Custom Knits: Unleash Your Inner Designer with Top-Down and Improvisational Techniques | 
| Author: Wendy Bernard
Creator: Kimball Hall
Publisher: STC Craft/A Melanie Falick Book
List Price: $27.50
Buy New: $16.82
You Save: $10.68 (39%)
New (33) Used (8) from $16.82
Rating:  22 reviews
Sales Rank: 2498
Media: Hardcover
Pages: 168
Number Of Items: 1
Shipping Weight (lbs): 2.2
Dimensions (in): 9.5 x 8.7 x 0.9
ISBN: 1584797134
Dewey Decimal Number: 746.432041
EAN: 9781584797135
ASIN: 1584797134
Publication Date: September 1, 2008
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Shipping: International shipping available
Condition: Brand New. Delivery is usually 5 - 8 working days from order, International is by Royal Mail Airmail
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Product Description
Along with being pleasurable and satisfying, knitting can sometimes be frustrating: the turtleneck that looked so fabulous on the model is too bulky for your body, or the cardigan you spent countless hours on just doesn’t fit right. Herein lies the beauty of Custom Knits, which teaches knitters how to use improvisational techniques to achieve spectacular results—and to unleash their inner designers. Wendy Bernard, creator of the popular blog Knit and Tonic, provides 25 original designs for sweaters of nearly every type, plus variations, most knitted in one piece starting at the top, a method that allows you to try on as you go, alter as desired, and essentially design on the fly. “Make It Your Own” prompts in each pattern suggest easy alterations to suit your style and body type. And an in-depth reference section teaches how to alter key sweater elements, for example, change a crewneck to a V-neck, add sleeves to a vest, and much more. For the truly adventurous, the book concludes with guidelines for knitting sweaters with no pattern at all. Bernard’s friendly writing style and photographer Kimball Hall’s lively images create an inviting book of beautiful designs and key techniques that a knitter can use to customize nearly every garment she knits from now on.
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| Customer Reviews: Read 17 more reviews...
Nice, Classy Designs August 22, 2008
Deb B., Morris County (New Jersey)
60 out of 60 found this review helpful
Most of the book is women's sweater patterns. All of them are knit in one piece, most of them from the top down, which is by far one of my favorite methods-it makes it so much easier to try on for size, not to mention not needing seaming later.
One of my favorite things is that each design comes with suggestions for things you can do to personalize it, and, the designs themselves? I think they're lovely. In fact, there's not a single one that I did NOT like, even if I'm not itching to pick up my needles and knit every single one of them.
The final chapter is one of my favorites. It's titled "Unleash Your Inner Designer" and then breaks down the structure of the different top-down designs ... what you need to do a raglan for top down, what you do to do a set-in sleeve from top down-all the math and the schematics necessary. Not to mention a very nice section of instructions on what to do to change a neckline, or the depth of an armhole, to make a design more personal.
This, I think, is my favorite part of this book-that it not only has nice designs, but that the author thoughtfully spells out what you need to do to make the sweaters more "you." She gives you good designs, and then gives you the tools you need to take them to another level-tacit permission to PLAY, instead of trying to make sure you never vary from the designs she gave you.
Really, about the only thing I DIDN'T like was that there was no index or listing of patterns, making it tricky to find a specific one later on.
A fantastic new book August 25, 2008
Brandy Fortune (Altanta)
21 out of 21 found this review helpful
I have read Wendy's blog for years now and I had great expectations for this book. I was not let down. I adore this book. It is full of loads of patterns any women or young adult would want to knit. The best part is how each pattern has a "make it your own" section explaining how to modify the neck line, sleeve length or length. The book is separated into sections so you have several raglan top down sweaters, a few yoke, set-in sleeve and even a saddle neck sweater. The very back of the book explains how to modify and design your very own knits using existing patterns or just designing on the fly using your inspiration and creativity. This book would very easily pass as a "knitting designer" primer. I adore it, it's going to sit right next to all my favorite knitting books by Elizabeth Zimmerman and Nancy Bush. Oh and I nearly forgot to mention the wonderful section on how to create your own duct tape mannequin for your bust. I had first seen this on the craftster.org a while ago and other various website, and it's wonderful to see a very nice tutorial that I can keep in my book collection and not have to worry about a link disappearing.
Great job Wendy!! I can't wait for more.
Already one of my favorite knitting books of all time! September 3, 2008
anon-new-yorker (Brooklyn, NY United States)
16 out of 16 found this review helpful
I am absolutely IN LOVE with this book and have ordered yarn for a bunch of projects. It is the most stylish seamless knitting book I have ever seen. I hate to sew in sleeves, and this book uses all the classic Elizabeth Zimmerman techniques (raglan, etc.) to make the most beautiful, luxurious women's sweaters. My favorite patterns are the classic tank, the lacy beach coverup, the lion's neck cardigan, the retro pullover and the cute little ruffled short-sleeved top. I'M IN LOVE, I tell you.
Also, as some other readers have written, there's a wonderful section at the end of the book for creating your own projects to your specifications. Maybe I will be brave and set my own sleeves in the round into some of those Interweave Knits patterns.
stunning, fresh designs & beautiful photos August 26, 2008
Allison from SuperCrafty.com (Devon, PA)
12 out of 12 found this review helpful
I spent more time reading this book than I usually do with knitting books - vs. flipping through them. I tend to be a collector of them for the knitting porn factor (if you are a knitter, you know what I mean.) There are several patterns in here I'm eager to start and have already added them to my queue on ravelry.com.
That said, I "ditto" much of what's been posted by other reviewers. I have always been afraid to be a maverick knitter, and Wendy does a great job in showing us how. My favorite part of this book, beyond the lovely photos, witty prose by Wendy Bernard and exciting and fresh designs, is towards the end, in which she shows you how to design, size and develop a pattern for your own sweater. Fabulous!
Superb Directions and Explanations September 3, 2008
Food Lover (Oklahoma City, OK United States)
12 out of 12 found this review helpful
This is the sweater book I have been searching for. She provides clear, precise and friendly directions. Her explanations make sense. The designs are very appealing. This book has given me the courage to design a cropped, V-neck sweater that will look good on ME, not some model in a magazine. I also appreciate that she has sections that will appeal to the newer knitter, as well as some more complex stuff for those with the experience (or moxie) to go for it. This one has earned a permanent place on my knitting shelf.
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