well i’m still clueless as to how i’m going to be able to fix that beast of an entry with all the pictures. what an irk.
anyway, i bought my first knitting book! i’ve solely used the internet and a little intuition to knit so far, so i thought maybe it was time. i went into the bookstore planning on buying the standard copy of Vogue Knitting, that is, until i saw Twinkle’s Big City Knits. i had heard a lot about the book in the online knitblog buzz, and i was really intending to get a technique book rather than a pattern book, but the photos were so pretty, and so many of the patterns were things i might wear, or adapt a little and wear, that i impulse-bought it.
and i guess it’s not too bad. some of the patterns are downright adorable, and some are a little less adorable. there are a couple that i simply would not wear, but i imagine there is no pattern book that any knitter would want to knit everything from. the sizing does run quite small, and i do understand that this is the whole concept of fit for the garments, but honestly. if you’re going to tell me that a sweater measures 22″ around the bust….how the hell do i know if it’ll stretch to a 34? maybe it will only stretch to a 32, then i’d be screwed. but since the sizes go 20, 22, 24….there really just isn’t a way to be sure. i wish that wenlan had included a few more notes about sizing. i noticed that there are some errata on the internet….which is excellent, i’m glad some errors were fixed. however, i was not at all thrilled with the fact that there were a couple of glaring spelling errors in the text. i may be a bit of a spelling stickler, but when in bold typeface ‘Short Shirt’ has been written instead of ‘Short Skirt’, i become concerned. who edited this? what’s with the spelling? the attention to detail by the editors threw me off, and made me really hope that the patterns plus errata are correct. the layout of the book is really clever, like a fashion show, but it’s those details that get me.
my other gripe is the yarn. twinkle’s yarn is freakin’ expensive. and i felt it in the yarn store, and honestly didn’t think it was that soft. to be honest, i wish that joann’s made their Sensations Dolcetto yarn in a super bulky, because i think it would be perfect for all of twinkle’s chunky designs. it’s not plied, heavenly soft, and it’s got a lot of wool in it so it’ll block up nicely. i might consider doubling some Dolcetto for a few of the smaller designs, like the (personal fave) Aspen Hat, but only smaller ones, because doubling that yarn makes it pretty pricey, too. probably i’m going to try some of the lion brand wool ease thick and quick, even though it’s only a quarter wool so there will be blocking issues, but it’s cheap and big, and until i find a good stash of something else (like brown sheep burlyspun) on ebay, it’s all i can really afford to use.
i haven’t knit anything from the book yet, and i do look forward to because even though i am not very tall and thin and flat chested like the model, i’m pretty sure some of those garments won’t look bad. i’m hoping the patterns are fully correct. but i’m positive about the book, and at the least it makes a good coffee table book with the relatively dramatic front cover.
-a
