CRAFTNICITY

Review of French Girl Knits

When I first sat down to read French Girl Knits: Innovative Techniques, Romantic Details and Feminine Designs by Kristeen Griffin-Grimes for the review, I immediately panicked.

The photos and projects were so beautiful, so delicate, so “not my knitting skills.”  But I was immediately drawn to the colors and designs – typically French.  The author details her love for la belle France and her passion for clothing and design while talking about her teenage years learning to sew and knit.

The chapters begin with lovely stories and definitely get you believing that you are tucked away in a small chamber in Monmartre on a cool fall day knitting and waiting for your beloved to return home.

Love the detail in the patterns.  Ms. Griffin-Grimes arranges each project with information on the item she made, with details on the finished size, yarn, needles, notions and gauge, notes and stitch guide for each pattern.  She also gives yarn substitutions which is a godsend.  Included also are several detailed photos and drawings with dimensions - very helpful for inexperienced knitters.

I was particularly surprised to look at the photos of lovely, delicate and lacey garments only to read that they were knit with size US 11, 13, 15 or even size 17 needles!  At that point I decided to try out one of the patterns.

I am not an expert knitter and tend to shy away from projects that look too challenging or complex.  However, I did knit “Wrenna” a leather-laced cardigan using US 17 needles and chunky weight yarn.  The instructions were good and fairly easy to understand.  I can’t say that the finished garment looked exactly like the model, but it was okay.  Not great, but okay.

I would recommend this book for anyone who has ever been to, or dreamt about going to France and has a love for French design.  There are some beautiful garments in this book and I am definitely going to come back for another journey through “la boutique Parisienne”.

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Available from Interweave Press
160 pages

(Reviewed by Liz Fox)

Review of Japanese Inspired Knits

Though the designs in Japanese Inspired Knits by Marianne Isager aren't Japanese, they are inspired by the Japanese culture. The patterns are definitely Isager-style, that is, they are travel-inspired, use bold geometric patterns, use a variety of knitting techniques (entrelac, double knitting, intarsia, stranded colorwork), and many have unique construction.

Each chapter, which is divided by the months of the year, gives a description of the culture that characterizes life in Japan during that particular month. Like the flower buds sweater that follows the description of the blossoming of the cherry trees in April, the inspiration is clear. Each pattern follows along that month's line of inspiration and is a representation of that description.

Isager even gives some extras. Since the yarn requirements included in the book are based on 100-gram skeins, the yarn conversion sheet lists suggestions based on 50-gram skeins, which are distributed in the U.S.

What you don't get are patterns for larger women. Isager stays in the mid-range (38-44 inch bust), though one pattern extends to a 54-inch bust.

Overall, the book doesn't disappoint, especially if you've come to love Isager as much as I do. Once again, she is able to fuse culture and customs and create beautiful, innovative knitwear for women.