Stephen King Meets Dora the Explorer

I like to read in the bathtub for awhile most nights. I started a new Stephen King book tonight. Since it was loaned to me I would like to keep it in good shape. I took the original jacket off the book and tucked it away for safe keeping and then I covered the book with a nice thick shiny paper jacket, just like we did with text books back in the 60s and 70s. Rather than use brown paper bags, which aren't as readily available nowadays, I opened up a discarded gift bag.

Stephen, meet Dora. She'll be keeping your book safe while it's in my possession. 

If you are curious about the book covering technique, here's a link to a quick tutorial. 

Contemporary Cables

One of the benefits of having a long standing blog is that occasionally I am offered books to review. Other than receiving the book for free in return for my honest, unbiased opinion I receive no further compensation. Any links provided here are soley for your convenience.  

Today's review is of "Contemporary Cables" by Jody Long, a soft cover pattern book published by Dover Publications, Inc.  I quite like this one!

This 128 page pattern book is laid out beautifully with large, clear photos that show the details of the 21 knitted articles very well. There are patterns for 9 pullovers, 4 cardigans, a vest, a large wrap, (I'd call that one a lap robe or afghan myself), 2 shrugs, a hat, a scarf, and mittens. They are all nice cabled designs that I'd be happy to knit. The one I'm most likely to knit for myself is the "Grandfather Cardigan". It looks like just the kind of comfy, over-sized sweater I like to wear when I'm feeling chilled.

All of the sweater patterns come in a good range of sizes typically fitting a chest size from 32 to 46" (81.5 - 117cm) with some going as large as to fit a 54" bust. 

Having just received the book I haven't yet knitted any of the patterns, but the format looks good with large, easy to read charts, written instructions, and schematics included.

If I wasn't overwhelmed with the number of fibre arts projects I already have on the go I'd start in on knitting that "Grandfather Cardigan" right now! This is one book that I'll be hanging on to!

Customize Your Knitting

I was sent a free copy of a newly published book, "Customize Your Knitting", by Margaret Hubert.

I get these occasionally from publishers that are hoping I will write a review. There is no obligation on my part to write a favorable review, but it is my nature to go by the old adage, "If you can't say something nice, don't say anything at all." Sometimes I don't say anything at all and that's that. The book in question goes off to The Bookman rather than collect dust on my shelf. This isn't one of those books.

I can see value for the beginning to intermediate knitter in "Customize Your Knitting", especially a knitter that does not have a lot of experience in knitting garments to fit or incorporating shaping into lace and texture patterns. The author goes into good detail on those points.

If you are wanting to take an existing pattern and change out details like sleeve and body length, the style of trim, the type of closure, or the neckline shape, this publication does give guidance in that area. There are also four "classic rectangle" patterns fully developed in sizes small to X-large (generally with a finished chest measurement of 34 - 46") with instruction on how to change the shape to suit your individual body. When you add in the included advice for variation in style details you get the 16 styles shown below.

One negative that I feel must be mentioned; there is not nearly enough said about the impact of various stitch patterns on gauge. When a knitter starts to choose different trims, like replacing a ribbed band with one done in seed stitch, the gauge changes and the stitch count should be adjusted accordingly. There is no mention of this aspect of customizing at all and I saw at least one case where, even in the example sweater, a change in stitch pattern caused unsightly rippling in the edging. 

Conclusion? A worthwhile book if you want to advance your knitting past following a pattern to the letter but are perhaps not ready to branch out to design your own from scratch.

Customize Your Crochet

One of the perks to having a long standing blog with a bit of a following is that I am sometimes asked to share new books with you. "Customize Your Crochet", by Margaret Hubert, arrived today. Usually I have a chance to accept or decline such offers, but I only received notice of this one after it had been shipped, ahem! 

Although I'm not a big fan of crocheted cardigans and pullovers (in my opinion such garments usually look and drape better when they are knit rather than crocheted), the "Customize the Fit" section of this book could be of benefit to those who want to adapt existing crochet patterns to better fit their unique figure or to alter the design line of the 'not quite perfect' pattern.

Because I don't have an extensive crochet technique library, and not a lot of experience with crocheted garments, the "Finish Like a Pro" section had some interest. Notable was the explanation of various seaming techniques for crochet.

The final section, "Embellish for Personal Flair" has a number of motifs and edgings that may be of use even if I never crochet a garment. Adding pockets, buttonholes, and zippers are covered as well as crocheting shoulder pads and creating self covered buttons if that should ever interest you.

I noticed a few BLOOPERS in this publication, one of them was quite amusing. Throughout the book 4 images of the standard body types are used. I'm sure you've seen the idea online and in other publications -- the rectangle, triangle, inverted triangle, and hourglass figure types? In this publication the line drawing for the "triangle" figure type is consistently used under the hourglass image and the line drawing for the "hourglass" figure is shown under the triangle image.

The other blooper was also a layout mistake. In the section on pockets two of the three images are upside down, with the opening for the pocket at the bottom.

I hope the patterns are error free, but that is something I'll not be able to comment on. As I said I don't care for the look or drape of most crocheted clothing, so these are patterns I'll never use.