Jan Messent's Wool 'n Magic

This book is a feast for the eyes. Just looking at the photos makes you want to get out all your yarn, or make a trip to a good yarn shop and buy lots of different yarns and start playing. If you're like me, you keep buying one skein of each gorgeous yarn because it's so expensive, and then you have buckets full of great yarn - but only one skein of each. Here's the answer - wonderful things to do with those skeins and bits left over from the scarf or hat you made. I would say this is an inspirational book, rather than a "do this, then do that" book - but even an intermediate knitter should be able to work out some extraordinary projects working through the book. And, if you are the sort of person who loves to knit, but is too impatient to follow a pattern for a garment, this will give you lots of options for playing with knitting, rather than working - and there is a difference.

Once again I am totally impressed by the boundless ideas that Jan Messent has presented in this beautifully illustrated book. If you are seeking a book that will show you a design, then instruct you to knit a tension swatch, then guide you stitch by stitch how to recreate the item, this book is NOT for you. However, if like me, you have been grown tired of browsing through knitting book after knitting book in search of something new, only to find the same jaded ideas, then this book should enthrall you. This is not a book of knitting patterns. It is a book of ideas, of inspiration, of motivation. You will start to look at the colorful repetitive patterns in Byzantine enamel work, or the undulating texture of storm clouds, or the delicate beauty of a porcelain teacup, or the rich luxury of a chocolate gateaux, and think, "I wonder if I could knit that." As someone who has tried a variety of textile work (needlepoint, plastic canvas, applique, quilting, doll-making...), my battle cry was, "If only I could just knit this!" In all of her books Jan Messent has shown that we CAN knit nearly anything if we just start thinking outside the box. Yes, you'll learn by trial and error. Yes, you'll get frustrated. And yes, you'll start creating things you never thought were possible. I highly recommend this book to anyone who wants to try to break the standard knitting mold, and is not afraid to try.

A classic beautifully reprinted. Anyone with any field of interest in fiber arts should own this book. Nightstand eye-candy at its finest.

Another great book by Jan M. If you need step by step instructions and are bent on making EXACTLY whats in the book- NOT for you. If you like to use books for inspiration to create your own things- GREAT book for you.