Custom Knits: Unleash Your Inner Designer with Top-Down and Improvisational Techniques

I admit it, I am a reformed knitting book addict. After reading all of Elizabeth Zimmerman's books, and B Walkers " Knitting From the Top Down" it changed my entire perspective on knitting. I didn't think that there would be one person (in this generation of knitters) that could even come close to the wit and wisdom those two woman had. I teach basic knitting to home schooler's and other young people so I am very careful what I teach, and what methods I use. I do not want my student's to become knitters SO glued to a pattern that they wont take chances and personalize their knitting. I found that the very reason they want to learn to knit in the first place is that they love fiber and color,,, and want to add touches that only a handknit item can offer. They surprise me all the time with their eagerness to learn,,, and most importantly, their desire to break the " rules" of knitting. I began to use the top down process vs. the bottom up process of knitting sweaters more often than not (with the exception of color work ski sweaters ) knitting top down is the ONLY way to guarantee 100% that your garment will fit you in all areas, not just sleeve or hem length. I taught myself to do this (by reading and experimenting) and am now teaching young students to do so also. The knitting book market is literally flooded with and overabundance of books,, but always PATTERN books~ and no one near the caliber of the" great ladies" of knitting. Books are published by the dozens each month, none have much substance to them. I scour through them at local shops in an effort to see what will help me teach more effectively and have not seen much that is worth spending money on. I did not think there was a single talented knitter that even came close to the late great EZ and B Walker. I couldn't have been more wrong in my thinking ! This book is as close as it gets to truly understanding the top down method of B Walker's book,,,,, and,,, teaches EZ's EPS system ( an amazing method of knitting ) PLUS,,it offers loads of design advice you wish you would have many sweaters ago. If you honestly have the desire to have finished projects that fit and flatter you or anyone you knit for, this book will teach you how to do so. If that isn't enough, there are so many things offered such as how to make your own dress form for only a few dollars ( so you can see how the knitted garment will hang on you from all angles) and how to do set in sleeves on a top down garment. I think making the dress form will be a great class to teach(!!) using this book as my guide. Set in sleeves,,, it can be done and look very professional WITHOUT sewing! I have not attempted to do this myself because even though B Walker does mention this in her book , it just wasn't clear in my mind, no matter how much I tried to wrap my brain around those concepts. I am thrilled to now have the clarity I was searching for, and wish I had this book many disappointments( and wasted $$ ago.

This is the book I have been searching for, and the first of any genre I feel compelled to review. First, I love the author's classic yet sexy estetic, and preference for top-down constuction. (Please keep your designs coming, Wendy.) This book deserves high ratings alone for being loaded with T/D patterns for queue-jumping pieces. What I am most grateful for, however, is to have a resource that helps me fill in the gaps and questions I had after reading and re-reading Barbara Walker. I am a relatively new knitter and have never realy sewn. Early on in my knitting life I knew I would be limiting myself to seemless sweaters. After a few bad bottom-up experiences, I have recently vowed to focus on top-down patterns. Unfortunely I am also a visual learner and the indispensible "Knitting from the Top Down" still left me with too many questions, particularly on the sleeveless/set-in sleeve/saddle shoulder garments. None of the other T/D books I own (and I think I have most) transcend its patterns or ventures far past the raglan the way Custom Knits does. I finally feel like I have the resources I need to help me visualize the process and master my preferred technique. If this book is lacking at all, I for one couldn't say how.

I am absolutely IN LOVE with this book and have ordered yarn for a bunch of projects. It is the most stylish seamless knitting book I have ever seen. I hate to sew in sleeves, and this book uses all the classic Elizabeth Zimmerman techniques (raglan, etc.) to make the most beautiful, luxurious women's sweaters. My favorite patterns are the classic tank, the lacy beach coverup, the lion's neck cardigan, the retro pullover and the cute little ruffled short-sleeved top. I'M IN LOVE, I tell you. Also, as some other readers have written, there's a wonderful section at the end of the book for creating your own projects to your specifications. Maybe I will be brave and set my own sleeves in the round into some of those Interweave Knits patterns.

I have read Wendy's blog for years now and I had great expectations for this book. I was not let down. I adore this book. It is full of loads of patterns any women or young adult would want to knit. The best part is how each pattern has a "make it your own" section explaining how to modify the neck line, sleeve length or length. The book is separated into sections so you have several raglan top down sweaters, a few yoke, set-in sleeve and even a saddle neck sweater. The very back of the book explains how to modify and design your very own knits using existing patterns or just designing on the fly using your inspiration and creativity. This book would very easily pass as a "knitting designer" primer. I adore it, it's going to sit right next to all my favorite knitting books by Elizabeth Zimmerman and Nancy Bush. Oh and I nearly forgot to mention the wonderful section on how to create your own duct tape mannequin for your bust. I had first seen this on the craftster.org a while ago and other various website, and it's wonderful to see a very nice tutorial that I can keep in my book collection and not have to worry about a link disappearing. Great job Wendy!! I can't wait for more.

Most of the book is women's sweater patterns. All of them are knit in one piece, most of them from the top down, which is by far one of my favorite methods-it makes it so much easier to try on for size, not to mention not needing seaming later. One of my favorite things is that each design comes with suggestions for things you can do to personalize it, and, the designs themselves? I think they're lovely. In fact, there's not a single one that I did NOT like, even if I'm not itching to pick up my needles and knit every single one of them. The final chapter is one of my favorites. It's titled "Unleash Your Inner Designer" and then breaks down the structure of the different top-down designs ... what you need to do a raglan for top down, what you do to do a set-in sleeve from top down-all the math and the schematics necessary. Not to mention a very nice section of instructions on what to do to change a neckline, or the depth of an armhole, to make a design more personal. This, I think, is my favorite part of this book-that it not only has nice designs, but that the author thoughtfully spells out what you need to do to make the sweaters more "you." She gives you good designs, and then gives you the tools you need to take them to another level-tacit permission to PLAY, instead of trying to make sure you never vary from the designs she gave you. Really, about the only thing I DIDN'T like was that there was no index or listing of patterns, making it tricky to find a specific one later on.