Blogcritics Category: Books: Home and Garden

Book Review: The Knitters Bible - Knitted Throws and Cushions by Claire Crompton

Alyse Wax — Tue, 21 Oct 2008 19:52:30 EDT

A collection of unique patterns for every home decor.
The Knitters Bible: Knitted Throws and Cushions by Claire Crompton is a collection of 25 pillow and blanket designs for you to knit. Knitting home décor items can be tough. Most patterns only match a very limited kind of décor – namely, shabby chic or country home. But this volume offers a wide variety of patterns – you...

Book Review: Custom Knits by Wendy Bernard

Alyse Wax — Tue, 23 Sep 2008 12:21:41 EDT

Lots of patterns, and lots of customization techniques.
Custom Knits by Wendy Bernard is subtitled "Unleash your inner designer with top-down and improvisational techniques." Within it is a delightfully succinct way to say, "Here are a bunch of cool patterns. We are going to show you how to make the patterns, give you some ideas on customizing the patterns, and give you the basics for creating your...

Book Review: Gorgeous Knitted Afghans by Fatema, Khadija, and Hajera Habibur-Rahman

Alyse Wax — Thu, 18 Sep 2008 04:36:30 EDT

A strong, worthwhile collection of afghan patterns.
Gorgeous Knitted Afghans is a pretty self-explanatory title. Written by sisters Fatema, Khadija and Hajera Habibur-Rahman, this collection of 33 afghan patterns really does, for the most part, live up to its name. The patterns use a variety of techniques – cables, intarsia, lace, modular – to present a wide variety of patterns for...

Book Review: Shawls Two On The Go and Grannies On The Go, Edited by Trisha Malcolm

Alyse Wax — Sat, 6 Sep 2008 17:29:46 EDT

Shawls Two is lovely. Grannies is a no-go.
The On The Go knitting book series is quite popular, with over a dozen different volumes published. They are small, inexpensive, and, as the name would suggest, easily portable. The projects within are just the right size to knit on the go. The two most recent of these books are Shawls Two and Grannies.Shawls Two picks up where the first Shawls...

Book Review: Chic Knits - Stylish Designs from Knitport by Phuong My Ly

Alyse Wax — Sat, 6 Sep 2008 13:58:04 EDT

Chic Knits is a solid collection of wearable knits.
With fall upon us, it is time for a full range of new knitting books. After much delay, Chic Knits: Stylish Designs from Knitport by Phuong My Ly finally makes its debut. Chic Knits offers 16 patterns that, according to Ly, are “simple, wearable and chic.” This is the same philosophy that has made her Southern California knit shop so...

Book Review: Kick the Clutter by Ellen Phillips

Alyse Wax — Thu, 4 Sep 2008 01:48:52 EDT

"Hide the Clutter" may be a more appropriate title
I have always walked a fine line when it comes to my hoarding and clutter. When I was young, I took after my mom, saving everything I could, for fear that one day I would need it or want it and be unable to find another, afford another, or get one in time. Towards the end of high school, and well past college, I tried to turn my hoarding into cash...

Book Review: Lace Knitting To Go by Andrea Tung

Alyse Wax — Wed, 3 Sep 2008 10:00:03 EDT

A box set of 25 lace patterns on individual, portable cards.
One of the newer trends in knitting is portable books and patterns that can slip easily into any knitting bag. Lace Knitting To Go by Andrea Tung is the latest release in this sub-sub-genre. Packed into a sturdy box are 25 heavy-weight cards, each featuring a different lace pattern. The cards just show the actual lace patterns, and leave it up...

Book Review: Alterknits Felt by Leigh Radford

Alyse Wax — Tue, 2 Sep 2008 11:35:21 EDT

A unique collection of fun, mod patterns to knit and felt.
Alterknits Felt by Leigh Radford is a collection of beautiful and unique patterns to knit and then felt. I have never been a fan of felting. If I just spent weeks and weeks knitting an item with care, why would I want to essentially erase all those neat little stitches? Especially if I could just buy some felt and sew something together. But...

Book Review: Uncommon Crochet - Twenty-Five Projects Made From Natural Yarns and Alternative Fibers by Julie Armstrong Holetz

Alyse Wax — Thu, 21 Aug 2008 11:21:50 EDT

Uncommon Crochet is a great introduction to uncommon patterns and uncommon fibers.
When I think of crochet, I generally think of long hemp vests worn by spacey hippies at Woodstock – with headbands to match. But like this new, hip revival of knitting, so too has crochet gotten a second life. In Uncommon Crochet, Julie Armstrong Holetz offers 25 fun and modern patterns to crochet.One thing that sets the projects in this book...

Book Review: Alt Fiber - 25 Projects for Knitting Green with Bamboo, Soy, Hemp, and More by Shannon Okey

Alyse Wax — Tue, 19 Aug 2008 01:42:19 EDT

Go beyond cotton, wool, and acrylic with earth-friendly fibers.
“Going Green” has gone from being a buzzword to a way of life for many people. Why should your knitting be any different? In Alt Fiber, Shannon Okey introduces knitters to truly different fibers. We are not talking about buffalo or alpaca hair.All of the projects in this book are knitted with organic plant fibers. Some, like hemp,...