A Book Report & Social Commentary
Have you had a chance to check this one out? I have. I pre-ordered it like 20 years ago because I'm impatient and just couldn't wait to see the pattern photos before footing the bill to pre-order. I regret that. Not because I don't love the patterns, but because I'm slightly offended by the book....but let's start from the beginning before I begin my ranting.
How about a quick summary?
This is a pattern book by acclaimed designer, Wenlan Chia. While Wenlan generally specializes in women's fashions, interior design accessories and jewlery, she is dabbling in handknit pattern design with this new book. The book focuses on 31 patterns using chunky yarn for everything between sweaters, vests, dresses and skirts and a few accessories thrown in between. All for women. Now, for the good, the bad and the ugly....
The Good....
I appreciate the attempt to introduce high-fashion to the art of knitting. The sweaters really are interesting, some light-weight yet chunky, some cute and flirty.
In the pattern market, we have our fair share of "practical" patterns from Debbie Bliss, "super feminine" patterns from Interweave, "fun" patterns from Knitty and of course, who can forget the "classic timelessness" of Rowan? I also appreciate the the feminine edge with chunky yarns - who doesn't love a quick knit? Now we have high-fashion with Twinkle. With that said, the patterns are unique, artful and fashion-forward and the photography is beautiful.
The Bad...
As much as I appreciate an entrepreneur, I lose a lot of respect for the books and magazines that only use their yarns. It's tacky and comes off as greedy. Especially when we're talking about an uncommon yarn - I mean come on, how many times have you seen "Twinkle Handknit Cruise" at your local yarn store? Approximately....never. It's not to say that you can't substitute - I almost always do, but there are times, especially when the gauge is written in a non-standard format of "6 inches to the square" that you just want to play it safe and use what they recommend.
The Ugly....
And now for the offenses. Other titles appropriate for this book could include; "Knits for Skinny Chicks", or "Anorexic Knits" or "Handknit Dolls Clothes". Because seriously, is there a reason (besides mathematical laziness) that the largest size is often a "33 inch chest". Let me put this in other terms; my favorite pattern, "Best Friend Cardigan" comes in the following sizes:
28" chest = Small
30.5" chest = Medium
33' chest = Large
Since when was a size 3 considered large? What kind of message is she trying to convey here by making the largest size much smaller then the average person? Is it "I'm too fancy to bother with normal sized people"? It doesn't come off that way. This kind of sizing comes off as lazy, and it's offensive that someone would bother designing, publishing and selling a book that doesn't include sizing for the majority of those that would buy it. It's poor planning and makes it obvious that she is not a knitter, but just a designer trying to make money from knitters. It only perpetuates unhealthy body images and irritates the very customers she is trying to entice.
But I'll give it a chance (I did buy the book you know). I'll (grab my calculator and) try a couple of the patterns, and blog about them here. I appreciate the effort, it's the execution that needs improving. I hope to see more from Wenlan, I think she's talented, but I would love to see more realistic schematics. You know, patterns that we can actually knit. Is that too much to ask?
