Dated, but also a little discouraging
3 stars
I can't really hold the datedness against this book, but: it's clear that a ton of knitting techniques have been invented in the past 20 years and they're missing here! Toe-up socks, intarsia in the round, and more aren't anywhere in sight.
But you can't really hold that against a book. After all, you're the one who decided to read a reference text that's old enough to buy a beer. What I can hold against this book is how often the author tells people there's no way to do things. Can't increase or decrease on pattern sections. Can't use intarsia on mittens. Can't, can't, can't. I don't love that! A good knitting book should inspire people to try new things, not shoot them down and push them another direction.
I do think that the author has an obvious and free sense of humor, though, and I love that.
On the …
I can't really hold the datedness against this book, but: it's clear that a ton of knitting techniques have been invented in the past 20 years and they're missing here! Toe-up socks, intarsia in the round, and more aren't anywhere in sight.
But you can't really hold that against a book. After all, you're the one who decided to read a reference text that's old enough to buy a beer. What I can hold against this book is how often the author tells people there's no way to do things. Can't increase or decrease on pattern sections. Can't use intarsia on mittens. Can't, can't, can't. I don't love that! A good knitting book should inspire people to try new things, not shoot them down and push them another direction.
I do think that the author has an obvious and free sense of humor, though, and I love that.
On the whole, I'd give this book a pass unless you see it the way I did: on sale in the front window at the used bookstore.