Teach Yourself Visually – Knitting Design

I’m on a roll. I picked a really easy book this time. Easy how – I really hated this book so I buzzed through it very quickly. I’m sorry Sharon Turner – don’t take it personally.

Teach Yourself Visually – Knitting Design – back cover

What did I not like? I think most of my criticism had to do with the layout and photography thoughout the book. Most of the photos were too small – hard to really see the projects.

Easy patterns – rectangular shawls

There was a natural progression starting with scarves, shawls – no shaping types of projects. The idea of the book is that you can use any yarn in any gauge to make projects. Instructions were given with various gauges. There are a number of patterns which are the most valuable part of the book.

Vests – kids to adult

There is a lot of good information within the book if you can get past the layouts and bad photos. There are lots of variations given for making a basic pattern. Included this photo with a project that didn’t fit the child very well.

Ideas for designing

This gives good advice for someone wanting to branch out and try to add to their knitting.

Making Gloves

If I was keeping this book, this is the one section that I found very interesting. I’ve never knit gloves. This is something I would like to try.

Appendix

Another in my ever-growing list of things I didn’t like about the book was the appendix at the end of the book. I was quite surprised to get to the end of what seemed to be a progressive knitting design book and find an appendix of really basic stuff. It seems if you are looking for assistance with design, casting on, increases and decreases would be already in your repertoire.

Abbreviations

This two-page spread includes many abbreviations that I think are outdated and ones that might found in British patterns rather than current American knitting patterns.