Fitted Knits - A Review

Fitted Knits - by Stefanie Japel

As the cover tells us, this books contains 25 patterns. Of these 25, there are:

• 5 tanks/shells/tees
• 4 sweaters
• 10 cardigans/jackets/coats
• 1 dress
• 2 vests
• 1 suit (comprising of a skirt and jacket)

Of these patterns there are twelve i would knit and wear (and one of which i already have done).
The size range is from a bust of 34" to 40, 42, 44, 46.5"

The layout is very attractive - this is a darn pretty book. The photos show the items well - none of this arty-farty blurry, weird poses that distort the clothes.
Shaping and detailing is easy to see, and there are plenty of pictures of each item. You will have a good idea of what you are making before you finish seaming ;)

There is a really good opening guide about knitting items so that they fit your shape! If you've never quite had the guts to do the maths and are sick of boxy sweaters this is for you! Stefanie is clearly a knitter first and has a lovely no-stress approach to the whole thing. her patterns are straigh-forward top-down pieces so you can try them on as you knit - definitely a plus!

Drawbacks?
While the styling for the book is gorgeous and VERY glampyre... the point of the book is knitting clothes that fit your precise proportions, and quite obviously the pictured knitwear was not made for the models! While this is a totally understandable thing - who would knit for the models??? it does mean that some of the pictures dont look as fabulous as they could and you need to use your brain a little - if you work to your measurements then you shouldnt have problems, but it does help to have some idea of what suits you.

Favourite Patterns: These will give you a good idea of the shapes in the book, as well as Stefanie's knack for detailing.

Tested Pattern: Airy Wrap-Around Lace Sweater (my photo is blurry, not hers).
This is marked as a 'challenging knit' because it contains a little cables and lace. This would probably be a good first cable/lace project because the needles are big and results are quick!
It knit up very swiftly but if i made it again i would either make the ties shorter (they are both over a metre!) or included a keyhole at one side to feed the tie through. I dont need too much bulk around my middle.

Here is mine (have a tremendous zit today and refuse to pose):


Rating: A+. This is a bloody good book. Even if it ain't your style do have a read of it. She has shapely design down pat and a few words from the wise can never hurt. Not for the timid beginner... but if you are a timid beginner then go out on a limb! yarn doesnt bite! (except for that fun fur crap, that stuff'll kill you... or your taste anyway).

Back soon with more about my life. Thanks to everyone who said nice things... i'm feeling much better and have been offered a more permanent position at school - HURRAH! Karma is my biatch!

Ms Spider

well aged

so, saturday was my 22nd birthday. yuck. i hate birthdays. not so much the getting older thing, but more the whole "o my goodness so much i havent done" thing. which i guess is similar, but while i joke i'm not actually that worried about wrinkles.

this birthday, however, was pretty damn good. i got a four day weekend from work and a lovely semi-suprise party on sunday (started as a suprise but i figured it out a week before hand).

and i was SPOILT! oh my goodness! Sherpa was a very very naughty (wonderful) wicked (attractive) and deviant (rowwrr) young man. I am now apparently subscribed to interweave knits, vogue knitting and yarn magazine (How well did he do!!!???) . i am also the proud owner of a set of lantern moon ebony 2.75mm dpns and some rosewood 2.25mm dpns. AND four sets of addi turbos.... AND a really cool labelmaker. I'm a bit scared of it at the moment but i'm always like that with new technology - soon everything will be labeled.

also on friday part of my amazon.com book order arrived... as per the pictures. so did i spoil myself or what? i'm arguing that its all educational...

and here is the first complete rock and weave sock (im on the second heel and a bit bored..)with it is a sock i started on my new 2.75mm dpns on jawoll sock yarn in a chevron pattern from sensational knitted socks.
...and a sweater from last-minute knitted gifts ( i added the fair isle band) in cleckheaton country for sherpa's work colleagues little baby girl.

erm and this is a little image i took of my father last week Heh heh as he attached my mirrors to the wall so...
tada! i have a dressing table in an empty teensy wardrobe recess! LOVE IT

cough! and i was forced to purchase some seasilk... OMG. yum. gasp. drool. and yes taph, it does smell a little like the sea... in a good way. This is in the 'Vintage' colourway.

thankyou to everyone for such a lovely birthday. i'm not going to give a list of all my lovely gifts but i will put a blanket thankyou out - i received without exception the most thoughtful, useful and beautiful gifts and i am extremely grateful - thankyou!

well... i really want to pull my finger out with blogging. i'm knitting so much stuff lately, and have so many ideas happening... and of course now another million patterns to look over so i really need to keep you guys posted. thanks for all the kind thoughts lately. i'm ok. i have been a bit blue and its no-ones fault and there's no reason in my life beyond being a bit overworked at the moment. but not having a good reason doesnt always make it easy to snap out of it. so i appreciate everyone's support lately. i'd be lost without you all.

and i sign off again. please nag me to update! before i know it a fortnight has passed and i feel overwhelmed again!

the older and not yet wiser
Ms Spider xo

PS for those of you who dont know - i've been sitting for an artist. she's amazing! and no boobola nudity or anything, just face and hand type stuff. but i get to be Pandora in a painting! how cool is that??? (i totally think seasilk should be in the box... the evil wind that blows away your bank balance...)