Book Review: Knitting With Ribbon Yarn

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Chapman, Tracy.  Knitting With Ribbon Yarn.  2006.  Trafalgar Square Publishing.  Vermont.

Hardcover, $29.95.  ISBN: 978-1-57076-327-4.

I love to knit.  I adore knitting.  So, I picked up this book at the library.  There are many fantastic projects in here that I wanted to attempt, and someone recently gave me a big bag full of ribbon yarn and I couldn't wait to make it into something.

So, here's the thing. I am an excellent knitter.  I have been knitting for 40 years, and I am good.  I do know how to follow a pattern.  I had issues with the patterns in this book.  The straightforward patterns- for the pillows and purses were easy to follow.  The fun ones, though, that's another story.  The ones with the lace.  Something was off with the math in the lace.  I'm not sure what, but after attempting not one, but two separate lace patterns, and attempting the patterns well over 30 times each, I still couldn't get the lace to work out.  No matter what, every time, I worked the lace pattern, I lost 3 stitches with each repeat of the pattern.  Rip it out, try it again.  Rip it out, repeat it again.  And again.  And again.  Each time, I'd lose 3 stitches with each repeat of the pattern.

Another issue I had with the book:  There is no gauge.  Any knitter knows, (especially with lace), that gauge makes all the difference in the size needle you use and the number of stitches in the row.  No gauge whatsoever to help with the clothing.

Even more, all clothing is one size.  SMALL.  No conversion for Medium or Large.  Nice if you happen to be a small, but too bad if you wear a medium.

Beautiful book.  Beautiful projects.  Big problems with intricate lacework.  I'm hoping it's me.....