I bought my copy of Amy Herzog’s new sweater book shortly after it came out around a month ago, and have been reading through it in bits and pieces ever since. In between there have been a few more books that have come out that I had to read (a new Rivers of London and a couple of mysteries, specifically) so it took me a bit longer than it ordinarily would have. I finally finished going through it earlier this week, and I have to say – if it’s not the ultimate sweater book, it’s pretty darn close!  

This book is chock full of information – be aware it is not a light read!  Not that it’s boring.  It is written in a breezy, chatty style that makes it very approachable.  Also, it is well illustrated throughout.  Amy Herzog takes you through the design characteristics and formulas for several different types of sweaters – drop shoulder, raglan, yoke, and set-in sleeve.  She takes you through doing adjustments to existing patterns, and then gives you information on fabric yarns, fibers and stitch patterning, edging, and embellishments such as cardigan closures, pockets and neckline trims.  And then for good measure, she gives you a bunch of ready-made patterns to work with.  

Even if you never plan to design your own sweater, it is the rare knitter that won’t need to make an adjustment or two to bought patterns.  Besides which, understanding the structure of what you are knitting will help you identify if things aren’t going as they should be, and will help set you back on track.  If you are at all interested in sweater design, this is definitely a book you should consider picking up!