Book review: Truth in advertising
Like many knitters I know, I have often fallen victim to the "oh, it's on sale and it's such nice yarn and I can't leave it in the bargain bin all alone" and the "I'll get one skein just so I can try it" syndromes of stash-enhancement rationalization. Fortunately, I mostly recovered from that when I stopped working within walking distance of a local yarn shop (two different ones, actually). What do you do with those single skeins and balls of yarn? There are only so many baby hats and striped sweaters you can make before you realize you need to do something else before your ears start to bleed.
I am always on the lookout for the "miracle book" by a knitter who has figured out how to transcend the boundaries of the space-time continuum and designed fabulous patterns that use only one skein of yarn. I'd love to be able to knit an entire adult-sized sweater, for example, out of one skein of Colinette Point Five, an incredible yarn that I have only admired from afar because it costs something like $16-20 per skein and who in the world can afford to buy ten skeins of the stuff just to make one sweater?
When I first heard of Leigh Radford's One Skein: 30 Quick Projects to Knit and Crochet, I thought I had found my miracle book. Like Mason-Dixon Knitting, this book has spawned a cult following and countless knitalongs. Everyone's raving about it! So of course I had to check it out.
First off, the title of this book is not entirely accurate: many projects do require only one skein of yarn, but one requires a whole cone (which is really more like several skeins), and a few require single skeins of several different yarns or colors. The Labyrinth Circle Rug is beautiful but needs 23 different yarns. Excuse me, but in what universe does this meet the definition of "one skein"? The Kid's Color-Block Cardigan, too, stretches the definition of "one": this pattern uses 4 or 5 different colors.
In other words, Radford is a big ol' cheater.
Once I got over my annoyance, however, I had to admit that there are some fine patterns in this book. The miniature knit cupcakes just don't do anything for me (what is the deal with knitted food these days? I don't get it...), but I ended up with six post-its (including one for that cardigan), so this book goes on my list.
I am always on the lookout for the "miracle book" by a knitter who has figured out how to transcend the boundaries of the space-time continuum and designed fabulous patterns that use only one skein of yarn. I'd love to be able to knit an entire adult-sized sweater, for example, out of one skein of Colinette Point Five, an incredible yarn that I have only admired from afar because it costs something like $16-20 per skein and who in the world can afford to buy ten skeins of the stuff just to make one sweater?
When I first heard of Leigh Radford's One Skein: 30 Quick Projects to Knit and Crochet, I thought I had found my miracle book. Like Mason-Dixon Knitting, this book has spawned a cult following and countless knitalongs. Everyone's raving about it! So of course I had to check it out.
First off, the title of this book is not entirely accurate: many projects do require only one skein of yarn, but one requires a whole cone (which is really more like several skeins), and a few require single skeins of several different yarns or colors. The Labyrinth Circle Rug is beautiful but needs 23 different yarns. Excuse me, but in what universe does this meet the definition of "one skein"? The Kid's Color-Block Cardigan, too, stretches the definition of "one": this pattern uses 4 or 5 different colors.
In other words, Radford is a big ol' cheater.
Once I got over my annoyance, however, I had to admit that there are some fine patterns in this book. The miniature knit cupcakes just don't do anything for me (what is the deal with knitted food these days? I don't get it...), but I ended up with six post-its (including one for that cardigan), so this book goes on my list.
3 Comments:
Yeah I am sick and tired of seeing knitting patterns for stupid crap like:
Skull and crossbones wristbands, finger puppets, string bikinis, cupcakes, egg cozies (I kid you not), etc.
I just ordered a book from the Crafters Choice program called One Skein Wonders. Because I'd like some real insight over what to do with ONE skein of yarn too.
And if I see an egg cozy, I swear I will go ape shit.
Heh, I just read the first line of the Crafter's Choice review for One Skein Wonders:
"Ever fall in love with a ball of yarn that was so exquisite but so expensive you could only afford to buy one?"
We shall see....
That does sound promising! I'll have to take a look at it when you get it!
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