Knitty Gritty Knits: 25 Fun & Fabulous Projects

KNITTY GRITTY KNITS: 25 FUN & FABULOUS PROJECTS comes from TV personality Vicky Howell and her DIY Yetwork show, and offers up 'wearable art' and homeware knits perfect for contemporary collections. These make the most of new fabrics and the latest styles, going beyond the usual outdated sweater mode to offer patterns and step-by-step instructions for gauntlets, backgammon boards, and more. If you think knitting's all about yesterday's styles, think again: KNITTY GRITTY KNITS proves otherwise. Diane C. Donovan California Bookwatch

As Vickie Howell says on her website, "Craft This!" She is on a personal quest to eliminate the negative social stigma attached to knitting and crafting by bringing more recognition to the hip, creative, and edgy sides of these forms of expression. Her popular show on DIY Network, Knitty Gritty, features projects and techniques, taught by some of the today's best-known knitting personalities and designers. Viewers are invited to join Vickie and her Knitster Girls as they showcase projects suitable for all levels of knitters. In Knitty Gritty Knits: 25 Fun & Fabulous Projects, Vickie has collected projects featured on the show, including one from Lily Chin. What makes this book particularly suitable for beginners is the first section on knitting basics. Everything from basic stitches to gauge swatches to knitting tools is covered. Projects feature close-up photos at crucial stages, to enhance the written instructions. Unfortunately, there are no extra or bonus projects provided in the volume, only projects included on the show. The patterns in Knitty Gritty Knits will appeal to the hip and trendy, as well as novice knitters. Fans of The Breeders and Kelley Deal will be eager to knit Deal's Rock Star Bag. Amy Finlay has designed a thigh garter with pockets to handle essentials such as lipstick and ID, for those wishing to travel light on their next night out. Tina Whitmore's felted backgammon board can either be rolled up for easy transport, or side panels and handles can be added to use the game board as a tote. Armchair Interviews says: Join the Knitster Girls and knit something cool.

If you are a fan of "Knitty Gritty" as I am, you will love revisiting the projects from the show that are contained within this book. Even the "Knit Bits" are included! There are lots of differant projects, from bags to wearables. The book has beautiful photos and is a pleasure to read!

I watch the show all of the time and thought that this book would be a good companion to the series. It does have better photos than the DIY website, but not all of the projects are shown. You still have to reference the website if you want to see all of the projects. I would have loved to have seen an index of all of the shows with episode references to the projects listed. The book is written is such a way that you could certainly enjoy it without having seen the show at all. There are no additional or bonus projects, only a selection from the show. The designs are young and funky which you should expect looking at the host of the show. Vicki is hip, young and has a punk flair. Even though the projects are not conventional, they are very creative and inspiring. If you're creative, you can use the techniques to design your own pieces, or add interest to classic knitting patterns.

I must confess that I am a "Knitty Gritty" show addict. Although at first glance I wondered about the patterns in this book (if you regularly watch the show you have seen these items made), upon further review I realized that there are many more detailed photos and tips that accompany each pattern than is available on the show's website. If you are looking for a good knitting book for someone who is either a newer knitter or a fan of the show then I highly recommend it. There are many different items and techniques presented in this book and the patterns are from a number of well-known knitting designers who have been on the show.