Lace & Tatting Books

Knitted Lace of Estonia: Techniques, Patterns, and Traditions

Nancy Bush

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 9 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Stunning - Lace Lovers Rejoice! 5 out of 5 stars.
5 of 5 people found this review helpful.

I will preface this review with the fact that I got to take a class with Nancy Bush on Estonian Lace at SOAR 2008, and what a great preview to the book it was! I got to see these shawls, and shawls like these first hand, so I can say they really are as beautiful in real life, if not more so.

This book really has everything I enjoy in a knitting book, especially one that is based on a particular area or tradition. The front of the book is full of information on the knitted lace traditions of Estonia, informative without being boring or tedious. The tutorials are well designed to make some of the more "advanced" techniques like nupps something to enjoy rather than dread.

The patterns themselves are just gorgeous, ranging in difficulty from easy to quite challenging. My favorites have to be the Queen Sylvia, Madli, and Crown Prince shawls. There are a range of shapes, whether you like stoles, scarves, squares or triangles you'll find something that suits your style and adventure level.

As an added bonus the stitch dictionary and information in the back make designing your own shawl yet another option. The book is worth every penny, both the wow factor and how much knowledge it packs.

Tip from class: If you want a dark colored shawl, try knitting it in white to give your eyes a break and then dyeing it when you're done!

Editorial Review:

Combining some of the oldest knitted artifacts in Northern Europe with authentic tips and expert advice, this distinctive guidebook demonstrates a wide range of knitting knowledge. Featuring 14 heirloom-quality projects, this savvy reference includes traditional lace-knitting techniques such as the starburst, twig, peacock, and lily of the valley patterns. Modern variations on classic methods and adding lace edges are also explored, and photographs from several Estonian museums beautifully illustrate various completed designs. With accessible graphed and written instructions, the projects include Estonian-style shawls, stoles, and scarves.

Victorian Lace Today

Jane Sowerby

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 60 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Eye candy for lace lovers 5 out of 5 stars.
0 of 0 people found this review helpful.

I don't knit, so I can't review the patterns in this book. But I love knitted lace, and this book is as much a coffee table book for the richness of its photos as it is a book of knitted lace history and patterns. You are taken to a place of elegance and calm, the solid structures of history, the delicate composition of lace drifting on the wind.

Victorian Lace Today 4 out of 5 stars.
0 of 0 people found this review helpful.

I was interested in learning how to knit lace. This book is for the more experienced knitter although I am not. But the patterns are beautiful and will be a great challenge. I recommend this book for the more expereinced knitter.

Editorial Review:

Part project book and part history lesson, this unmatched collection of lace patterns offers techniques for embellishment and edging to shawls and scarves. The 40 projects are deciphered, rewritten, charted, and adapted for modern tools and fibers, and are presented with full-color photos and illustrations of both the works-in-progress and the finished items. Comprehensive information on the tools and techniques of lace knitting helps beginning knitters, and challenging patterns keep experienced and ambitious knitters engaged. Delicate and decorative, the historical lace patterns in this book are adventurous and dynamic.

A Gathering of Lace

Meg Swansen

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 26 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

check for corrections to avoid frustration! 3 out of 5 stars.
21 of 21 people found this review helpful.

I've made several of the projects in this book, and I am looking forward to making more. It has beautiful patterns. But, I would have saved myself a lot of frustration and ripping out if I'd checked first for corrections to mistakes in the directions and charts before beginning my first project. All of the patterns I chose to make have had substantial mistakes in both charts and written instructions. A four page pdf of necessary fixes is available online, but I still lowered my rating of this book - the sheer number of mistakes is inexcusable for an expensive book produces by experience knitters. And they should have been corrected before reprinting - my copy is the fourth printing, still with the same mistakes.

Editorial Review:

Collected from knitting designers all over the world, the patterns in this guide will be a joy to create for any knitter. The lavish full-color illustrations and easy-to-follow instruction charts will make these traditional patterns an exciting addition to a lace knitter's repertoire. From beginner to advanced, the 34 projects contained include designs for sweaters, vests, shawls, scarves, gloves, and socks. With beautiful photographs of these unique patterns, this knitting book is perfect for those who love to knit lace and those who would love to learn.

Wrapped in Comfort: Knitted Lace Shawls

Alison Jeppson Hyde

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 21 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

I think I expected more from this book. 4 out of 5 stars.
6 of 7 people found this review helpful.

The patterns seem to be well written, plus I like the fact that they are meant to stay on, but all of them seem to be very similar.

Disappointing 3 out of 5 stars.
4 of 4 people found this review helpful.

While the book sounded interesting and has received good reviews elsewhere, I found that the patterns are pretty much the same and on a large person such as myself, would make me look huge. Still, I can glean the patterns for use on other lace shawls so all is not lost.

Glad I bought It 5 out of 5 stars.
4 of 4 people found this review helpful.

I have had this book on my wish list since it first came out. I read Allison's blog daily and am familiar with her shawls. This pattern book is great. The pictures are well done and give good examples of the patterns. They are easy to read and her instructions in the front are a big help. The hard part was deciding which one to knit first. I would definitely recommend this book to anyone interested in lace knitting from beginners to experienced knitters.

Editorial Review:

Create these romantic shawls and scarves with fabulous fibers, and then wrap yourself up in the inspiring stories behind each design. Gorgeous, lacy projects will provide the comfort, while real-life tales will warm the heart.

* Create 12 beautiful shawls in half-circle or full-circle shapes, plus four scarves

* Break free from fitting hassles with simple instructions for one-size-fits-all projects

* Choose from leaves, clovers, flowers, and other classic lace motifs

First Book of Modern Lace Knitting

Marianne Kinzel

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 7 Average rating: 4.0 of 5

Disappointment 2 out of 5 stars.
32 of 37 people found this review helpful.

This is NOT a good book for a beginner in Knitted lace.
I am an experienced knitter but have not knitted lace for years - I was once fairly expert, I earned pocket money while a medical student by knitting circular Shetland lace baby shawls to order. Even so, I found this book of little use in getting back into this area.
There are virtually no general instructions and the layout of the patterns is unnecessarily complicated
Try Jan Eaton's book instead

Treasure Found! 4 out of 5 stars.
24 of 25 people found this review helpful.

After almost giving up in despair, I found a copy of this book in our local library (pop or 3200) and found myself in lace knitting (or is it knitted lace?) heaven. Explanations are simple and concise, as are both diagrams and charts. I adapted one of the smaller patterns using overlocking thread and size 1.50mm needles and made a 4ft sq tablecloth as my son's wedding gift. It took approx 285 hours, but it was magnificent (even went through MY wedding ring and I'm 5ft! If you can knit, purl, make 1, then this is the book for you to enter the realm of fantasy.

Editorial Review:

Thorough, fully illustrated instructions for a beautiful array of lace patterns. Easily-learned, low-cost fundamental methods for over 25 distinctive projects, including Rose Leaf, English Crystal, Mosaic, Coronet, Valentine, Celandine, more. Includes diagrams, charts and photographs of completed articles.

Arctic Lace: Knitting Projects and Stories Inspired by Alaska's Native Knitters

Donna Druchunas

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 30 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Beautiful and Inspiring book -- not just for Qiviut yarn, though 4 out of 5 stars.
6 of 6 people found this review helpful.

This book is beautiful and inspiring. I'm just starting to get into lace -- something I never thought I would be interested in because I have always like larger needles and thicker yarns. However, I have discovered that lace looks beautiful with thicker yarns.

While this book is beautiful and inspiring, it has a very heavy emphasis on very fine guage (and EXPENSIVE) qiviut yarn. That might be discouraging to most readers who may not have the resources to purchase Qiviut which is only slightly less expensive than solid gold (ok -- an exaggeration there!)

However, the patterns in this book are also wonderful in a more affordable yarns such as cottons, chenilles, alpaca and even merino wools. To make projects even more affordable, look for yarns that come on cones (silk city for nearly any type of fiber you can imagine and Andean Arts for alpaca) -- you'll wind up paying about half of what you would pay for skeined yarn and you have the added advantage of not having to change skeins (and weaving in ends of yarn as a result) throughout the project. You can find yarn on cones at weaving supply shops and websites.

So buy this book -- but don't think you have to wait to win the lottery in order to buy enough qivut yarn to do any of the projects. Go ahead and experiment with "normal" yarns and enjoy yourself and a new creative outlet.

Editorial Review:

Qiviut, or musk ox down, is a world-class fiber--luxurious, warm, and lightweight. People who experience it become obsessed. Qiviut makes perfect hand-knitted lace, as demonstrated by the Alaskan artisans of Oomingmak Musk Ox Producers' Co-op. This book presents how-tos for knitting and designing lace, projects suited to new as well as experienced lace knitters, yarn sources, and comprehensive cultural background.

Second Book of Modern Lace Knitting

Marianne Kinzel

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 6 Average rating: 5.0 of 5

Classic lace patterns for tablecloths or shawls 4 out of 5 stars.
17 of 17 people found this review helpful.

This second book of Modern Lace Knitting is great for the experienced lace knitter. I found the patterns in her first book more appealing and pretty, however these patterns are also excellent. The lace patterns are classic and are written for tablecloths and runners, however they work up very well in lace yarn for shawls or ponchos with few modifications. If you are not experienced with lace I would recommend Lavish Lace by Noble and Potter.

The most beautiful lace knitting you'll ever see 5 out of 5 stars.
16 of 17 people found this review helpful.

These patterns are collected from vintage knitting from over the years, and they are the best of the best. This book has a Rose pattern that looks great knitting up in wool yarn for a shawl, as well as in thinner cotton for a table cloth. This book isn't really suitable for a beginner; if you are new to lace knitting, I recommend Martha Waterman's book first, then move on to this one.

These lace patterns make great baby christening blankets for an important gift, or a wedding shawl.

If you make a tablecloth, you can take a simple cardboard decorators table, drape it with a plain round of colored or neutral polished cotton and then put a handknitted tablecloth on it and have an accent piece that is incredibly beautiful (a decorator table has a cross-base and round top made of particle board or cardboard. You can put a glass round on top, but it isn't necessary. They are very inexpensive.) This is especially nice if you have Victorian or country decor.

Editorial Review:

More distinctive patterns — Grand Slam, Lilac Time, Maidenhair, others — and over 29 complete projects. 41 illustrations.

Beginner's Guide to Bobbin Lace (Beginner's Guide to)

Gilian Dye, Adrienne Thunder

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 5 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Clear and Easy, a must have for those wishing to learn! 5 out of 5 stars.
3 of 3 people found this review helpful.

I must say, I found this book to be very easy to use for someone like myself, who has just begun learning to make bobbin lace. Clear pictures and clear instructions has assisted me greatly and with very little frustration while trying to learn this fine art. This book takes you from winding the bobbins and into lace patterns that gain in difficulty gradually, allowing you to work through the book, while developing your bobbin lace making skills. This book is a must have to the person wishing to learn bobbin lace making!

Editorial Review:

To the uninitiated, a lace pillow set up with dozens of bobbins looks very complicated, but this manual shows the simplicity of the basic moves: only four bobbins are in use at any one time, and there are only two moves—twist and cross. Focusing on Torchon lacemaking techniques—Bruges and Chantilly lace are two other well-known traditions—these lessons begin with small lace bookmarks worked in various designs before progressing to full-scale projects: a purse, a bag, a cushion, and two scarves. All are presented with step-by-step instructions, close-up photos, and a complete set of pricking patterns. Additional material covers techniques for adding beads and tassels and working with such unconventional materials as wire, cable, and thick wool yarn.

Kyuuto! Japanese Crafts!: Lacy Crochet (Kyuuto! Japanese Crafts)

Chronicle Books

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 6 Average rating: 3.5 of 5

Translated literally from Japanese---might be a problem for some......... 3 out of 5 stars.
6 of 6 people found this review helpful.

I bought this off of amazon because the patterns look really cute...and they are. HOwever, I must say that if you are a beginner this is not the book for you. First, they do not tell you what size crochet thread to use, or even what type of material. The book will simply say something like " Lace Thread, Light Blue, 0.1oz (3g)". This really does not mean a lot to me. I am used to reading patterns that say something like "100 yds, size 10, 100% cotton crochet thread". It is even more helpful when books tell you what brand they use, but once again this book does not list this. So, this poses the first challenge. Second there is no gauge. They do let you know what the finished measurement will be, so basically you will have to crochet the whole thing to find out if you are using the right size hook or not. That is a real bummer, and will probably mean a lot of wasted time. Lastly, the patterns are not written like traditional patterns. Traditional crochet patterns will go row by row, with everything abbreviated. These patterns basically break down the pattern into about 3-6 steps, giving you a general overview of the pattern, with you having to go by the chart to actually complete the pattern. If you are not used to crocheting by a chart this might be difficult for you. I feel if they are going to publish a Japanese book in English, they should take the time to go the whole way, and write it in a more traditionally English way. I will say though that the patterns are really cute. Some of the patterns I would like to make that look especially cute to me are: circle coaster, pot holder, tissue box cover, jar covers, round doily, square doily, and the lace basket. I will also note, that the pictures are excellant. I love full color photos, because looking at them gives me inspiration for crochet projects. Something really positive about this book though, is that if you are looking to get into crocheting from Japanese books from Japan, using this as a starting point to see if you can crochet directly from a chart is a good way to go.

Editorial Review:

Kyuuto! = Cute!

Savvy crafters know that today's hippest designs hail from Japan. But it's near to impossible to find translated patterns. Or at least it used to be. With Lacy Crochet, we're proud to present one of the first two books in our brand new Kyuuto! Japanese Crafts line. Lacy Crochet offers 22 patterns for delicate accessories sweetly rendered for the home and wardrobe. This book enjoyed huge success on its home shores. The pages burst with quirky color photographs, step-by-step directions, and helpful technical illustrations. At last, the appeal of authentic Japanese content with the ease of English instruction. Stay tuned for more in coming seasons!

Lace Style: Traditional to Innovative, 21 Inspired Designs to Knit

Pam Allen, Ann Budd

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 27 Average rating: 4.0 of 5

modern lace 5 out of 5 stars.
7 of 7 people found this review helpful.

I received this book a few months ago and it wasn't until last week that I tried one of the patterns. It was the Lace Trim cami, shown on the back cover. This was not a simple pattern, made with #3 crochet thread and size 3 needles. It had multiple steps and took some time. Once the bodice was made and assembled, lots of finishing touches had to be knitted.
The photos and instructions for this delicate garment were very clear and thorough, easy to follow one step at a time. The cami is fully fashioned with lots of shaping, even darts! It's finally completed, and mine actually looks like the one pictured, very professional. (That doesn't always happen, sad to say).
Lace Style is now part of my permanent knitting library, and while I haven't chosen a second pattern, I look forward to trying more.

Editorial Review:

With an emphasis on innovative designs that range from simple to complex, this collection of contemporary knitting projects includes garments and accessories for women. Featuring projects with a sense of style that will appeal to knitters of all ages, it includes designs for socks, hats, sweaters, dresses, and shrugs. A basic primer on knitting lace that is closely linked to the projects in the book includes information on how to knit lace, choosing yarn and needles, types of increases and decreases, reading charts, simple ways to achieve a lacy effect, ways to incorporate lace designs in knitting patterns, and information on blocking. Each pattern has detailed step-by-step instructions, lavish lifestyle photographs, and plenty of detail shots. Experienced knitters looking for inspiration and beginners trying lace knitting for the first time will find everything needed to knit lace with confidence.