12 of 12 people found the following review helpful
2.0 out of 5 stars
Mondo Bizarro, Sep 5 2007
By Pamela S. Dorris "eternally learning" - Published on Amazon.com
This review is from: Andean Inspired Knits: Designs in Luxurious Alpaca (Paperback)
When I was in Santa Fe I came across a shop with imported sweaters from South America featuring fascinating and beautiful geometric designs. Hoping this book would also feature such designs, I was gravely disappointed.
In addition, the actual knitted garments are of an unflattering design for most bodies. I know of very few America women who could stylishly wear these finished products.
I gave the book two stars because there are two graphed patterns I may be able to use elsewhere.
8 of 8 people found the following review helpful
3.0 out of 5 stars
Fun to look through..., Aug 1 2008
By Rosy - Published on Amazon.com
This review is from: Andean Inspired Knits: Designs in Luxurious Alpaca (Paperback)
This is a nice book to leaf through, colorful and nicely presented, with real people modeling instead of glossy stick-girls. I'm not sure I would have bought it if I'd seen it first, however, although it came highly recommended. My primary reason: embroidery. At least half the designs involve embroidery, some of them in an essential role where I would expect intarsia work. I don't WANT to do embroidery, especially on sweaters. My other objection to the book is more personal: some of the things in it are just goofy, like flowers to pin on hats (ugh) and a ridiculous string of giant crocheted "beads" that might make a baby toy but never a necklace! I dislike having my time wasted by fillers like square foldover purses, straight strip scarves, etc, especially when I have to embroider a flower on them. Finally, her palette is about four colors and since I happen to dislike them very much, it was one more irritating little hurdle to jump, trying to visualize the patterns in something besides orange and yellow. On the other hand, there are some very interesting shapes to garments, not the usual at all, including a sort of trapezoid fold-over shrug/jacket and a knockout short reefer-type jacket with clever lapels (the orange one with, yes, the *embroidered* barred plaid). I have kept the book on the basis of those two garments alone, because I think they could be very interesting indeed in different yarns. Lots of people might like this book; I don't want to trash it. It's not the author's fault that it happened to ring so many of my little peeve bells. Just...look it over in person first.
8 of 8 people found the following review helpful
2.0 out of 5 stars
Back to the drawing board, Sep 17 2007
By Blue Sky - Published on Amazon.com
This review is from: Andean Inspired Knits: Designs in Luxurious Alpaca (Paperback)
Because the land of the alpaca offers so much excitement in color and geometric pattern to inspire the knitter, I expected more from this book. I was extremely disappointed with the designs offered. The author obviously loves alpaca yarn and showed us charming photos of the animals in pastoral scenes. But she might have worked a bit more on her designs. On the whole, the garments appeared ill-fitting and clumsy. Perhaps the author should re-work her ideas.
As a knitting pattern book this one , unfortunately didn't inspire.