Customer Reviews

Fair Isle Sweaters Simplified

5 star:		(9)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I have read this book over and over again in the week that I've had it, and I've finished one sleeve of my first sweater! I am mesmerized by the patterns and colours presented, and the fact that the instructions are very concise. I did have some questions about the actual knitting process, but once I got started, it all made sense. I am a self-taught knitter, by no means an expert, but the sleeve I've just finished is beautiful and it looks like someone who knew what they were doing knitted it. Even if I ever stop knitting, I'll keep this book just to read and look at the beautiful pictures!

This is a lovely book for inspiring you to knit. The patterns and use of colour is beautiful and varied. The two-handed technique is easy to master and produces smooth results. That alone is worth the price of the book.

Tha main downfall with the book is inadequate instructions for finishing the sweater. The kilim jacket has such poor instructions for the front bands that I had to take my sweater to the local wool store for help. They, too, were confused. Some instructions were cryptic and contradicted other instructions earlier in the book. Most frustrating of all is that they totally failed to mention how to attach the band facing. They simply assumed you know how to finish a knitted jacket.

I knit because I hate to sew. The steek technique they use in this book requires the use of a sewing machine. Traditional Fair Isle steeks don't. I found the thick wool jammed my sewing machine and will never combine machine sewing and hand knitting again. But then, I'm not a seamstress and would rather hand-stitch any day. This is personal preference. You might find the machine solves your problems.

Overall, I'd recommend this book for people who want to learn the two-handed technique and like the pattern charts, but I wouldn't attempt knitting their sweaters without a clearly written knitting reference book close at hand.

I was new to knitting and had always loved the look of Fair Isle and was too chicken to do it myself. Then I saw this book and got curious. Ordered it and enjoyed it immensely. Had to travel to Arizona to find the video. If you want to do Fair Isle and also enjoy a good story this is the book! Easy to read, candy for the eyes. It is great to just sit back and review it and take in the photos. I then had the pleasure of meeting Eugene at a knitting show and getting my copy signed. The Bourgeois' are as delightful as their book I told them they need to come out with another pattern book, but Eugene told me 'we would have to tell a story too!' If you enjoy knitting this is a great book. You get addicted watching the color patterns evolve. Do NOT start your kniiting late in the evening you will start to lose sleep after you start these sweaters. They are constantly evolving rainbows. I would recommend this book and have as gifts for knitters from non knitters. (If you are lucky maybe they will make you a sweater in gratitude!)

Does this book live up to its promise to present a simplified method of Fair Isle knitting? And is there something for either the new knitter or the experienced? The answer is YES to all these questions. Here's why.

1. This book focuses on the development of the Philosopher's Wool yarns and is written by the owners of that company. It provides wonderful photographs of their distinctive designs and very excellent instructions for re-creating the attractive sweaters.

2. In addition to patterns, there are lavish illustrations, clearly drawn, showing the tubular knitting technique, whereby sweaters are knit seamlessly in the round and then cut to create open jacket fronts and button-down vests. This is similar to the Norwegian method of knitting, and well described with excellent hints.

3. The yarns (admittedly all Philosopher's Wool products) are appealingly presented to show colorways. If you aren't going to knit one of their projects, or if you don't succumb to the temptation to buy their wool, you can use these colorways with any other yarns. The photographs of yarns and model sweaters are really excellent. The book format is large, so the photos are detailed and beautifully rendered.

4. The concept of random yarn changes to create a complicated colorwork background, which is used by such top designers as Kaffe Fassett, is well described and charted. In particular, the Trillium sweater shows how to change yarns on a foreground flower and background stripe to achieve a sophisticated look that belies the relative simplicity of the technique.

The story of how this Ontario couple started their successful business is inspiring to read. Even though this book is geared to their own wool and designs, anyone who likes to do colorwork knitting can use the techniques and examples given in this book to branch out on their own ideas. In summary, a book of useful techniques for colorwork knitting that can be applied to other types of yarns, if you choose.

This book has an excellent section on technique and the patterns and colorways are really very nice. Unfortunately, all the patterns and colorways are designed around Philosopher's Wool, which limits your ability to apply the patterns to smaller needles and thinner wool, such as shetland wool. But this just gives me a reason to expand my stash!

This book is well worth the investment, no question! I never thought I could knit a fair isle sweater------never!! Guess what, I mastered their technique of weaving rather than stranding and I am now on my second sleeve of the "Garden Patch" pattern done in pastels. I found the book so informative and the story about how Ann and Eugene started out was so much fun to read.
I recently had the pleasure of meeting both of them at a yarn show, and they are truly wonderful people, always ready to give a helpful hand in any way they can. Their book is chock full of info, to say nothing of the many pictures and patterns that are incuded. Five stars aren't enough for this one!

This is an all around great book. First off, the stranding technique the Bourgeois' teach is worth the price alone. I have several fairisle books, and I have never seen this technique in any of them and IT WORKS. No weird pulling effect, and with a little practice, it is easy. On top of that, the patterns are gorgeous and the story of the start of the Philosopher's Wool company is entertaining. If you like fairisle, but were afraid to try it, or were frustrated with it like me, this book is for you!

Yes, a lovely and useful book. Yes, two-handed knitting is the way to go. But CAUTION... only if you are willing to cut steeks. If you don't know what that means, probably the idea doesn't scare you, and you should go ahead and buy this book and proceed unawares and unafraid. Wish I could. But I can't. The idea of cutting my multi-stranded knitting to pick up sleeve stitches or cardigan edges just terrifies me. (Sorry, Meg Swansen, I couldn't do it even for you!) Just me. Too timid. With that little caveat aside... lovely and useful book. :-)

I had been meaning to attend one of Ann & Eugene's seminars, if I ever got the chance, when a friend bought this book for me. It is delightful--fun reading, beautifully presented, and so far (halfway up the body tube of my first real sweater, with a completed doll cardigan to show that I could indeed do this) the instructions have been exceptionally clear and easy to follow. For all the beauty of the sweaters presented, I think the book would be appropriate for a near-beginning knitter (I'm not a pro myself), as they present a very simple method for knitting a basic sweater, letting the simple fair-isle technique and the colors do all the work. I was a little (OK, a lot) fumbly at first, as they promised, but sure enough, within a few evenings I had it down.

For those that have read the book and wondered, as I did, if Eugene ever did get to grow those mushrooms...I had the opportunity to ask in person, and the answer is no, the township wouldn't allow it. So the book's one loose end has now been "woven in," so to speak.

Ann and Eugene Bourgeois' Fair Isle Sweaters Simplified tells how to create striking sweaters using 16 patterns and four simple stitches. A two-handed method is advocated which creates loop-free finishes and colorful, beautiful results.