First, the facts:
Title: Everyday Lace: Simple Sophisticated Knitted Garments
Author: Heather Zoppetti
Published by: Interweave Knits, 2014
Pages: 144
Type: Lace clothes and accessories
Chapters:
1. Lace-Knitting Essentials
2. Warm
3. Transitional
4. Cold
The In-Depth Look:
Lace is one of those techniques that can be great fun to knit, but which people avoid … not because it’s hard, but because they think that they’d never use it. It’s so easy to think of lace as “fussy” or something to be pulled out for special occasions.
The author writes of lace shawls that, “Although they’re fun and knit up relatively quickly, I find that I rarely wear them. To me, they’re a bit too fancy for everyday wear .. The projects in this book support my belief that lace should be liberated from its confinement to shawls and be incorporated into everyday garments and accessories. A bit of lace–be it a simple trim, a narrow panel, or an interesting edging–can bring sophisticated femininity to a wardrobe without overwhelming fussiness.”
Accordingly, she fills this book with an assortment of patterns that are lace without being lace. Nothing your grandmother might have put around a handkerchief or draped over the back of a chair, but actual things you can make and wear now. Sweaters, socks, hats … and not a shawl to be seen.
The patterns range from items you can wear in warm weather (anything from a lace headband to a shrug to wear over a sleeveless top) to cold weather items like hats, cowls, and sweaters. There are socks and arm warmers, too.
All the patterns come with schematics and lace charts, as well as notes for things like stitch patterns or possible modifications. The pictures are clear, showing the actual shape of the items (which isn’t always true in knitting book photos), and the instructional bits about blocking and using lifelines are well explained.
All in all, this is a nice collection of patterns. You can get a copy of this book at your local shop or at Amazon.com.
Want to see bigger pictures? Click here.
This review copy was kindly donated by Interweave Press. Thank you!
