[.uk] Hats Gloves Scarves: Easy Designer Knits for Family and ... (ISBN 0600612554)

2-needle, flat knitters only:
The hats, gloves, and scarves are generally nice but all the patterns are for two-needle, flat knitting and are then hats and gloves are seamed to complete. I find it much easier to knit these in the round and not bother with the seaming at all. I also wish the author had made the patterns more yarn-substitution-friendly. She's left out how many yards of yarn are used and has just provided the number of skeins of specific yarns which makes it much more difficult to use the patterns in this book several years from now when some of the yarns may have been discontinued and I can't look up somewhere how much yarn is in each skein. I'd recommend really looking through this book at the pictures of each item before deciding to purchase. In my opinion, a better investment is to get Ann Budd's "The Knitter's Handy Book of Patterns" and either volume 1 or 2 of Barbara G. Walker's knitting pattern treasuries and have at it. These last three will be useful for a lifetime. I gave this book three-stars only because I'm certain there are people out there who have so convinced themselves that it is much too difficult to knit in-the-round that they get in their own way - while I hope you're not one of these people, this book is for you if you are. The Knitter's Handy Book of Patterns: Basic Designs in Multiple Sizes & Gauges (Interweave) A Treasury of Knitting Patterns A Second Treasury of Knitting Patterns

A beautiful book:
I was so excited to receive this, and I wasn't disappointed as I flipped through it. The designs are timeless and classic, not a bunch of novelty yarn nightmares!! I could see making almost everything in here. As one reviewer pointed out, everything is done of 2 needles. I find this a great plus, not a negative. I have just learned to do hats in the round and know how to change a pattern from flat to circular knitting if I want. I haven't done mittens or gloves in the round, so I am excited to find these wonderful patterns knit with 2 needles. When I learn how to do those items in the round, then I can always modify the patterns to be circular if I want. The yarns used are somewhat pricey(Rowen, Jaeger, Debbie Bliss). So, you may want to substitute. At yarndex.com you can search for the yarns by name to find out what the weight of each yarn is. This will help greatly in substituting. I wrote down the weight of each yarn by the pattern for future reference. It didn't take long to do either. The designs are beautiful and, I think, would satisfy both the beginner and the more experienced. This may be the only book on hats, gloves, mittens, and scarves that I may ever buy.

Not that great of a book in terms of comprehensiveness:
There aren't that many patterns overall, and there are too many with adornments. I only found about a handful, like three or four that I would want to make.

Poor Instructions on the One Pattern I liked:
I paid full price for this book at a knitting store and really regret it. There was only one pattern I really liked, and there must be errors in it because it doesn't knit up well at all. The photo of the hat is attractive - brown and in a moss stitch. It appears to have a double layer at the bottom, but it is really a single layer, so it isn't even a very warm hat. There were too many increases listed for the bottom and too few for the crown. I would never buy a book from this author again.

Love the Patterns:
Even though I haven't had much time to try any of the projects yet, They look like they are fun and stylish. I have been knitting for 40 years and I have an eye for nice patterns. I can't wait to try them.