Amy Herzog's Ultimate Sweater Book: The Essential Guide for Adventurous Knitters

I've made Amy Herzog sweater patterns before and loved them, so this book looked intriguing and on a whim I bought it. Frankly, it exceeded my expectations. For background, I've never made my own sweater pattern and have only made minor modifications to existing patterns, but I've knit about 15 sweaters from pullovers to cardigans, fingering to bulky yarn. I am somewhat adventurous but follow patterns rigorously. I often wish for a certain type of pattern to create something out of wool in my stash only to be hampered by looking and looking for an appropriate pattern sometimes to no avail. Amy has done a fantastic job of explaining (in plain English) what everything means (positive ease, negative ease, why/when a set-in sleeve vs. a raglan) Take a real basic, how to make and measure a gauge swatch: her approach is so refreshing in which she explains how use your swatch and the way you knit to figure out how to make the pattern come out successfully (this is huge!). She begins with clear step-by-step instructions for 4 sweater types: drop-shoulder, raglan, yoke and set-in-sleeve. The instructions are concise but just right with excellent drawings to illustrate the points. She moves on from construction of these sweaters to making adjustments, then refining your work with embellishments and finally patterns that can be done in different weight yarns plus adding turtle necks or hoods. Amy makes suggestions for what kind of yarn weight and type (alpaca vs. light/heavy wool, etc.) work best for what type of sweater (yokes, for example, which she describes as "poncho-like", work differently than drop shoulder--clear if you stop and think about it but I hadn't). The light bulbs went off. With this book you can ensure a good fit of any pattern (we knew this was measuring and math but now it's clear what to measure (where and how) and then what to do with the measurements; modify existing patterns; or even confidently make your own pattern from scratch. I'm feeling very positive that the lovely spring green DK wool in my stash (for which no pattern has been suitable) will now get made soon thanks to Amy.

This is the 3rd pattern design book I have owned, and definitely the overall best. One I have has too involved design procedures (but makes nice garments), and one has a too casual/sloppy approach. Amy's book is a nice middle ground - it simplifies, but without sacrificing fit. She tells how to take her basic patterns and modify them in a number of ways (necklines, hoods, etc), and has super info on modifying the overall shape of your sweater - very handy for we women. Lots of basic basic patterns provided, too, that you can modify to your own taste and needs. A winner!

So far I have mainly knitted sweaters from commercial patterns without any significant alterations. The Ultimate Sweater Book is the first book I've read that gives me all the tools to knit a custom fit garment based on my body measurements. Each of the four basic sweater models (Drop-Shoulder, Raglan, Yoke, Set-in-Sleeve) comes with step by step explanations for planning garment measurements and a thorough explanation of all the calculations needed. Amy Herzog also gives basic tips on how to vary ease in different places of the garment, and how to best divide a sweater's bust circumference into front and back for heavily busted persons. Her instructions are rounded up by explaining different closure options and how to alter already existing patterns. I have always wondered how sweater designers draft a sleeve cap for a set-in-sleeve sweater and I believed it to be a trade secret. Now, after reading about it in this book, I know how to do it and I cannot wait to try it out! For all the people who do not want to jump into custom planning a sweater from scratch right away, Amy Herzog provides basic pattern instructions for a wide range of sizes and different yarn gauges as well as a beautiful collection of special patterns at the end of the book. I am very impressed by Amy Herzog's expertise and can only recommend to buy this book to beginners and knowledgeable knitters alike.

Another great book from Amy! Super technical content, including shapes we haven’t seen from her before. However - the pictures are really lacking. I realize this Is more of an issue with the publisher than with Amy but I find it very frustrating that we can’t just see straight on pics of the sweaters. There are several with hair pulled forward over one shoulder, hiding critical details of the pattern. Many pictures have the model turning her torso sideways so we can’t see how the sweater hangs. And there are very few, if any, full back shots. That part is very disappointing.

Is a veeeeeery well done book but I kinda was hoping that it came with tons of patterns ahahhaha but instead It has tons of size charts. All the basic patterns are there and the multiple size charts are presented so you can customize and knit exactly the size that you need. It also comes with instructions to use the patterns as base to create your own sweater so, this book was definitely an asset

This is an excellent book if you want to understand or devise knitting patterns. It teaches the basic sweater types, how to taylor a pattern to your figure, and how to make the same pattern in different weight yarn. I found this very useful. Sometimes I just can't get the yarn I have to match the gauge. This book teaches how to adjust the pattern. The one thing I don't like is the electronic book format. I wish I'd just bought the paper version. I usually like ebooks because you can magnify. This ebook acts like it's just the pdf of the book. Once a page is magnified, you can't turn the page. In other words, it isn't scalable like other Kindle books. Frustrating.

Livro muito bem inscrito, com um excelente detalhamento das técnicas de construção de suéteres e cardigans. Valeu o investimento!

Yoke sweaters are all a rage,and most knitters being avid ravelry followers,have been smitten by Top down,avoid seams at all cost bug,traditional bottom up knitters like me have been constricted to a small corner.So when this book came along,and knowing the author being a fellow bottom up ,seam loving knitter,I bought it. I wasnt dissapointed,but I was left wanting a bit more. I guess I was looking for a book that tells you all,top down;bottom up;in pieces,or in round.So if I want a fair isle top down yoke sweater or a bottom up that is to be knitted with steeks,and a shetland cardigan that is knitted back n forth top down/bottom up,I’ll have to get 4 diff books for a recipe in various sizes.Top it up with problem of dealing with colour knitting in round and flat,there just isnt one book that covers all.Thats not the authors fault,its the world wide web,that has brought the Alice in all of us out in the wonderland.We want it all ,all at once! Also the set in sleeve isnt all trignometry.That section of the book just isnt right ,esp for beginners. That part made me scared,and I only knit set in sleeves.

Helpful for seasoned knitters and beginners. Helps you modify patterns and sizes. Offers patterns in various styles

What a wonderful book. Within an hour of opening it I find myself redesigning the plain crew neck sweater which I seem to knit so many of. I can see that there will be a lot more variety in my garments now and the book has given me the confidence to do it. I can't wait to get started on my next one which will be a lacy summer top.

Die perfekte Ergänzung zu "The Knitter's Handy Book of Top Down Sweaters" von Ann Budd.