Knitted Shawls, Stoles, and Scarves Print on Demand Edition

This book has some wonderful projects that can be made by beginner or experienced knitters. A fun take on these wraps and some fun yarns make for some fun items!

Chock full of one beautiful design after another, this book and its presentation make it difficult to decide which shawl to try first. The patterns are inventive but not overly complicated, resulting in professional-looking garments with a designer look. Directions are clear and comprehansible. Yes, the yarns used in the photos are expensive, but there are so many cheaper but still lovely substitutes on the market these days, that cost doesn't have to be prohibitive, and you can still attain great looks. I've even substituted yarns of different weights than those specified, and while the size of the shawl is bigger or smaller, I've been happy with them all. Achievable challenges, never boring - my idea of great knitting.

It's not often that I want to make nearly every item in a book or magazine, but I'll soon be starting my third project from this book. These projects are fast and great for gifts--the Shoulder Warmer Shawl took just three days, and that included time for ripping out and redoing when I paid more attention to the Olympics than to my knitting chart. I'm an experienced knitter (40 years, egads!), but my previous experience with charts was for intarsia patterns, not lace. This book taught me how to read charts (and by the way, there's an error in the line numbering on the Lace Scarf...it's supposed to be odd-numbered rows only, yet there's a row 20 in there...just renumber 'em all after row 19. The chart is fine). The suggested yarns are (in many cases) expensive, but if you work up some gauge swatches, you can use less-pricey substitutes. Local yarn shops can also help you with substitutions. I found Euroflax's sportweight linen online at a great price, so I'll be making the Linen Lace Shawl using the suggested yarn. (Sometimes, a girl's gotta splurge a little.) Except for that one minor error, I found the instructions clear, the photographs great, and the chapter introductions were full of helpful hints. This one's a keeper.

I agree with the previous reviewer. The techniques in this book are great. And most of the designs are to my taste -- none of them look as if they are really for old hippies with their hair up in buns, too often the image presented by shawls. The caveat with this book is that all the yarns called for are extemely expensive. I am not sorry I bought this book but I don't think I will be knitting anything in the yarn specified.

This is a book for knitters who want short projects that teach new and challenging techniques without the added problems of how to make the garment fit. The following techniques are showcased: sideways knitting and shaping, diagonal knitting, textured squares, slip stitch pattern, cables, short rows, lace, garter stitch squares, interlocking diamonds, entrelac and intarsia. The major plus of the book is that before each pattern, the technique to be used is discussed in some detail, boosting the knitter's understanding before attempting to follow the directions. In most of the patterns, the knitter can chose between making a scarf or making a stole or shawl (which would obviously take more time). Line-by-line directions are given, as well as a line drawing of the finished piece. Charts are provided for the more difficult techniques, i.e. textured squares, cables, lace and intarsia. Colored diagrams are provided for the garter stitch squares, the interlocking diamonds and the entrelac. If you are knitter looking for short projects to teach yourself a new technique, this book may be just what you are looking for. For myself, I personally was not interested in making any of the projects because the finished items didn't appeal to me. Cheryl Oberle's "Folk Shawls" was much more my cup of tea. But the knitting world is huge and growing and there is room for all.