Library Journal review: Knitgrrl 2
I’ve been told this review will appear in the 15 April issue of Library Journal:
Funky Knits: Knitting Know-How for Hip Young Things
(Carol Meldrum & Julie Marchington)
Knitgrrl 2: Learn To Knit with 16 All-New Patterns
(Me!)Both these books target the young, hip knitter, but with very different approaches. Knitgrrl 2, Okey’s follow-up to Knitgrrl, emphasizes instruction, with colorful closeup illustrations of such techniques as casting on, knitting, purling, joining new yarn, and binding off; chapters on dyeing yarn with Kool-Aid, knitting with beads, and embellishing knits; and a small collection of projects suitable for beginners. Among the 16 projects are beaded jewelry, a quick-knit poncho, and a beach bag (with cell-phone case).
Funky Knits also contains instruction for the beginning knitter but with enough detail to make it more suitable for the knitter with some experience. In some cases (e.g., the textured zip-up top, the acoustic guitar case) we’re most likely talking college-age. Then, too, Meldrum (coauthor, Denim People) uses pricey yarns that may not fit within a teenager’s budget; some yarn substitution might be in order. Projects include a basic black party dress with lace trimming and iPod covers. Knitgrrl 2 is an excellent buy for
public library teen collections; consider Funky Knits for large public libraries in need of knitting books for young adults.
I checked out Funky Knits in January at TNNA. It’s cool, though I agree that it seems targeted to a slightly older audience. I love the book’s disco-style cover! Also, it appears to have been produced in the UK, which may explain some of the pricier yarn choices. I’m totally guessing on this, but I’ve noticed a lot of British knitting books use yarns that are somewhat expensive here, such as Rowan, but that probably cost as much for them as Cascade or Brown Sheep does for us. UK readers correct me if I’m wrong, please!
This morning I received a lovely email from a reader (hi Sadie!) who points out the heart chart in Knitgrrl one is slightly off and that adjustments must be made to fit the hearts evenly around the 80 stitches at the bottom. I’ll check that out and post corrections on the errata page as needed.
Have a lovely Friday, everyone! The sun is shining in beautiful Cleveland, Ohio and I hope you’ve got the same.