Saturday, June 30, 2007

BOOK REVIEW: The Knitter's Guide to Yarn Cocktails by Anastasia Blaes and Kelly Wilson

Taking their inspiration from the cocktail set, Anastasia Blaes and Kelly Wilson have created a knitting book aimed at the new generation of knitters. Each project in The Knitter’s Guide to Yarn Cocktails: 30 Technique-Expanding Recipes for Tasty Little Projects is inspired by a popular cocktail and focuses on a specific skill, allowing knitters to learn skills incrementally. Eventually these “ingredients” may be mixed together, enabling knitters to undertake the more advanced projects in the book. While a few of the projects are suitable for beginning knitters, the majority are for intermediate or experienced knitters.

The book is laid out following the cocktail motif. The first chapter “Ingredients” covers knitting basics: knitting tools, terminology, yarn and knitting abbreviations. The following chapters group projects by drink category such as “classic cocktails” (textured knitting), “martini drinks” (cables) and “garnish with a twist” (edgings). While the cocktail motif is initially amusing, the novelty wears off and knitters may find it all a bit too cute. One helpful item is the ice cube illustration included in some patterns, standing for “refresh”. This icon indicates that techniques used in the pattern are referenced earlier in Yarn Cocktails and helpfully, the authors have include the page reference for the technique.

Most of the patterns here are geared to the younger knitter, with the majority of patterns being for accessories rather than clothing. Clothing patterns include five tops (of the camisole persuasion), two skirts, boxers, knickers and a lace vest.

The final chapter includes recipes for all the drinks referenced in the book, although this reviewer would not recommend drinking and knitting as it can lead to a great deal of day after ripping.

Read the review at Armchair Interviews.


ISBN10: 1592533191
ISBN13: 9781592533190

Spiral Bound, Softcover
160 Pages
Publisher: Quarry Books
Publication Date: May 1, 2007
Author Websites: anastasiaknits.com and kellywilsondesigns.com


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