Stitches for Tailored Knits: Build Better Fabric

This is a book for knitting gourmands, not for those looking for a mid-day snack. Written by one of knitting's foremost designers, it is a book for the discerning knitter, the one who wants to see what's behind most knitting patterns, who might even be interested in designing patterns herself. Jean Frost explores the texture, weight, drape, flow and design of what comes off your needles and thoughtfully assesses it for structure, durability and beauty. The stitches in this book are specifically designed for tailored garments, which require a certain stability and forthrightness. If you're looking for patterns you can follow without thought to their origins, buy something else. But if you really want to understand the fit and fashion of your garment, want to explore taste and texture, want to be able to mix and match instructions, this is the book for you. The presentations are thoughtful, the instructions impeccable and the photography beautiful.

This book sounded perfect -- a catalog of stitches for making jacket-like fabric. And while this book does in fact have some glorious stitch-looks-like-fabric stitches in the book ... and they are beautifully and clearly photographed ... and they do have clear directions (both written and charted) ... the book lacks a certain "oomph". There is little assistance or notes about ways to use these fabrics to make jackets (guess you have to buy her other books for that) and I was a bit disappointed in the overall feel of the book: it felt chintzy and not worth the price (almost like XRX tried to take a magazine article and stretch the content to fill a 144 page book; I don't think I'd pay full retail for this one.That all said, I will put it in my kniting library for creating dense, woven-fabric knitting. It's unique enough ... just wish it had been meatier.

I love Jean Frost designs, and her explanations are clear and very workable. I can produce what she designs through her guidance. I'm thrilled with this book. Thank you very much.

I love Jean Frost. I've taken classes with her, an d own all her wonderful books. If you owned no other knitting books, you could produce wonderful garments with only hers.

Wonderful collection of beautiful stiches which result in amazing fabric. The pictures clearly show how a change in yarn, color and stich changes the fabric. Great resource.

very pleased

I'm thinking some of the other reviewers just don't "get" this book. It isn't a stitch dictionary (really). This book is intended for serious knitters, with a strong interest in design and fashion. Its aim is to inspire jacket design by focusing on creating interesting fabric. Yes, Jean has other books to help you create a tailored jacket dimensioned to your, particular (and maybe less than perfect) body. All to the good, and the best available (IMHO) for that topic. But the point of THIS book is to demonstrate the remarkably diverse effects resulting from interesting mixtures of yarns and textures. By taking one pattern and working it in several different yarns, the reader/knitter achieves unique looks--a wardrobe of jackets. As a businesswoman, this book means a lot to me. To begin with, I live/breathe yarns, and I've got enough stash to last six lifteimes, so I think "stashbuster!" every time I pick it up to re-read. But I also I knit jackets for work (I'm an attorney) and I wear them ALL the time. A plus is the great bragging rights ("Are you kidding? I thought it was a St. John!!") Who doesn't want that in her life? So give this one a try, if you are that knitter.

At 81 pp. this is a few iterations of her favorite style of stitch patterns, sized up or down slightly. Since I couldn't find a look inside or examples of the pages anywhere online I took a flyer on this but wished I'd saved my $$. In contrast, her two Jacket books are very useful, not wildly imaginative, but if you want various Chanel jacket options, it's a terrific resource.This is a book of knit swatches in color of various, closely related stitch patterns to consider for a French-couture style jacket. You will see that color and texture can make big differences; however there isn't much diversity -- with only 54 or so charted stitch patterns all together. No basic cardigan pattern(s) is included so you must be comfortable altering knitting patterns to suit your preferred stitch pattern/gauge to find this thin book useful. Or get her other books and adapt those cardigan patterns.Sections: diagonal, basket weave, houndstooth, textured, colored and quilted with about avg. of 6-8 stitch patterns in each section charted. You'll find far more in a classic anthology of stitches (Barbara Walker, several volumes). The author loves slip stitch patterns so there's lots: rib, lace and woven styles in a 2x2 or 4x4, 7 basket weaves, arrowhead in color or K/P texture, faux cable slip stitch, 6 houndstooth size options, some texture stitches, but here too, many rely on slip stitches.These aren't new patterns, btw, the houndstooth, diagonal woven and others slip stitch color patterns, basket weave, linen stitch can be found in her Jacket books..At the original cover price, I'd say spend your money on yarn. If you can get a cheap copy, what the heck.

Perfect for knitters who want to make something a bit special

Shows good variety of constructions.

wie in Teil 1 Erklärungen und muster, um Jacken zu stricken, wieder mehr für die reifere Frau und nicht für Jugendliche