows where the colours come on a colour-wheel
The first chapter uses mostly Garter Stitch
Jessica's Jacket - blocky children's drop-shouldered jacket with a rainbow of stripes. Knit in Chunky weight yarns
Homer's Vest is a pretty simple Dog jumper with a very dark or black yarn twinned with a rainbow yarn in aran weight yarn.
Uncle Jeremey's Vest is a blocky waistcoat designed for men, in dk weight yarn. Subtle squares decorate this blocky garment.
Gander Blips Vest - an interesting surface use of a contrast yarn. Would be good for small amounts of an expensive or interesting contrast yarn, while the main colour is worsted weight the contrast can be in dk to chunky. A blocky waistcoat
Gander Blips Jacket uses the same technique for a cropped blocky jacket. This time the main colour is in an Aran Weight yarn and the contrasts in worsted to chunky weights.
Inspired-by-the-Log-Cabin Jacket. Knit in different directions this uses a worsted weight main colour (the original in a dark gray) while DK to aran Light to medium intensity colours. this is knit ina modular fashion, round necked jacket
The second chapter is Simple Fairisle
Caddy's Cardigan is done in both childrens (dk weight yarn) and adult (worsted with dk to aran weight contrasts). The children's is in brighter colours while the adult is more muted. Blocky garments.
The third chapter is Not-Your-Usual Intarsia
Standing-in-a-pile-of-leaves Pullover is a childrens garment that looks like a pile of leaves with leaves cascading down, the colours are autumnal, the background dark. The main colour is DK, the contrast colours are sport to worsted weights. There's also an Adult version, where the main colour is Aran weight and the Contrast colours DK to aran weights.
Standing-in-a-pile-of-leaves vest is a pointed front waistcoat, knit with the main colour in Aran weight and the contrast DK to Aran Weight.
Laurel's Jacket is a patchwork of squares in different colours. The sleeves are knit in one colour, with saddle shoulders, pointed front, sleeves can be knit plain or with a lace pattern. The sleeves are chunky weight, the body chunky to aran, she suggests textured yarns. As the sleeve colours can be used in the body I would be inclined to knit the sleeves first and then use as much of the remaining yarn in the body.
The fourth Chapter is Tweed Stitch Squares
Topher's Pullover is offered in a DK (with dk to aran contrasts) or Worsted weight (with DK to Aran contrasts too); square blocky jumper with squares that can be subtle or highly contrasting. Done in Childrens and adult versions
The Whistler Vest is a similar garment to the Topher Pullover, again subtle colour contrasts. Main colour DK, contrasts DK to Aran weight
Kenneth's Classic Vest is a pointed front waistcoat, again with squares, main colour worsted weight, contrasts DK to aran weight.
Ski Suit Cardigan has ribbed plain sleeves, it's a cropped cardigan, main colour worsted, contrasts DK to Aran weight yarns.
Tweed Stitch with Cables is the fifth chapter
Randy's Pullover was knit in quite bright colours and then overdyed and is quite subtle, again a blocky garment, it's knit in DK with DK to worsted contrasts.
Dress-Up Vest is a long-line waistcoat knit in dk with dk to aran contrasts, knit in subtle colours with either a round or v-neck
Annalee's Jacket is designed to be knit in a short range of colours, main colour DK, contrast DK to Aran weights. She suggests looking at stash and using a range of one colour. One of the sample garments is knit in very close shades and looks interesting.
The last chapter is Knitting as Warp, where you knit a garment loosely and then weave in contrast yarns
She starts this chapter with a bag that's basically a how-to for this technique. If this technique appeals you can then move on to the other patterns in the chapter
Shannon's Pullover has squares of contrast yarn in DK to Aran, main colour in Aran.
Tricia's Coat has diagonal stripes, the main colour is chunky, with diagonal colour and contrast colour in Chunky or doubled dk/worsted
Shadow Box Coat is a boxy coat, knit in chunky with Contrast as chunky or doubled dk/worsted.
Riley's "Jeans" pullover is made for children, main colour DK, contrasts in sport, dk or worsted.
Kilim Coat Dress is a dress inspired by kilim fabric, main colour DK, contrasts in DK to worsted. A short length button fronted dress with long sleeves.
Kilim vest is similar to the Kilim Dress but v-necked and long-line. Knit in Aran weight with DK to Aran contrast yarns.
The book also has a chapter on basic pattern drafting.
The garments aren't very fitted and in fact are very blocky but this book caught my eye more for inspiration than for the garments themselves. To fit todays sensibilities you would need to do some work on some of the pieces but it does show some great ways to use up impulse buys.
Buy/Borrow: I'd borrow it to see what you think, I borrowed it and it went straight on my wishlist. The patterns do show age but I found them inspirational. I have a lot of small quantities of yarn in my stash and this could be great to help me reduce the amount of excess yarn with a small outlay for some base yarns.
Where found: I got it via Borrowbooks from Cork County Libraries.
Types of patterns: Garments, mostly
Number of Patterns: 27
Split of patterns: Jacket/Cardigan (6); Dog Coat (1); Vest (7); Children's Cardigan (2); Child's Jumper (1); Jumper (6); purse (1); coat (2); dress (1)
Size Range: 40-54 inches for adults
Colour/Black & White: Colour
Schematics: yes
Target Audience: impulse stashers. More intermediate or advanced knitters.
How to knit guide: Not the basics but some more specialist techniques are put forward
Experimental/Classical/Modern:
Comments: This book has dated a bit but some of the information is invaluable. She explores colour theory quite well in the beginning of the book and also shows where the colours come on a colour-wheel
The first chapter uses mostly Garter Stitch
Jessica's Jacket - blocky children's drop-shouldered jacket with a rainbow of stripes. Knit in Chunky weight yarns
Homer's Vest is a pretty simple Dog jumper with a very dark or black yarn twinned with a rainbow yarn in aran weight yarn.
Uncle Jeremey's Vest is a blocky waistcoat designed for men, in dk weight yarn. Subtle squares decorate this blocky garment.
Gander Blips Vest - an interesting surface use of a contrast yarn. Would be good for small amounts of an expensive or interesting contrast yarn, while the main colour is worsted weight the contrast can be in dk to chunky. A blocky waistcoat
Gander Blips Jacket uses the same technique for a cropped blocky jacket. This time the main colour is in an Aran Weight yarn and the contrasts in worsted to chunky weights.
Inspired-by-the-Log-Cabin Jacket. Knit in different directions this uses a worsted weight main colour (the original in a dark gray) while DK to aran Light to medium intensity colours. this is knit ina modular fashion, round necked jacket
The second chapter is Simple Fairisle
Caddy's Cardigan is done in both childrens (dk weight yarn) and adult (worsted with dk to aran weight contrasts). The children's is in brighter colours while the adult is more muted. Blocky garments.
The third chapter is Not-Your-Usual Intarsia
Standing-in-a-pile-of-leaves Pullover is a childrens garment that looks like a pile of leaves with leaves cascading down, the colours are autumnal, the background dark. The main colour is DK, the contrast colours are sport to worsted weights. There's also an Adult version, where the main colour is Aran weight and the Contrast colours DK to aran weights.
Standing-in-a-pile-of-leaves vest is a pointed front waistcoat, knit with the main colour in Aran weight and the contrast DK to Aran Weight.
Laurel's Jacket is a patchwork of squares in different colours. The sleeves are knit in one colour, with saddle shoulders, pointed front, sleeves can be knit plain or with a lace pattern. The sleeves are chunky weight, the body chunky to aran, she suggests textured yarns. As the sleeve colours can be used in the body I would be inclined to knit the sleeves first and then use as much of the remaining yarn in the body.
The fourth Chapter is Tweed Stitch Squares
Topher's Pullover is offered in a DK (with dk to aran contrasts) or Worsted weight (with DK to Aran contrasts too); square blocky jumper with squares that can be subtle or highly contrasting. Done in Childrens and adult versions
The Whistler Vest is a similar garment to the Topher Pullover, again subtle colour contrasts. Main colour DK, contrasts DK to Aran weight
Kenneth's Classic Vest is a pointed front waistcoat, again with squares, main colour worsted weight, contrasts DK to aran weight.
Ski Suit Cardigan has ribbed plain sleeves, it's a cropped cardigan, main colour worsted, contrasts DK to Aran weight yarns.
Tweed Stitch with Cables is the fifth chapter
Randy's Pullover was knit in quite bright colours and then overdyed and is quite subtle, again a blocky garment, it's knit in DK with DK to worsted contrasts.
Dress-Up Vest is a long-line waistcoat knit in dk with dk to aran contrasts, knit in subtle colours with either a round or v-neck
Annalee's Jacket is designed to be knit in a short range of colours, main colour DK, contrast DK to Aran weights. She suggests looking at stash and using a range of one colour. One of the sample garments is knit in very close shades and looks interesting.
The last chapter is Knitting as Warp, where you knit a garment loosely and then weave in contrast yarns
She starts this chapter with a bag that's basically a how-to for this technique. If this technique appeals you can then move on to the other patterns in the chapter
Shannon's Pullover has squares of contrast yarn in DK to Aran, main colour in Aran.
Tricia's Coat has diagonal stripes, the main colour is chunky, with diagonal colour and contrast colour in Chunky or doubled dk/worsted
Shadow Box Coat is a boxy coat, knit in chunky with Contrast as chunky or doubled dk/worsted.
Riley's "Jeans" pullover is made for children, main colour DK, contrasts in sport, dk or worsted.
Kilim Coat Dress is a dress inspired by kilim fabric, main colour DK, contrasts in DK to worsted. A short length button fronted dress with long sleeves.
Kilim vest is similar to the Kilim Dress but v-necked and long-line. Knit in Aran weight with DK to Aran contrast yarns.
The book also has a chapter on basic pattern drafting.
The garments aren't very fitted and in fact are very blocky but this book caught my eye more for inspiration than for the garments themselves. To fit todays sensibilities you would need to do some work on some of the pieces but it does show some great ways to use up impulse buys.
Buy/Borrow: I'd borrow it to see what you think, I borrowed it and it went straight on my wishlist. The patterns do show age but I found them inspirational. I have a lot of small quantities of yarn in my stash and this could be great to help me reduce the amount of excess yarn with a small outlay for some base yarns.
Where found: I got it via Borrowbooks from Cork County Libraries.
Saturday, 15 January 2011
New Year, New Ambitions
I've been a bit behind in updating this blog recently, *sigh*, the damned PC apparently picked up some sort of infection and decided that a go-slow was the only way, then when I changed to Ubuntu there was issues with Firefox, now I'm working with Chromium and things appear to be fine. Some minor tweaks needed and a minor learning curve and hopefully things will continue well.
I have some ambitions for 2011.
1. To publish a pattern, one of my patterns is in the hands of a test knitter.
2. To knit several patterns from my queue, at least 11
3. To knit 11 pairs of socks
4. to knit at least 2 adult garments.
5. to knit more from my stash than I buy (this should be easy, the government has gutted my wages)
6. To finish at least half the works in progress currently on my projects page, either finish or rip.
7. to knit at least one pair of knee socks for me
8. To knit Kilt Hose for Mac
9. To review at least 20 books
10. To knit at least 4 patterns from books I own
11. to keep the Irish Knitters updates going.
I have some ambitions for 2011.
1. To publish a pattern, one of my patterns is in the hands of a test knitter.
2. To knit several patterns from my queue, at least 11
3. To knit 11 pairs of socks
4. to knit at least 2 adult garments.
5. to knit more from my stash than I buy (this should be easy, the government has gutted my wages)
6. To finish at least half the works in progress currently on my projects page, either finish or rip.
7. to knit at least one pair of knee socks for me
8. To knit Kilt Hose for Mac
9. To review at least 20 books
10. To knit at least 4 patterns from books I own
11. to keep the Irish Knitters updates going.
Knitters Almanac Review
Book Depository Link; Dover Publications Link; Ravelry Link
Types of patterns: Jumpers, cardigans, mittens, socks, hats, shawls
Number of Patterns: Jumper (3); Hat (2); pot-holder (1); Shawl (2); Blanket (1); Baby Cardigan (1); Baby longies(1); mittens (2); tights (1); top (1); christmas ornaments (1); socks (1)
Split of patterns: Patterns cover a wide range of sizing and tend towards the genderless
Size Range: Elizabeth encourages using guage to determine how many stitches to cast on and really only shows a guide rather than concrete patterns
Colour/Black & White: colour photographs black and white illustrations, hand-drawn charts
Schematics: no
Target Audience: I think to get the most out of this book you would need to have at least tackled a few patterns in her Knitting without Tears, a beginner would probably be a little lost with her assumption that you know how to knit, but a lot of patterns are really quite simple, they do need reading a few times to check what needs to be done (buttonholes can be a sticking point here)
How to knit guide: There is an appendix that goes into detail about some techniques but the actual guides to knitting are embedded in the text, the book rewards reading, and her style makes the book quite readable!
Experimental/Classical/Modern: Classical
Comments: This is the Commemorative Edition of a book that hasn't been out of print for a long time. It commemorates her 100th Birthday and the 50th year of the company she founded. Elizabeth Zimmermann is an author who is cited by a lot of authors as someone who made them think about their knitting instead of being a blind follower of knitting (though I do find myself that being a blind follower can be restful, sometimes). The book is laid out in months. The author has a unique style that reads almost like she's talking to you. She talks about her own knitting history and her own life as she talks about the knitting. Her role in the knitting world cannot be underestimated (and she is one of the proponents of the myth of Aran Jumpers, which makes it hard to unhook it from some knitter's psyches!)
The new edition includes a preface by her daughter Meg Swansen; an introduction by Stephanie Pearl McPhee; a frontispiece by Andrew Wyeth; a facsimile of a letter by Barbara Walker and the February Ladies Sweater, an adaptation of the baby sweater from February. It's hardback and the paper quality is quite high. The patterns are in stitches per inch, if you're looking for a more regular guage you should multiply the guage by four.
January: An Aran Jumper, a discussion of Guage, a suggestion to use a hat to check guage when you need (about half the number of stitches for a hat than a sweater), she admits to steeking cardigans.
February: Some Babies things. Where she advocates wool for babies and bright colours, her sneaky way of adding wool in makes me twitch though, there are people who genuinely can't wear wool and it's disingenuous to try to "convert" them. Also if you give a gift, the irritation factor may not be mentioned for politeness sake! This chapter has a double-knit pot-handler; with suggestions how to increase it to make a blanket, a square shawl; a baby sweater on two needles; baby leggings. There is also a suggestion for an adaptation of a baby bonnet.
March talks about buying yarn for a jumper; what to do if you run out of yarn. discusses colour changing, suggests making a sample hat and gives pithy directions for the jumper, which is worked in the round.
April: The Mystery Blanket, a pretty plain knit in the round in modules blanket, where she discusses grafting, and how to create a sampler to practice.
May has mittens for next winter. She believes in making them interchangable and suggests providing three at a time to accomodate losses. She suggests using gloves to experiment with colour, I or Idiot cord is mentioned, as is the thumb trick. There are two patterns, norwegian and mitred patterns.
June: Borders and Hats. She introduces a knitted garter stitch border. The hats are the Maltese Fisherman's Hat; the Ganomy hat and the three-cornered hat.
July has a shawl, with a one-row buttonhole. This is a circular shawl with very regular increases, something she suggests for travel knitting as the pattern is predicable. She talks about unventing and about knitting while travelling. There are a number of suggested laces she has for the shawl.
August has some Christmas Fiddle-Faddle or ornaments, designs a sock-heel and canoes her way through a holiday.
September has Nether Garments, or long-johns. She talks about getting kids into knitting. She talks about how to adjust the pattern for the person they're intended for, knits both footed and unfooted style, she also discusses making them into more trousers than tights, talks about her filming and mistakes, including rowing.
October has an open-collared pullover, which is a short-sleeved top, a polo shirt style design, worked from both the top and the bottom
Novemeber has the Moccasin Socks, where the sole is replacable
December: the Hurry-up last-minute sweater, a jumper knitted in the round with hems. She also talks about adjusting an already-made garment
The book also has an index and a conversion chart between US and metric needle sizes.
Buy/Borrow: It's a good edition of this book, I found her an engaging writer and while you may not like her she is very influential and has jostled a lot of the current generation out of conventional thinking and made them think about their knitting and take charge of it, instead of your knitting being in charge of you. She's regularly cited by people, so knowing a little about her could be useful if you're planning to get into design. Her conversational style doesn't suit everyone, so I'd be inclined to borrow it first and see if it suits you. I would encourage people to read her, even if you're only skimming the actual patterns as she has been so influential to an entire generation of knitters.
Where found: I have my own copy (of both editions! Which I bought out of my own money, direct from Dover Publications) and Dublin City Public Libraries has got a few copies in recently.
Types of patterns: Jumpers, cardigans, mittens, socks, hats, shawls
Number of Patterns: Jumper (3); Hat (2); pot-holder (1); Shawl (2); Blanket (1); Baby Cardigan (1); Baby longies(1); mittens (2); tights (1); top (1); christmas ornaments (1); socks (1)
Split of patterns: Patterns cover a wide range of sizing and tend towards the genderless
Size Range: Elizabeth encourages using guage to determine how many stitches to cast on and really only shows a guide rather than concrete patterns
Colour/Black & White: colour photographs black and white illustrations, hand-drawn charts
Schematics: no
Target Audience: I think to get the most out of this book you would need to have at least tackled a few patterns in her Knitting without Tears, a beginner would probably be a little lost with her assumption that you know how to knit, but a lot of patterns are really quite simple, they do need reading a few times to check what needs to be done (buttonholes can be a sticking point here)
How to knit guide: There is an appendix that goes into detail about some techniques but the actual guides to knitting are embedded in the text, the book rewards reading, and her style makes the book quite readable!
Experimental/Classical/Modern: Classical
Comments: This is the Commemorative Edition of a book that hasn't been out of print for a long time. It commemorates her 100th Birthday and the 50th year of the company she founded. Elizabeth Zimmermann is an author who is cited by a lot of authors as someone who made them think about their knitting instead of being a blind follower of knitting (though I do find myself that being a blind follower can be restful, sometimes). The book is laid out in months. The author has a unique style that reads almost like she's talking to you. She talks about her own knitting history and her own life as she talks about the knitting. Her role in the knitting world cannot be underestimated (and she is one of the proponents of the myth of Aran Jumpers, which makes it hard to unhook it from some knitter's psyches!)
The new edition includes a preface by her daughter Meg Swansen; an introduction by Stephanie Pearl McPhee; a frontispiece by Andrew Wyeth; a facsimile of a letter by Barbara Walker and the February Ladies Sweater, an adaptation of the baby sweater from February. It's hardback and the paper quality is quite high. The patterns are in stitches per inch, if you're looking for a more regular guage you should multiply the guage by four.
January: An Aran Jumper, a discussion of Guage, a suggestion to use a hat to check guage when you need (about half the number of stitches for a hat than a sweater), she admits to steeking cardigans.
February: Some Babies things. Where she advocates wool for babies and bright colours, her sneaky way of adding wool in makes me twitch though, there are people who genuinely can't wear wool and it's disingenuous to try to "convert" them. Also if you give a gift, the irritation factor may not be mentioned for politeness sake! This chapter has a double-knit pot-handler; with suggestions how to increase it to make a blanket, a square shawl; a baby sweater on two needles; baby leggings. There is also a suggestion for an adaptation of a baby bonnet.
March talks about buying yarn for a jumper; what to do if you run out of yarn. discusses colour changing, suggests making a sample hat and gives pithy directions for the jumper, which is worked in the round.
April: The Mystery Blanket, a pretty plain knit in the round in modules blanket, where she discusses grafting, and how to create a sampler to practice.
May has mittens for next winter. She believes in making them interchangable and suggests providing three at a time to accomodate losses. She suggests using gloves to experiment with colour, I or Idiot cord is mentioned, as is the thumb trick. There are two patterns, norwegian and mitred patterns.
June: Borders and Hats. She introduces a knitted garter stitch border. The hats are the Maltese Fisherman's Hat; the Ganomy hat and the three-cornered hat.
July has a shawl, with a one-row buttonhole. This is a circular shawl with very regular increases, something she suggests for travel knitting as the pattern is predicable. She talks about unventing and about knitting while travelling. There are a number of suggested laces she has for the shawl.
August has some Christmas Fiddle-Faddle or ornaments, designs a sock-heel and canoes her way through a holiday.
September has Nether Garments, or long-johns. She talks about getting kids into knitting. She talks about how to adjust the pattern for the person they're intended for, knits both footed and unfooted style, she also discusses making them into more trousers than tights, talks about her filming and mistakes, including rowing.
October has an open-collared pullover, which is a short-sleeved top, a polo shirt style design, worked from both the top and the bottom
Novemeber has the Moccasin Socks, where the sole is replacable
December: the Hurry-up last-minute sweater, a jumper knitted in the round with hems. She also talks about adjusting an already-made garment
The book also has an index and a conversion chart between US and metric needle sizes.
Buy/Borrow: It's a good edition of this book, I found her an engaging writer and while you may not like her she is very influential and has jostled a lot of the current generation out of conventional thinking and made them think about their knitting and take charge of it, instead of your knitting being in charge of you. She's regularly cited by people, so knowing a little about her could be useful if you're planning to get into design. Her conversational style doesn't suit everyone, so I'd be inclined to borrow it first and see if it suits you. I would encourage people to read her, even if you're only skimming the actual patterns as she has been so influential to an entire generation of knitters.
Where found: I have my own copy (of both editions! Which I bought out of my own money, direct from Dover Publications) and Dublin City Public Libraries has got a few copies in recently.
Monday, 6 December 2010
Irish Knitting History: cottages and clothing
In an article on Cottages and Farmhouses by Rosemary ffolliott mentions that "In pre-Famine days almost every house had a spinning wheel for making yarn, but this practice was largely discontinued (except in flax-growing areas) after 1850.
In Irish Ancestor Vol III No 2 (1971) in an article on Women's Dress in Ireland 1680-1880 by Rosemary ffolliott she discusses an engraving of a Girl of the County of Wicklow engraved in the 1780's she is portrayed "busily engaged knitting a sock: this was an endless female occupation, although strangely knitting was not used as a means of making other garments." (p88) the sock appears to be knit in the round and has just turned the heel, the colour seems to have changed from the foot to the heel, possibly indicating a different wool used, possibly coarser or thicker wool at that stress point.
In an article about Emigrating from the Limerick Workhouse 1848-1869 by Dr S C O'Mahony (Irish Ancestor Vol XIV no 2, 1982) discusses the fact that in 1848 some 750 inmates of Limerick Workhouse, largely girls, emigrated to several countries. There were three work schemes. One to New York (103 people, 10 male adults, 75 female adults and 18 children, where adults were anybody aged 15 or older), one to Van Diemen's Land (50 girls) and Quebec (112 girls under 25); they were bought an "outfit" having to take their own bedding and cooking utensils) this outfit consisted of "2 night caps, 1 pair of shoes, 1 gown, 2 combs, pins, needles and thread for sewing, needles and 1/2 lb cotton for knitting, 1 flannel petticoat, 2 aprons, 1 bonnet, 2 shifts, 1 wrapper, 1 shawl, 1 brush, 2 towels, 1 neck kerchief, 2 pairs of stockings, 2lbs of soap, 1 prayer book, 2yds of calico, 1 scissors, 1 canvas bag." I would say that the quantity, and the fact that this is only about 220g of yarn that this was probably fine yarn and fine needles.
In an article "Shall these Bones Live" by Rosemary ffolliott she talks about a famers wife "She too often spun yarn for sale, or got her elder daughters to do it, and she and they would knit all the socks for their menfolk, as well as turning a useful hand to the making of clothes."
In the article by Ms ffolliott Men's Clothes in Ireland 1660-1850 she briefly mentions knit stockings worn by men with knee breeches in 1783 "doubtless kntted by his wife".
From much of this it would appear that woven cloth was common and used in the main for clothing. Alice Starmores point that the Aran Knitter was a seamstress may have been as much that the woman who designed the garments was familiar with cutting and sewing garments and not that familiar with the potential of knitted garments. All of this points to Knitting being a relatively new and relatively underused skill in Ireland. A person familiar with how woven garments were put together would be inclined to think of garments as something which was designed and created in pieces and then sewn together.
The evidence also says that wool, cotton and linen thread was available fairly readily (silk would also have been available as Huguenot weavers brought in silk weaving and would have had silk thread, but this would have been beyond the price range of most people, and probably to fine for most knitters. The evidence also points at fine knitting, and while the knitted garments would only have been socks, there may have been domestic knitting as well in the form of doileys, bedspreads, and other such items.
This is an interesting topic to pursue, I would like to find more.
(edited for a minor correction)
In Irish Ancestor Vol III No 2 (1971) in an article on Women's Dress in Ireland 1680-1880 by Rosemary ffolliott she discusses an engraving of a Girl of the County of Wicklow engraved in the 1780's she is portrayed "busily engaged knitting a sock: this was an endless female occupation, although strangely knitting was not used as a means of making other garments." (p88) the sock appears to be knit in the round and has just turned the heel, the colour seems to have changed from the foot to the heel, possibly indicating a different wool used, possibly coarser or thicker wool at that stress point.
In an article about Emigrating from the Limerick Workhouse 1848-1869 by Dr S C O'Mahony (Irish Ancestor Vol XIV no 2, 1982) discusses the fact that in 1848 some 750 inmates of Limerick Workhouse, largely girls, emigrated to several countries. There were three work schemes. One to New York (103 people, 10 male adults, 75 female adults and 18 children, where adults were anybody aged 15 or older), one to Van Diemen's Land (50 girls) and Quebec (112 girls under 25); they were bought an "outfit" having to take their own bedding and cooking utensils) this outfit consisted of "2 night caps, 1 pair of shoes, 1 gown, 2 combs, pins, needles and thread for sewing, needles and 1/2 lb cotton for knitting, 1 flannel petticoat, 2 aprons, 1 bonnet, 2 shifts, 1 wrapper, 1 shawl, 1 brush, 2 towels, 1 neck kerchief, 2 pairs of stockings, 2lbs of soap, 1 prayer book, 2yds of calico, 1 scissors, 1 canvas bag." I would say that the quantity, and the fact that this is only about 220g of yarn that this was probably fine yarn and fine needles.
In an article "Shall these Bones Live" by Rosemary ffolliott she talks about a famers wife "She too often spun yarn for sale, or got her elder daughters to do it, and she and they would knit all the socks for their menfolk, as well as turning a useful hand to the making of clothes."
In the article by Ms ffolliott Men's Clothes in Ireland 1660-1850 she briefly mentions knit stockings worn by men with knee breeches in 1783 "doubtless kntted by his wife".
From much of this it would appear that woven cloth was common and used in the main for clothing. Alice Starmores point that the Aran Knitter was a seamstress may have been as much that the woman who designed the garments was familiar with cutting and sewing garments and not that familiar with the potential of knitted garments. All of this points to Knitting being a relatively new and relatively underused skill in Ireland. A person familiar with how woven garments were put together would be inclined to think of garments as something which was designed and created in pieces and then sewn together.
The evidence also says that wool, cotton and linen thread was available fairly readily (silk would also have been available as Huguenot weavers brought in silk weaving and would have had silk thread, but this would have been beyond the price range of most people, and probably to fine for most knitters. The evidence also points at fine knitting, and while the knitted garments would only have been socks, there may have been domestic knitting as well in the form of doileys, bedspreads, and other such items.
This is an interesting topic to pursue, I would like to find more.
(edited for a minor correction)
Sunday, 5 December 2010
Irish Knitting History - 17th and 18th Century
There were also some more Quaker Inventories
Thomas Rushworth of Athy in Co Kildare in 1675 had in his shop (among other things)
Item, for wool, tips of horn and one hide
From a farmer and merchant, William Collins from 1750. He was apparently farming and trading in wool in Shinrone in Co Offaly (then King's County) with his brother.
There was a considerable list of items which included
Wool in the house in value and salt £9 15s 6d
Combed wool part in the house and part in the hands of spinners worth if to be got in £17
Spun worsted in the house worth £28 10s
Combing rings, hutch and press and wool Tub, wheel and lossett 10s
Combers Wool Tubb 4d
(his total in goods he had were £181 14s)
this indicates that he outsourced the spinning and that there only appeared to be one listing for a type of yarn suggests that there was a single weight of yarn.
In none of the listings are mentioned knitting needles, which may not have been considered of any value or may have been considered a woman's property and perhaps handed over to a daughter or friend.
Thomas Rushworth of Athy in Co Kildare in 1675 had in his shop (among other things)
Item, for wool, tips of horn and one hide
From a farmer and merchant, William Collins from 1750. He was apparently farming and trading in wool in Shinrone in Co Offaly (then King's County) with his brother.
There was a considerable list of items which included
Wool in the house in value and salt £9 15s 6d
Combed wool part in the house and part in the hands of spinners worth if to be got in £17
Spun worsted in the house worth £28 10s
Combing rings, hutch and press and wool Tub, wheel and lossett 10s
Combers Wool Tubb 4d
(his total in goods he had were £181 14s)
this indicates that he outsourced the spinning and that there only appeared to be one listing for a type of yarn suggests that there was a single weight of yarn.
In none of the listings are mentioned knitting needles, which may not have been considered of any value or may have been considered a woman's property and perhaps handed over to a daughter or friend.
Saturday, 4 December 2010
Irish Knitting History - 17th Century Quaker Merchants evidence
My day job is a Inter-Library Loan Librarian, dispatching books hither, thither and yon. I recently got a request for an article from the Irish Ancestor Magazine (1). While we do have it in paper form, we also have the CD. So while I was doing work today I put the CD in the computer and did some searches while I worked. The search terms were "knit"; "crochet"; "yarn" and "wool". The magazine was twice a year and Rosemary ffolliott says in her introduction that it suffered from the rise of the internet, so she folded it up. She was preparing a book on Irish Costumes which was never published but alas died last March
Wool threw up the most results. After all wool merchants and woolworkers did throw up a number of results rather than anything about wool itself.
One of the articles is from Vol X No 1 from 1978, entitled "Inventories of Five Dublin Quaker Merchants in the Late Seventeenth Century" contributed by Olive C. Goodbody (Google doesn't give me much beyond the fact that she wrote a lot about Quakers). In it she lists wsome of the wills and deeds preserved in the Quaker Archives in Eustace Street. Abstracts of the Wills to which they are attached were printed in Quaker Records, Dublin. Abstracts of Wills in the possession of the Dublin and Wexford Monthly Meetings of the Society of Friends. Edited by P. Beryl Eustace and Olive C. Goodbody
One of these people was William Barnard of Dublin, clothier, 1684
Among the stock were:
Item: Wool 70s 1b Fustick and lumber make £3-10-00
Item. One coper, one pan one iron furnace and lead 7£ and combs and lumber in the shop 4£ make £11-00-00
Item. In worsted wool and worsted yarns and twelve stockins 272 pounds weight and 195 yarn in Spinners hands £047-07-00
John Inglefield of Dame Street, Dublin, chandler 1693 had some cotton yarn, cut, one presumes for wicks.
John Johnston of Chapelizod, Co. Dublin, weaver, 1694, had (among many other items):
Two whole packs of white Linnen yarn at 26£. pr pack £52
More Linnen Yarne 203 vallued to £15 4s 26l ditto 75l ditto broune 90l ditto 74l ditto Bobing Wolsteed Calinder & warping frame & bobing beam & scales 94l tapes 80p.l £20-5-4
However the one that caught my eye was Isachar Wilcocks of Dublin, Grocer, 1694
20 reams of paper £9
52 doz of pins £22-18-00
76 peeces Girt web £13-04-00 (not sure what this is, anyone know?)
36 pounds knitting needles at 8d p pound £1-04-00
17 doz of Wool cards at 15d per doz £12-15-00
A parcell of dye stuff val £157
A parcell of linen yarn value £25
What I find interesting is that the Knitting Needles aren't divided by size, did this indicate that there was only one size used? I also find it interesting that Linen yarn and cotton could have been used if people were so inclined. It does point out that knitting was known in 1694 in Ireland, and judging by the quantity and fact that the needles are available in a general store, indicates to me that it's relatively popular.
(1)Irish Ancestor
Wool threw up the most results. After all wool merchants and woolworkers did throw up a number of results rather than anything about wool itself.
One of the articles is from Vol X No 1 from 1978, entitled "Inventories of Five Dublin Quaker Merchants in the Late Seventeenth Century" contributed by Olive C. Goodbody (Google doesn't give me much beyond the fact that she wrote a lot about Quakers). In it she lists wsome of the wills and deeds preserved in the Quaker Archives in Eustace Street. Abstracts of the Wills to which they are attached were printed in Quaker Records, Dublin. Abstracts of Wills in the possession of the Dublin and Wexford Monthly Meetings of the Society of Friends. Edited by P. Beryl Eustace and Olive C. Goodbody
One of these people was William Barnard of Dublin, clothier, 1684
Among the stock were:
Item: Wool 70s 1b Fustick and lumber make £3-10-00
Item. One coper, one pan one iron furnace and lead 7£ and combs and lumber in the shop 4£ make £11-00-00
Item. In worsted wool and worsted yarns and twelve stockins 272 pounds weight and 195 yarn in Spinners hands £047-07-00
John Inglefield of Dame Street, Dublin, chandler 1693 had some cotton yarn, cut, one presumes for wicks.
John Johnston of Chapelizod, Co. Dublin, weaver, 1694, had (among many other items):
Two whole packs of white Linnen yarn at 26£. pr pack £52
More Linnen Yarne 203 vallued to £15 4s 26l ditto 75l ditto broune 90l ditto 74l ditto Bobing Wolsteed Calinder & warping frame & bobing beam & scales 94l tapes 80p.l £20-5-4
However the one that caught my eye was Isachar Wilcocks of Dublin, Grocer, 1694
20 reams of paper £9
52 doz of pins £22-18-00
76 peeces Girt web £13-04-00 (not sure what this is, anyone know?)
36 pounds knitting needles at 8d p pound £1-04-00
17 doz of Wool cards at 15d per doz £12-15-00
A parcell of dye stuff val £157
A parcell of linen yarn value £25
What I find interesting is that the Knitting Needles aren't divided by size, did this indicate that there was only one size used? I also find it interesting that Linen yarn and cotton could have been used if people were so inclined. It does point out that knitting was known in 1694 in Ireland, and judging by the quantity and fact that the needles are available in a general store, indicates to me that it's relatively popular.
(1)Irish Ancestor
Needlecraft Book Review
Bookdepository Link
Types of patterns: Guide to rather than pattern book
Colour/Black & White: Colour throughout
Target Audience: Beginner/Intermediate/Advanced/mixed: more towards beginner but some guides to other methods
How to knit guide: yes, and how to crochet too. (as well as Embroidery, Needlepoint, Patchwork, Applique and Quilting)
Experimental/Classical/Modern: Pretty classical stuff
Comment: this is a manual book rather than a pattern book, it starts with a section on Knitting and then Crochet and then the other mentioned techniques (which it covers pretty much the same as the knitting and crochet, this is a knitting blog so I'm skipping the other three sections). Both sections start with tools and materials, and some of the details are almost identical. The photographs are large and clear. This is written in UK english with UK terms (i.e. stocking stitch for Stockingette, there may be differences in the US edition). After showing a few ways to cast on, it shows a few plain stitch patterns and then more complex. All are clearly photographed in a low-fuzz yarn and very clear. Then it has a few flower patterns, then cables and twists (twists it works without a cable needle) Then they give some cable stitch examples. Next up is lace with some examples of yarns for lace and some samples, both written out and charted. Then colourwork, with colourwork slip stitch patterns, and some examples. Then there's advice on following patterns and hoow to read them. Embelishment is next, embroidery, bead knitting and edging. Then circular knitting. There's a chapter on knitting toys with a knitted monkey, which is worked in the round. Felting is the next chapter and then knitting with unusual yarns.
The section on crochet is largely the same, this book is in UK terms and it's not until you're into the stitch techniques portion of the section that you find this out and find the difference! There are some minor differences in the chapters, Wire crochet is included.
The end of the book has a chapter on needlework care, the patterns for the knitted monkey and crocheted dog are included on pages 388-389 at the back of the book, while I understand why this is I think it would have been better to include the patterns nearer the projects. Ravelry and some other useful sites are included as well under useful websites.
Sally Harding provides the text for the Knitting and Crochet chapters.
Buy/Borrow: for me I have everything in it but it would be a good book for someone looking to get into various needlework, the pictures are clear and well done.
Where found: Dublin City Public Libraries has several copies.
Types of patterns: Guide to rather than pattern book
Colour/Black & White: Colour throughout
Target Audience: Beginner/Intermediate/Advanced/mixed: more towards beginner but some guides to other methods
How to knit guide: yes, and how to crochet too. (as well as Embroidery, Needlepoint, Patchwork, Applique and Quilting)
Experimental/Classical/Modern: Pretty classical stuff
Comment: this is a manual book rather than a pattern book, it starts with a section on Knitting and then Crochet and then the other mentioned techniques (which it covers pretty much the same as the knitting and crochet, this is a knitting blog so I'm skipping the other three sections). Both sections start with tools and materials, and some of the details are almost identical. The photographs are large and clear. This is written in UK english with UK terms (i.e. stocking stitch for Stockingette, there may be differences in the US edition). After showing a few ways to cast on, it shows a few plain stitch patterns and then more complex. All are clearly photographed in a low-fuzz yarn and very clear. Then it has a few flower patterns, then cables and twists (twists it works without a cable needle) Then they give some cable stitch examples. Next up is lace with some examples of yarns for lace and some samples, both written out and charted. Then colourwork, with colourwork slip stitch patterns, and some examples. Then there's advice on following patterns and hoow to read them. Embelishment is next, embroidery, bead knitting and edging. Then circular knitting. There's a chapter on knitting toys with a knitted monkey, which is worked in the round. Felting is the next chapter and then knitting with unusual yarns.
The section on crochet is largely the same, this book is in UK terms and it's not until you're into the stitch techniques portion of the section that you find this out and find the difference! There are some minor differences in the chapters, Wire crochet is included.
The end of the book has a chapter on needlework care, the patterns for the knitted monkey and crocheted dog are included on pages 388-389 at the back of the book, while I understand why this is I think it would have been better to include the patterns nearer the projects. Ravelry and some other useful sites are included as well under useful websites.
Sally Harding provides the text for the Knitting and Crochet chapters.
Buy/Borrow: for me I have everything in it but it would be a good book for someone looking to get into various needlework, the pictures are clear and well done.
Where found: Dublin City Public Libraries has several copies.
Monday, 15 November 2010
A Close-Knit Family
Ravelry Link Book Depository Link
Types of patterns: Garments
Number of Patterns
Split of patterns: Each chapter has one women's pattern, most have a man's pattern as well and they all have a child or baby pattern. 36: Jumper women (5); Jumper Men (8); Baby Jumper (2); Baby Pants (2); Jumper Child (4); Waistcoat Women (1); Cardigan Children (1); Cardigan Women (4); Dress Girl (1); Baby All in one (1); Cardigan Men (2); Waistcoat Men (1); top women(2); tank top (1); Coat Children (1)
Size Range:Women: 36-49" (101.5-124.5cm); Men 44-54" (120.5-137cm);
Colour/Black & White: Colour photographs, pretty good but sometimes details of the garments aren't clear from the photographs.
Schematics: yes, with multiple point details, particularly if shaping is involved
Target Audience: a mixture of difficulties
How to knit guide: No, has a suggested references listing.
Experimental/Classical/Modern: Most fairly classical but some are not currently fashionable
Comments: Many of the patterns are quite boxy but many could be adapted. Sleeves may need a lot of attention to adapt them. Skill levels are from the book itself.
Entwined Hearts:
Women's High-Neck Pullover, complex heart cables cover this boxy jumper. No real shot of the front but it looks interesting. Knit in worsted weight yarn. Skill level intermediate
Man's V-Neck Pullover - more heart like cables adorn this man's jumper Knit in Worsted yarn. Skill level intermediate
Baby's Pullover and Pants set - again cabled hearts cover this baby jumper. Knit in worsted weight yarn. Skill level Intermediate
Spicy Fair Isles
Women's Rolled-neck pullover: Knit in autumnal colours, this is a relatively short boxy jumper with fair isle bands, knit in heavy worsted yarn. Long plain bands that roll out on the neck, bottom and cuffs. Skill level intermediate
Men's Crew-Neck Pullover Another autumnal jumper with fairisle in a heavy worsted. Skill level intermediate
Child's Zippered Pullover: body child's jumper with a zip opening at the neck. Knit in heavy worsted with fair isle. Skill level intermediate.
Toasty Trio:
Woman's Cardigan Vest: Long-line waistcoat knit in worsted weight wool with v-neck. Listed as advanced beginner.
Man's Rugby Stripe Pullover: Worsted weight jumper with stripe and textured knit. Skill: Advanced Beginner
Child's Cardigan: Striped cardigan with fairly high v-neck, boxy, worsted weight. Listed as intermediate knit.
Pastoral Pastels
Women's Cropped CardiganLace-covered cardigan with some bobbles along cuff, hem and collar, knit in light worsted weight yarn. Shaping, length and lack of bobbles would probably make me want to knit it. Skill listed as intermediate
Child's Dress: Empire waisted dress with lace in the bodice and bobbles along hem, sleeve edge, bottom of bodice and neckline, knit in a light worsted. Skill listed as intermediate
Baby's All-in-one: lace to the waist and on the sleeves with bobbles along the cuffs and neckline. Knit in light worsted. Skill listed as intermediate
Riot of Ribs
Women's Mock Turtleneck Pullover; raglan sleeved jumper with ribbed body, short and boxy. Knit in light worsted yarn. Skill listed as intermediate
Man's V-Neck Pullover: Raglan sleeved jumper with ribbed body, v-necked. Knit in light worsted yarn. Skill listed as intermediate
Bird's-Eye Bulkies
Woman's Cardigan, round necked cardigan, knit in a bulky weight yarn, slipstitch pattern. Skill listed as intermediate
Man's Cardigan: v-necked cardigan with pockets, bulky weight yarn, slipstitch pattern, Skill listed as intermediate
Child's Crew-Neck Pullover: Bulky weight boxy jumper, slipstitch pattern. Skill listed as advanced beginner.
Harbor View Guernseys
Woman's Rolled-Neck Pullover: knit in worsted weight yarn with patterns all over the piece, bobbles along the hem and cuffs and a boxy, short look, the horizontal stripes mightn't suit everyone. Skill listed as intermediate
Man's Cardigan Vest Knit in worsted weight yarn with pockets and horizontal patterning all over the garment. boxy with dropped shoulders. Skill listed as intermediate
Child's Rolled-Neck Pullover: Knit in worsted weight yarn, patterning in the yoke, boxy. Skill listed as intermediate
Argyle Antics
Woman's Crew-Neck Pullover An interesting use of a band of argyle patterning along the top to this short-sleeved top. Knit in DK weight yarn. Skill listed as intermediate
Man's V-Neck Vest Band of argyle down the middle of this tank-top, knit in dk weight yarn. Skill listed as intermediate
Child's Color-Block Pullover same band of argyle as the man's tank-top but jumper divided in two with separate colours on each side. Skill listed as intermediate
Quick and Cozy
Woman's Shawl-Collar Cardigan Big jacket-style cardigan with pockets, knit in a bulky weight yarn. Skill listed as advanced beginner.
Man's Crew-Neck Pullover: Another bulky weight jumper with a round neck and some contrast around the hem, cuffs and neck. Skill listed as beginner
Girl's Swing Coat again in a bulky weight wool, this is an a-line coat. Poor photography doesn't show much detail. Skill listed as beginner
Seaside Stripes
Woman's Sleeveless Pullover Two-colour blue with white horizontal stripes buttoned to the back. Skill listed as intermediate
Man's Crew-Neck Pullover: knit in sport weight yarn, horizontally striped, blocky. Skill listed as advanced beginner.
Infant's Pullover: knit in sport weight yarn, horizontally striped, blocky. Skill listed as intermediate.
Nordic Warmth
Woman's Zippered High-Neck All-over, horizontal striped, knit in heavy worsted pattern. knit in sport weight yarn, horizontally striped, blocky. Skill listed as intermediate
Man's Turtleneck: Same as the woman's only with a turtleneck, slightly different patterning.
Child's Crew-neck Pullover: Childs jumper with band of patterning along the bottom of the sleeves and body, with "lice" patterning over remainder of body. Skill listed as intermediate
The South Hadley Tweeds
Woman's Shaped Cardigan A cardigan with a round neck, shaping, cables and pockets. Knit in heavy worsted weight. Skill listed as expert.
Man's CardiganHeavy worsted weight v-necked cardigan with a cable running down the sleeve. Skill listed as intermediate
Cabled Elegance
Woman's Tunic - Complex cabled pattern tunic with a rounded neck and side slits, somewhat blocky with quite wide sleeves. Knit in a DK weight yarn. Skill listed as intermediate
Man's Crew-Neck Pullover Cabled hem and cuffs on this man's version of the woman's garment, aslo knit in a DK weight yarn. Skill listed as intermediate
Child's Medallion Crew-Neck Pullover: childrens pattern with central diamond piece and seed stitch, blocky with very wide sleeves. Knit in DK weight. Skill listed as expert
Casual Comfort
Woman's High-Neck Pullover: broad cable down the centre, knit in worsted weight, seed stitch background. Skill listed as intermediate
Man's Zippered Pullover: two cables run down the body of this one knit in worsted weight. Skill listed as intermediate
Baby's Cardigan and Pants set: cardigan has cables similar to the men's cardigan, the pants is all in seed stitch, knit in worsted weight yarn. Skill listed as intermediate
Buy/Borrow: Borrow and see if the patterns are to your taste.
Where found: Purchased, remaindered in Charlie Byrne's Bookshop
Types of patterns: Garments
Number of Patterns
Split of patterns: Each chapter has one women's pattern, most have a man's pattern as well and they all have a child or baby pattern. 36: Jumper women (5); Jumper Men (8); Baby Jumper (2); Baby Pants (2); Jumper Child (4); Waistcoat Women (1); Cardigan Children (1); Cardigan Women (4); Dress Girl (1); Baby All in one (1); Cardigan Men (2); Waistcoat Men (1); top women(2); tank top (1); Coat Children (1)
Size Range:Women: 36-49" (101.5-124.5cm); Men 44-54" (120.5-137cm);
Colour/Black & White: Colour photographs, pretty good but sometimes details of the garments aren't clear from the photographs.
Schematics: yes, with multiple point details, particularly if shaping is involved
Target Audience: a mixture of difficulties
How to knit guide: No, has a suggested references listing.
Experimental/Classical/Modern: Most fairly classical but some are not currently fashionable
Comments: Many of the patterns are quite boxy but many could be adapted. Sleeves may need a lot of attention to adapt them. Skill levels are from the book itself.
Entwined Hearts:
Women's High-Neck Pullover, complex heart cables cover this boxy jumper. No real shot of the front but it looks interesting. Knit in worsted weight yarn. Skill level intermediate
Man's V-Neck Pullover - more heart like cables adorn this man's jumper Knit in Worsted yarn. Skill level intermediate
Baby's Pullover and Pants set - again cabled hearts cover this baby jumper. Knit in worsted weight yarn. Skill level Intermediate
Spicy Fair Isles
Women's Rolled-neck pullover: Knit in autumnal colours, this is a relatively short boxy jumper with fair isle bands, knit in heavy worsted yarn. Long plain bands that roll out on the neck, bottom and cuffs. Skill level intermediate
Men's Crew-Neck Pullover Another autumnal jumper with fairisle in a heavy worsted. Skill level intermediate
Child's Zippered Pullover: body child's jumper with a zip opening at the neck. Knit in heavy worsted with fair isle. Skill level intermediate.
Toasty Trio:
Woman's Cardigan Vest: Long-line waistcoat knit in worsted weight wool with v-neck. Listed as advanced beginner.
Man's Rugby Stripe Pullover: Worsted weight jumper with stripe and textured knit. Skill: Advanced Beginner
Child's Cardigan: Striped cardigan with fairly high v-neck, boxy, worsted weight. Listed as intermediate knit.
Pastoral Pastels
Women's Cropped CardiganLace-covered cardigan with some bobbles along cuff, hem and collar, knit in light worsted weight yarn. Shaping, length and lack of bobbles would probably make me want to knit it. Skill listed as intermediate
Child's Dress: Empire waisted dress with lace in the bodice and bobbles along hem, sleeve edge, bottom of bodice and neckline, knit in a light worsted. Skill listed as intermediate
Baby's All-in-one: lace to the waist and on the sleeves with bobbles along the cuffs and neckline. Knit in light worsted. Skill listed as intermediate
Riot of Ribs
Women's Mock Turtleneck Pullover; raglan sleeved jumper with ribbed body, short and boxy. Knit in light worsted yarn. Skill listed as intermediate
Man's V-Neck Pullover: Raglan sleeved jumper with ribbed body, v-necked. Knit in light worsted yarn. Skill listed as intermediate
Bird's-Eye Bulkies
Woman's Cardigan, round necked cardigan, knit in a bulky weight yarn, slipstitch pattern. Skill listed as intermediate
Man's Cardigan: v-necked cardigan with pockets, bulky weight yarn, slipstitch pattern, Skill listed as intermediate
Child's Crew-Neck Pullover: Bulky weight boxy jumper, slipstitch pattern. Skill listed as advanced beginner.
Harbor View Guernseys
Woman's Rolled-Neck Pullover: knit in worsted weight yarn with patterns all over the piece, bobbles along the hem and cuffs and a boxy, short look, the horizontal stripes mightn't suit everyone. Skill listed as intermediate
Man's Cardigan Vest Knit in worsted weight yarn with pockets and horizontal patterning all over the garment. boxy with dropped shoulders. Skill listed as intermediate
Child's Rolled-Neck Pullover: Knit in worsted weight yarn, patterning in the yoke, boxy. Skill listed as intermediate
Argyle Antics
Woman's Crew-Neck Pullover An interesting use of a band of argyle patterning along the top to this short-sleeved top. Knit in DK weight yarn. Skill listed as intermediate
Man's V-Neck Vest Band of argyle down the middle of this tank-top, knit in dk weight yarn. Skill listed as intermediate
Child's Color-Block Pullover same band of argyle as the man's tank-top but jumper divided in two with separate colours on each side. Skill listed as intermediate
Quick and Cozy
Woman's Shawl-Collar Cardigan Big jacket-style cardigan with pockets, knit in a bulky weight yarn. Skill listed as advanced beginner.
Man's Crew-Neck Pullover: Another bulky weight jumper with a round neck and some contrast around the hem, cuffs and neck. Skill listed as beginner
Girl's Swing Coat again in a bulky weight wool, this is an a-line coat. Poor photography doesn't show much detail. Skill listed as beginner
Seaside Stripes
Woman's Sleeveless Pullover Two-colour blue with white horizontal stripes buttoned to the back. Skill listed as intermediate
Man's Crew-Neck Pullover: knit in sport weight yarn, horizontally striped, blocky. Skill listed as advanced beginner.
Infant's Pullover: knit in sport weight yarn, horizontally striped, blocky. Skill listed as intermediate.
Nordic Warmth
Woman's Zippered High-Neck All-over, horizontal striped, knit in heavy worsted pattern. knit in sport weight yarn, horizontally striped, blocky. Skill listed as intermediate
Man's Turtleneck: Same as the woman's only with a turtleneck, slightly different patterning.
Child's Crew-neck Pullover: Childs jumper with band of patterning along the bottom of the sleeves and body, with "lice" patterning over remainder of body. Skill listed as intermediate
The South Hadley Tweeds
Woman's Shaped Cardigan A cardigan with a round neck, shaping, cables and pockets. Knit in heavy worsted weight. Skill listed as expert.
Man's CardiganHeavy worsted weight v-necked cardigan with a cable running down the sleeve. Skill listed as intermediate
Cabled Elegance
Woman's Tunic - Complex cabled pattern tunic with a rounded neck and side slits, somewhat blocky with quite wide sleeves. Knit in a DK weight yarn. Skill listed as intermediate
Man's Crew-Neck Pullover Cabled hem and cuffs on this man's version of the woman's garment, aslo knit in a DK weight yarn. Skill listed as intermediate
Child's Medallion Crew-Neck Pullover: childrens pattern with central diamond piece and seed stitch, blocky with very wide sleeves. Knit in DK weight. Skill listed as expert
Casual Comfort
Woman's High-Neck Pullover: broad cable down the centre, knit in worsted weight, seed stitch background. Skill listed as intermediate
Man's Zippered Pullover: two cables run down the body of this one knit in worsted weight. Skill listed as intermediate
Baby's Cardigan and Pants set: cardigan has cables similar to the men's cardigan, the pants is all in seed stitch, knit in worsted weight yarn. Skill listed as intermediate
Buy/Borrow: Borrow and see if the patterns are to your taste.
Where found: Purchased, remaindered in Charlie Byrne's Bookshop
Sunday, 14 November 2010
Tweed by Nancy J. Thomas
Book Depository Link Ravelry Link
Types of patterns: mostly garments with some accessories and two throws.
Number of Patterns: Hat (3); Scarf (4); Bag (2); pullover (4); Cushion (1); Waistcoat (2); Cardigan (3); Jacket (2); throw (2)
Split of patterns: men, women and unisex patterns
Size Range: women 34-54" (86-137cm) men 37.5-52.5" (95-133.5cm)
Colour/Black & White: Plenty of colour photos, black and white charts with colour highlights.
Schematics: for the garments
Target Audience: Chapters divided into Beginners, Advanced Beginners, Intermediate and Advanced
How to knit guide: Not really, a discussion of tweed yarns and most of the information comes from a spinner in Kilcar. There's also a brief piece on some tweed suitable patterns.
Experimental/Classical/Modern: Classical with some modern twists.
Comments: While the listed yarns aren't readily available in Ireland the yarn is spun in Donegal in Kilcar, so careful substitution should be possible with Irish available yarns. There is an interesting article about Tweed yarn,
From the Beginners Chapter:
North Sea Hat & Scarf Set the scarf is in a double broken rib and the hat can be knit flat or in the round. Each end of the scarf has contrast colours and the hat has three broad stripes of colour too. This is a good beginners piece. Knit in a Superbulky weight yarn.
Lichen Ribbed Garter Scarf - knit in an aran weight yarn with a random stripe this has wide ends and ribbed middle, calls for 100g of the yarn and as most of the visible part is garter stitch this could be useful for busy yarns.
Kilt Knitting Bag a bag using 1 skein (or less) for each colour this could be useful for aran weight pure wool leftovers, it has a bit pocket on the front, uses webbing for the strap but old belts could be also useful.
Highlands felted bag and Beret - using a bulky pure wool this has an stylised almost paisley pattern on the bag and dots on the hat, the patterning is appliqued after knitting.
Gaelic Hat - big stocking hat, knit in bulky yarn, with a big pom-pom this is kinda rasta style.
Tweed River Pullover A pretty basic, knit in bulky yarn, jumper with a round neck. The original yarn is quite busy. Pretty unisex pattern, though most men would probably like a little more length.
Advanced Beginners Chapter
Coastal Cabled Scarf Moss stitch on the edges and a plaited cable down the middle, knit in a bulky yarn.
Kilcar Felted Pillow - this takes a Kilim style pattern and puts it in the centre of the piece, this would be a good introduction to inartasia, most mistakes would be ironed out with the felting. Knit in Aran weight yarn, again one skien of most colours it might be good for leftovers, two of the colours use very little of the yarn.
Carrick PulloverA ribbed jumper with a roll neck knit in a bulky yarn, this is again a unisex pattern. Length should possibly be revised for most as it comes just to mid-stomach on the model.
Stornaway Vest the rib of this is in a different colour and the body in another, the edging is also in another colour. It's knit in an Aran weight yarn. (and yes, I just added this pattern to Ravelry as I'm knitting it on commission for an aunt. I'm knitting it in one colour)
Galway Tie-Front Cardigan Knit in an aran weight yarn, this is a v-necked cardigan that I hope to knit some day with buttons or toggle closure instead of ties. The sleeves are knit in a slightly different shade to the body but I didn't notice until I was reading the promo. It also has pockets.
Intermedite Knitter Chapter
Moss Cabled Cardigan The moss is in reference to the colour this was knit in rather than the stitch. Knit in aran weight yarn this attracted some commentary at the Fiber Fun Friday because the rib looks a bit wrong. Possibly needs picking up fewer stitches for a less gathered look. A button front cardigan that has a high neck.
Scottish Isles Pullover a collared jumper knit in Aran weight yarn with shaping and cables, this is a fairly classic piece.
Ulst Mitered Scarf Knit in Aran yarn this again uses 1 ball of five colours for a fairly large scarf that's almost a stole.
Dublin Cabled Vest interesting cabled v-necked waistcoat this would probably suit a woman with a bit of shaping added, which should probably be easy enough after the lower set of cables.
Harris-Style Sampler Cardigan - with a mixture of stitches and horizontal colours in Aran weight yarn, along with fringing along the buttonband this doesn't appeal, I would like to see it without fringing and in a single colour.
Advanced Knitter Chapter
Isle of Skye Jacket an oversized jacket knit with a complex cable (it's 26 rows long) it's pretty unisex, knit in an aran weight yarn.
Chanel Style Tweed Jacket - knit in an aran weight yarn with the body in a slipstitch pattern and with contrast edging along the bottom, edges, pockets and cuffs, this is very dependent on careful colour choice.
Northern Ireland Peplum Pullover there was some disagreement about the bottom of this one, it might not be flattering to all. Knit in Aran weight yarn with some nice detailing around the neck but the photograph has hair in the way of a lot of the detail.
Outer Hebredies Sampler Throw - a sampler with 8 different single skeins of aran weight yarn, this could have more or less colours worked into it, it's worked in number of blocks and stripes.
Lake District Throw - Five skiens of one aran weight yarn and 1 skein of 17 more colours, this is a complex piece with a lot of flowers.
Overall not a bad book with a variety of uses of tweed style yarns without being too twee.
Buy/Borrow: the Libraries got copies and based on my viewing of it I bought my own copy, there are some pieces that I would be inclined to adapt a little but a few that I liked on first look.
Where found: I originally borrowed a copy from Dublin City Public Libraries.
Types of patterns: mostly garments with some accessories and two throws.
Number of Patterns: Hat (3); Scarf (4); Bag (2); pullover (4); Cushion (1); Waistcoat (2); Cardigan (3); Jacket (2); throw (2)
Split of patterns: men, women and unisex patterns
Size Range: women 34-54" (86-137cm) men 37.5-52.5" (95-133.5cm)
Colour/Black & White: Plenty of colour photos, black and white charts with colour highlights.
Schematics: for the garments
Target Audience: Chapters divided into Beginners, Advanced Beginners, Intermediate and Advanced
How to knit guide: Not really, a discussion of tweed yarns and most of the information comes from a spinner in Kilcar. There's also a brief piece on some tweed suitable patterns.
Experimental/Classical/Modern: Classical with some modern twists.
Comments: While the listed yarns aren't readily available in Ireland the yarn is spun in Donegal in Kilcar, so careful substitution should be possible with Irish available yarns. There is an interesting article about Tweed yarn,
From the Beginners Chapter:
North Sea Hat & Scarf Set the scarf is in a double broken rib and the hat can be knit flat or in the round. Each end of the scarf has contrast colours and the hat has three broad stripes of colour too. This is a good beginners piece. Knit in a Superbulky weight yarn.
Lichen Ribbed Garter Scarf - knit in an aran weight yarn with a random stripe this has wide ends and ribbed middle, calls for 100g of the yarn and as most of the visible part is garter stitch this could be useful for busy yarns.
Kilt Knitting Bag a bag using 1 skein (or less) for each colour this could be useful for aran weight pure wool leftovers, it has a bit pocket on the front, uses webbing for the strap but old belts could be also useful.
Highlands felted bag and Beret - using a bulky pure wool this has an stylised almost paisley pattern on the bag and dots on the hat, the patterning is appliqued after knitting.
Gaelic Hat - big stocking hat, knit in bulky yarn, with a big pom-pom this is kinda rasta style.
Tweed River Pullover A pretty basic, knit in bulky yarn, jumper with a round neck. The original yarn is quite busy. Pretty unisex pattern, though most men would probably like a little more length.
Advanced Beginners Chapter
Coastal Cabled Scarf Moss stitch on the edges and a plaited cable down the middle, knit in a bulky yarn.
Kilcar Felted Pillow - this takes a Kilim style pattern and puts it in the centre of the piece, this would be a good introduction to inartasia, most mistakes would be ironed out with the felting. Knit in Aran weight yarn, again one skien of most colours it might be good for leftovers, two of the colours use very little of the yarn.
Carrick PulloverA ribbed jumper with a roll neck knit in a bulky yarn, this is again a unisex pattern. Length should possibly be revised for most as it comes just to mid-stomach on the model.
Stornaway Vest the rib of this is in a different colour and the body in another, the edging is also in another colour. It's knit in an Aran weight yarn. (and yes, I just added this pattern to Ravelry as I'm knitting it on commission for an aunt. I'm knitting it in one colour)
Galway Tie-Front Cardigan Knit in an aran weight yarn, this is a v-necked cardigan that I hope to knit some day with buttons or toggle closure instead of ties. The sleeves are knit in a slightly different shade to the body but I didn't notice until I was reading the promo. It also has pockets.
Intermedite Knitter Chapter
Moss Cabled Cardigan The moss is in reference to the colour this was knit in rather than the stitch. Knit in aran weight yarn this attracted some commentary at the Fiber Fun Friday because the rib looks a bit wrong. Possibly needs picking up fewer stitches for a less gathered look. A button front cardigan that has a high neck.
Scottish Isles Pullover a collared jumper knit in Aran weight yarn with shaping and cables, this is a fairly classic piece.
Ulst Mitered Scarf Knit in Aran yarn this again uses 1 ball of five colours for a fairly large scarf that's almost a stole.
Dublin Cabled Vest interesting cabled v-necked waistcoat this would probably suit a woman with a bit of shaping added, which should probably be easy enough after the lower set of cables.
Harris-Style Sampler Cardigan - with a mixture of stitches and horizontal colours in Aran weight yarn, along with fringing along the buttonband this doesn't appeal, I would like to see it without fringing and in a single colour.
Advanced Knitter Chapter
Isle of Skye Jacket an oversized jacket knit with a complex cable (it's 26 rows long) it's pretty unisex, knit in an aran weight yarn.
Chanel Style Tweed Jacket - knit in an aran weight yarn with the body in a slipstitch pattern and with contrast edging along the bottom, edges, pockets and cuffs, this is very dependent on careful colour choice.
Northern Ireland Peplum Pullover there was some disagreement about the bottom of this one, it might not be flattering to all. Knit in Aran weight yarn with some nice detailing around the neck but the photograph has hair in the way of a lot of the detail.
Outer Hebredies Sampler Throw - a sampler with 8 different single skeins of aran weight yarn, this could have more or less colours worked into it, it's worked in number of blocks and stripes.
Lake District Throw - Five skiens of one aran weight yarn and 1 skein of 17 more colours, this is a complex piece with a lot of flowers.
Overall not a bad book with a variety of uses of tweed style yarns without being too twee.
Buy/Borrow: the Libraries got copies and based on my viewing of it I bought my own copy, there are some pieces that I would be inclined to adapt a little but a few that I liked on first look.
Where found: I originally borrowed a copy from Dublin City Public Libraries.
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