Look, Ma! My Knitpicks Order!

Faster than a speeding train, it's a bird, it's a plane, it's my order from Knitpicks! I'm absolutely thrilled to have these lovely books, because yesterday and today I have been feeling distinctly ill. Let's give it up for Ann Budd's, The Knitters Handy Book of Patterns and The Knitters Handy Book of Sweater Patterns.

First of all, I must say that Interweave knows knitters very well. The handy wire binding which enables the book to lay flat is only half the deal. There's also a handy elastic strap to keep the books closed (which I somehow managed to avoid photographing) and a sturdy pocket on the inside back cover, presumable for your notes and pages that you've copied. Oddly, however, the last page in the Handy Book of Patterns, which is entitled personalknittingnotes, is absent from the Sweater book. Perhaps they decided that the pocket was enough. Anyway, the glossy paper used doesn't usually lend itself to pen very well. Just be careful to avoid smearing.

At the end of each chapter there are QuickTips, which give handy tips on how to make the best mitten/hat/sweater that you can make. Also, there are Personal Touches, an example being several different edges given for hats.

I was surprised to read book reviews on Amazon about the Sweater book that claimed that all the sweater patterns/designs are shapeless drop sleeves. This is not true, and I'll give you an abridged Table of Contents to show you exactly what to expect from this book.

Drop-Shoulder Sweaters

Modified Drop-Shoulder Sweaters

Set-In Sleeve Sweaters

Saddle-Shoulder Sweaters

Raglan Sweaters

Seamless Yoke Sweaters

These are definitely long-term reference books. Ann is sweetly succinct in her introduction, and on the chatty factor. She explains why the books came about: she worked at a yarn store, people wanted basic patterns, and poof, years later, as Interweaves editor, she made it happen. It's not quite as brief as my description, but it's pretty close. I look forward to using both of these books for a long, long time.