BOOK REVIEW: Greetings from Knit Café by Suzan Mischer

After leaving her high profile job as VP of Specials and Documentaries at CBS to become a stay-at-home Mom, Suzan Mischer dreamed of opening “a place with great yarn, coffee and tea, music and books, and comfortable welcoming chairs where people could relax.” Four months later after finding a designer to share her vision, and the right location, Knit Café opened on July 1, 2002 in West Hollywood, California.

In the intervening four years, Knit Café has become a refuge for knitters and the community, with regular groups meeting in the evenings and students from the private school across the street wandering in for after-school knitting. Over the years, some basic patterns have developed and these are included in the 30 original designs featured in Greetings from Knit Café: a Classic Sweater, a Chanel style Jacket, Knit Café’s Kid’s Club Skirt and a Basic Hat with sizing from baby to large adult.

The patterns here cover the spectrum, offering a broad range of patterns. Rather than presenting a range of sweaters or a book of patterns relating to a specific topic, Mischer has chosen to showcase a range of unique designs guaranteed to satisfying every skill level and taste. Within Greetings from Knit Café, knitters will find patterns for: boxer shorts; an Oscar-worthy Red Carpet gown; a keyboard cover; a polo shirt with subtle shaping; a denim messenger bag with lots of detailing; a saddle blanket; a terry bathrobe; a fabulous stripped bikini; and yarmulke.

An especially useful feature is the exercise section following the patterns, which should help knitters avoid carpal tunnel syndrome and adopt proper posture while knitting. Knitters wishing to create the patterns featured in Greetings from Knit Café should first visit the store’s website, where a few corrections are provided to the book’s patterns.

Greetings from Knit Café features photos and anecdotes from the store and Mischer’s customers, providing knitters with an armchair journey to this eclectic, yet welcoming store.

Read the review at Armchair Interviews.


ISBN10: 1584794836
Publisher: Stewart, Tabori & Chang
Publication Date: July 1, 2006
Binding: Hardcover
Store Website: www.knitcafe.com


tags: books book reviews knitting Suzan Mischer Knit Café