[.ca] The Yarn Girls' Guide to Simple Knits (ISBN 0609608800)

Patterns look nice....If you're no bigger than a size 8!:
I really enjoyed the simple, straight-forward approach to these patterns, then I read a bit closer. Nearly all of the patterns do not account for a bust larger than 33"! It wouldn't be so bad if they provided instruction for how to grade the patterns up, but this book doesn't get into the nitty gritty of that, as this is a book for beginning knitters. It was so disappointing to see that the authors do not account for the "sizable" majority of the reading public when constructing the patterns here.

Mixed feelings:
I think that I must weigh in with the other reviewers who're somewhat ambivalent about this book. I like the idea of simple (read classic) designs that get their punch from funky yarn. I really don't like the way the book or patterns are organized - why not start with scarves and tanks and 'work up' to buttoned cardigans, with some 'lessons' in between? Ok, that's just me, but I also agree that the step-by-step guides should've been integrated into the actual patterns. And yes, the yarn is VERY expensive and much of it is no longer available - so the knitter will have to know enough to be able to substitute yarn for most of the patterns. I would also have liked to know what the yarns are made of, and a full gauge reading - even though the authors say that rows don't matter, it becomes a lot more important if you want to use a different yarn. Personally I don't mind the fact that most of the patterns are 'small' as I have had trouble finding things to knit that don't end up looking like my boyfriend's sweaters. I would probably buy this as a reference if it ever comes out in pbk.

Inspiring:
This book is one of the best beginner books out there. I am 27 and have been crocheting for years, mostly afghans, scarves and hats, and more recently a cute bikini and a terrible sweater. I resolved to learn to knit, but was constantly disappointed in the selection of "beginner" knitting books out there - unclear instructions and descriptions, and projects for basic sweaters that were way beyond my capabilities. That all changed the day I got this book from my local library and I was inspired then and there that I really could do it, and have a fun time, using a great yarn and fat needles. I decided to make a sweater, and practiced some basics with a scrap of old yarn I had laying around until I was comfortable, and then headed out to my closest yarn store. Needless to say, I went a bit overboard on the yarn price (in my excitement - but there are plenty of similar, less expensive yarns that you could substitute with) but my sweater took less than 5 days to knit, and turned out exactly as the book said it should. (I have long arms and had to adjust the sleeve length slightly, but there were no other major "incidents" where I had to rip out all my work). The patterns are really simple, and intermediate knitters would be totally bored with them, but there are some funky colors and great patterns for hats and scarves that knit up quickly for easy gifts. There are lots of tips for beginners, and complete instructions for everything from crocheted edging, picking up stitches, binding off, blocking, and all other basic knitting must-haves. The "Gauge Page" is really helpful. The language in the book makes you feel like you can do anything - it's really encouraging for those who are a bit too timid to try knitting for the first time! I would recommend it to those who like simple projects and modern designs and colors.

For Beginners Only -- and Only Those Who Have Help:
I bought this book for my daughter, who was ready to move on from making scarves. She was able to make her first sweater from it, so it was a success. It's a very attractive book, the pictures are appealing to young knitters, and the instructions are readable, even though they have errors and ommissions (that's why you should make sure you have an experienced knitter around to get help from). There are sweaters for both men and women, and some very simple scarf, hat, and poncho designs. Unfortunately, once she had made the first sweater (the hooded one with rotten directions, as it happens), that was about it for the book. The patterns are all much the same, many of them are just a rectangle or two to begin with, and with gauges ranging only from 1.5 stitches to the inch to 4 stitches to the inch, all the projects have much the same look. There are some different necklines, but they are not as well designed as traditional sweaters, so I would recommend -- if you want to use this book -- referring to a basic knitting reference (The Big Book of Knitting is a good one) for a better method of doing the neck shapings. Most books that have simple, basic patterns can give you a good starting point for your own creativity, but the enormous gauges mean that you really can't add cables, patterns, or color work to these sweaters. In fact, it is really the yarns that make these sweaters look so good in the pictures. That makes sense for a book from a yarn shop, and if your main impetus for knitting is a desire to use your favorite gorgeous yarns (chunky ones, of course), then this book allows you to do that. So, while it's a nice book for a beginning knitter, I don't think it will be one of those you will use again and again over the years.

Cute patterns, but...:
I picked up this book while looking for a new knitting book. I'm pissed at myself that I didn't look closer at it, because the patterns are basically useless for me. The patterns are very cute, but the fact that they are knitted in bulky yarns is a big turnoff. I get the feeling that if any woman wore sweaters from this book made from bulky yarns that they would end up wearing a fat suit. Not good.