Category Archives: Sweaters

Patchwork/Mitered Knitting Books

Posted on by under Colorwork patterns, Kid's designs, Stitch Patterns, Sweaters, Texture & Cable Stitches

horst_schulz_covers

 

I’ve radically from baby knits to two books called “patchwork knitting“. Knitters also know this style as “mitered knitting“. Both books by Horst Schulz were published in 1997.

horst_schulz_back_covers

Let me start with with Patchwork Knitting as this is book I’m giving a: thumbs up.

It starts out with a bunch of how-to info including casting on new stitches to add more squares to the knitting and the best way to create edge stitches. Before going into various ways to create patchwork, there is a section on making a paper pattern to use as a template for the patchwork squares, strips, diamonds, etc. This is really important to understand as there are no patterns for each technique featured throughout the book. You are pretty much on your own. This requires a bit of skill and I wouldn’t recommend for those who have never made a sweater.

pattern

Horst uses a type of ribbing for all the designs that I called corrugated  ribbing (two-color ribbing). It’s not my favorite, but it looks good with the colorful patchwork sweaters.

Moving along into the style gallery, it starts out with easy strips that are sewn together. Featured midway through are the most familiar squares and diamonds. My favorite is one that looks like squares in front and back. Very clever!

photo-6

I also like the the techniques below.

square   shell_sweater

Book two: New Patchwork Knitting – Fashion for Children

kid_design

This book: thumbs down

Why? It’s not a terrible book, but for me similar to the first book and I’m not a fan of some of the designs shown. I do like this sweater with the zig-zag edge. I don’t think I’d make it for any child I know.

kid_design1

 

 Bottom line: Buy one or the other book if you love the mitered technique. Horst Schulz is German and many of the resources for yarns given at the end of the book are for European companies. Also, keep in mind that the styling is very ’90s looking.

 

 

http://www.amazon.com/Patchwork-Knitting-Horst-Schulz/dp/0620261951/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1405017245&sr=8-1&keywords=patchwork+knitting

 

http://www.amazon.com/New-Patchwork-Knitting-Fashion-Children/dp/0620261943/ref=sr_1_fkmr0_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1405017345&sr=1-1-fkmr0&keywords=horst+schultz+fashion+for+children

Knitting For Baby

Posted on by under Baby Books, Blankets, Kid's designs, Stitch Patterns, Sweaters, Texture & Cable Stitches, Uncategorized

knitforbaby

Knitting for Baby by Melanie Falick and Kristin Nicholas (two women I so admire) is next on my list.

Even before I begin: Thumbs Up!

What did I like about the book? I’ll start with the colorful illustrations (all drawn by Kristin Nicholas) on all the techniques – from the simple knit stitch to knitting on double-pointed needles that are interspersed throughout the book. I love the way the book moves along in easy steps starting with the simplest stitches and projects and moving to designs that require more skill. Each chapter gives the reader all the tools and techniques needed to make the projects. I will surely turn to this book for baby projects. Here are a few of my favs.

I love, love the cover sweater. This Garter Stitch Cardigan is perfect for my knitting style. I’m always in favor of garter stitch and adore easy, easy projects. This cute little sweater comes in sizes from 3 months to 24 months. The yarn used is a bit heavier than I’d like. It calls for a yarn that’s 18 stitches to 4″. I’ll use a lighter weight yarn and will adjust the sizing.

backcover

The back cover with more adorable projects!

babyaran

I already made this Baby Aran a couple of years ago for my niece’s new baby.

diaperbag

Felted Diaper Bag – I want to make this as a fun tote.

booties

A great baby shower gift. I would use a pastel shade – unisex for those who don’t yet know.

mittens

An easy mitten pattern is always nice to have  – sized for toddlers in a medium weight (slightly bulky yarn), it could be made smaller (using a thinner yarn) for a smaller child.

http://www.amazon.com/Knitting-Baby-How—Knit-Instructions-ebook/dp/B008ZR8CAK/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1404332030&sr=8-1&keywords=Knitting+for+Baby

June 2014 – 6 months PLUS Knits for Older Kids

Posted on by under Kid's designs, Sweaters

books_read

Half of 2014 has gone by and I’ve only gotten through a few books. Sadly to say -VERY few! This is the sum total of my 2014 knitting book reading. Oh, I just realized my Tweed book is there. Mistake! There are even fewer….

 photo 2

Here are more of the masses left. There are more hiding in various places, but you get the idea. I’ve really got to somehow find another plan with this book reading. I’m going to ponder this and will let you know my plan in next week’s post. By the way, I’ve already given up on making one project from each book.

This week’s book –

photo 1

As I scanned The Yarn Girls’ Guide to Knits for Older Kids, I thought that this one surely had no reason to be on my bookshelf. Then I started turning the pages. The book is very thoughtfully put together. The Basics section in the front of the book is perfect for a beginner or newer knitter. There are very good illustrations and techniques that you’d need for projects in the book.

photo 2-2

The unisex styling of the sweaters and nice intro stories about why the designers created each design is a nice touch. By the way, this book is part of a series of books written by Julie Carles and Jordana Jacobs who owned a yarn store in NYC called the Yarn Company.

Other than easy sweaters, there is a section with hats and scarves and a knit throw.

I love the striped sweaters below as it’s the perfect design to use up part balls of yarn and it’s a nice simple sweater for a boy or girl.

photo 3

Another sweater that was on top of my “keeper” list is the hoodie cardigan. I’d make this one for one of the kids of my nieces. It’s a practical, wearable sweater.

photo 4

I’ll give this one a thumbs up and add it to my meager pile!

http://www.amazon.com/Girls-Guide-Knits-Older-Quick-/dp/0307336905/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1403385220&sr=8-1&keywords=Knits+for+older+kids

 

T

Debbie Bliss Classic Knits for Kids

Posted on by under Baby Books, Stitch Patterns, Sweaters, Texture & Cable Stitches

Classic__Kids_Knits

In keeping with my “baby/kid” book quest, I took a gander at Debbie Bliss Classic Knits for Kids with 30 Traditional Aran and Guernsey Designs for 0-6 year olds.

It was published in 1994 so some of the sweaters are a bit on the oversized look. However, I do know that Debbie does love to style and show baby/kids sweaters that have a loose and oversized look. She’s known for creating the kind of sweater that is perfect for growing into and will last for several years.

This is definitely a thumbs up book. I will say that when I looked it up on Amazon, new copies go for over $30 so I can’t be alone.

What did I love about the book: the photos are so sweet and the whole book has lovely styling. I love the fact that all the sweaters are one color with tons of texture in knit and purl stitches and interesting cabling.

What did I not like: I would have preferred to have separate stitch patterns or charts rather than row after row of patterning. When this book was publishing the default wasn’t charts for stitch patterning so that’s a minor complaint. The language is a bit “English” style rather than “American” which could be a bit off-putting to some.

My favorite sweater (especially after my Aran journey) is called Cotton Aran Sweater:

denim_aran

A few others I like –

yellow_sweater  gernesey

Baby_Arans

http://www.amazon.com/Classic-Knits-Kids-Traditional-Guernsey/dp/1570760268/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1402606597&sr=8-1&keywords=Debbie+Bliss+Classic+Knits+for+Kids

Baby Books Week

Posted on by under Accessory projects, afghans, Baby Books, Crochet Books, Sweaters

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Notice I said Baby Books Week. This means more than one book this week. After getting bogged down with the last book, I’m determined to get a few more books under my belt.

I’m starting with two that are in the thumbs down category.

Candy Blankies and Candy Tots – both by Candi Jensen both crochet baby/toddler books. They are both nicely photographed and have contemporary layouts and styling. The problem is that there is only one pattern in both books that I might make. I’m going to make a copy of that pattern and move these books off my shelf.

Baby Ripple I’m saving –

baby_ripple

 

I have more baby pattern books that I’ll discuss later this week. Can’t you just see the smile on my face!

Aran Sweaters and the big finish!

Posted on by under Accessory projects, Historial knitting books, Stitch Patterns, Sweaters

Man_AranAranKnitting

Today I went through the original Aran Knitting (hardcover, 1997) and the new and expanded edition Aran Knitting (trade soft cover, 2010). Most of the original sweaters were included in “new and expanded”. Some were recolored and rephotographed.  I really didn’t feel that the difference was really great in the update. I loved the red-haired model from the original book rather than the brunette used in the revised book, but that doesn’t really matter in terms of the sweaters.

The man’s sweater above is shown on the new book as the cover sweater on a woman. It was the one I’ve chosen to knit, even though I haven’t made much headway on the knitting.

The other sweaters (a few shawls and hats) are mainly classics that perfect for knitters who love cables. I was thinking that the two shawls (a bit heavy for shawl wearing) would be terrific as throws if they were made slightly wider. A few of the sweaters are a bit long with an ’80s vibe. That could be easily changed by a knitter with some skill in adaption.

My review of two sweaters in the expanded issue:

Boudicca’s Braid (Celtic Art based). I really don’t like this one. I would say “hate”, but that’s a pretty strong word. This cardigan doesn’t add much to the book that is until this sweater based on one-color beautiful designs.

Aran_colorwork

 

Eala Bhan (Alice designed this for herself). This is modern and beautiful. I do love this cardigan. It has very long instructions, but she says it’s not difficult to knit.

Aran_cardie

The final section is based on designing your own Aran sweater. I think it would be best used to help adjust a pattern, but for someone who wants to create a unique sweater. There is two pages that discuss blocking, seaming, making tassels and fringe and the care of wool garments. There is also “a word from your sponsor” with info on buying Alice Starmore Yarns. I do think this is really good for those who want to make the sweaters as they appear in the book.

Alice gives a web site – alicestarmore.com – which didn’t seem to go anywhere when I clicked on textiles. I also looked at virtualyarns.com where yarn, books and patterns by Alice can be obtained. This site seems good and up-to-date.

I give this book a thumbs up.

Worth keeping and having in my library. At this point I might keep both copies as I like the man’s version in the early book and the woman’s in the later version. One day I might have to choose and give up one or the other…..

What is an Aran Sweater?

Posted on by under Historial knitting books, Stitch Patterns, Sweaters

define_Aran

Great trip to UK. Not so great for my blogging. I feel a bit stuck in the Aran Knitting by Alice Starmore book. I know once I read Alice’s conclusion, she goes into Aran stitch patterns and then into actual sweater designs. The light at the end of the tunnel is coming…

I staggered through Alice’s conclusions on Construction and Style. The circular Scottish and/or British Gansey  was the beginning point for the final very commercial Aran Sweater (knit in flat pieces). Then she went on to how the patterns occurred. I’m not sure I completely understood the whole concept. Some of it came from designing sweaters and patterns that could be easily commercially executed. Some of the patterning came from ideas based on the original Gansey concept.

The best and most concise think I learned was how Alice defined the Aran Sweater.

1) Handknit garment of flat construction (in pieces)

2) Composed of of vertical panels of cabled patterns and texture stitches

3) Each piece of the sweater has a central panel flanked by textured patterns (usually somewhat mirror each other)

4) Made of heavy, undyed cream wool – not always

After that “Ah ha Moment”, I decided to stop for the moment. These pages are really text heavy – in small type I must say. I’m not sure that is a good thing. Not light reading!

The sweater above is a good example of a Classic Aran Sweater.

 

Alice concludes the mystery of the origins of Aran Sweaters

Posted on by under Historial knitting books, Sweaters

 

 

men_Aran

In my last post, Alice was off to study sweaters in the Dublin National Museum of Ireland.

In my recent reading she dissected 4 garments beginning with an early piece (donated in 1937) from Aran that had the structure of a Scottish Gansey. Her dissection was complex and through. Actually, I was awed by her knowledge of knitting structure.

From the first garment, she concluded that what began as circular knit garments without seams evolved into Aran Sweaters knit in pieces. This seems to have been done to allow a knitter to work with textured patterns without being a mathematical genius needed to work out some of the shaping points in the sweaters.

One remarkable conclusion made by Alice is that Aran women learned Gansey knitting skills from Scottish sources.

Also, Aran sweaters (often called f) were not made as a fisherman’s garment. Will talk more about this in my next post.

I want to talk more about Alice’s conclusions, but I’m off to visit the UK tonight and have a plane to catch! I’ll be silent post-wise for a couple of weeks. Sadly, I’m not visiting Aran, although it is on my bucket list!

 

Aran Knitting – Take 2!

Posted on by under Historial knitting books, Stitch Patterns, Sweaters

StEdna_man

OK – I really have been reading the background on Aran Knitting. It’s really hard to put it into words, but here’s what I’ve learned about the history of Aran Knitting.

Aran sweaters were not seen until the last 40’s and 50’s. Many of the myths for this knitting style were generated by Heinz Edgar Kiewe (1906-1986). Kiewe organized production of Aran sweaters based on a photo that was published in a book by Mary Thomas (no relation to me). Many of the sweaters were knit in the Western Isles of Scotland as there were not enough knitters in Ireland. So much for the Irish knit theory!

Alice Starmore believes that before her book called The Celtic Collection (1992), “celtic” cabling had not been seen in knitting.

Another myth debunked – Aran Sweaters are not traditional Fisherman’s garments. See my photo of the guys in the last blog post.

Here are a few books who offered history of Aran. These books were almost the only available books in the 80’s and 90’s when I was an editor. We thought of them as historical Bibles:

Patterns for Guernseys, Jerseys & Arans – Gladys Thompson (1955).
Important in development of Aran Knitting. By the way, Aran was not mentioned in the title until 1971 when published by US publisher.

The Complete Book of Traditional Aran Knitting – Shelagh Hollingworth (1982)

Traditional Knitting – Michael Pearson (1984)
Michael (who I met years ago) cast doubt on Kiewe’s theories.

A History of Handknitting – Richard Rutt (1987)
The English Mr. Rutt was also known as the knitting Bishop.
His theory is that the origins of Aran Knitting may have come from the US.

Irish Knitting – Rohanna Darlington (1991)
Rohanna also talks about the US Boston connection by an immigrant woman.

Basically what I could learn is that the fisherman gansey may have been the origin of what we know as the Irish knitting tradition.

In the next chapter, Alice travels to Dublin to the National Museum of Ireland and talks about 3 garments (photographed in the book) and gives her conclusions. That to come!

In the meantime, I’ve been swatting. Gauges for the Na Craga (woman) Washable_Ewe

and St Edna (man) sweaters.
StEdna_swatch

 

A lot of knitting and ambitious projects!

Aran History

Posted on by under Historial knitting books, Stitch Patterns, Sweaters

men_Aran

I’ve hit a blogging wall. Maybe it was reading about the plight of the Aran people against big landowners that did it. These people did not have an easy life.

Maybe it was reading that what we know about the truly Aran Sweater is really a fantasy that someone dreamed up. There is no long-past historical Aran Sweater? Who knew?

I’m not sure what exactly. I’m trying to slog through the rest of the chapters on the history and the Aran people through the eyes of Alice Starmore.

Notice in this vintage picture of men from the Aran Isles that they are wearing sweaters that really seem more like designs I would call Guernsey Sweaters with cabled rope patterns in the upper front. Maybe they are the precursor to the Aran Sweaters done in natural (off-white) yarns. I’ll give you an update when I get to that far!