Guest Author - Pegg Thomas

Bev Tilson has compiled a nice assortment of knitting patterns geared towards the handspinner. Bev is from Christchurch, New Zealand. I really enjoyed reading through her book. Being from the U.S.A., it was fun for me to see the differences in wordage. We speak English in a different language, I think! Nothing was difficult to figure out however. Here are some examples:

Tension = gauge
Jumper = sweater
Waistcoat = vest
Singlet = t-shirt
Pilcher… that looks like a diaper cover to me!

Bev also included a chart in the front of the book to give the needle size equivalents for metric, U.S. and British sizes. When she uses a non-metric size in the patterns, it appears to be a British number, so U.S. knitters will need to refer to this chart for the proper needle size.

Another chart gives definitions for yarn size. The yarn sizes she used are not common terms for U.S. knitters, but she gives the equivalents in WPI (wraps per inch) so anyone can figure out their yarn size. This is especially handy for the hand spinner who maybe doesn’t end up with the exact size yarn intended. On page 3 she also includes the gauge (tension) for each yarn size with the needle size recommended. Of course, we still need to swatch!

The patterns are organized in an easy format. Bev has divided them by size; baby, toddlers, school age, adult and accessories. Literally there is something for everyone. Roughly half the book is patterns for children, the other half for adults and accessories. The patterns are mostly basic, tasteful and appealing with lots of different design elements. There are 60 patterns total. The book is a half sheet size, soft cover, perfect for take-along projects it will fit nicely into any knitting bag.

The only thing I found difficult was matching the photos with the proper pattern. All the photos are numbered by category, however, and once Bev clued me in on that, it was easy. (After e-mailing her about it, I found her note explaining it on page 3.)

The patterns themselves are written for knitters. They are concise and to the point with no frills. If you do not know how to read a knitting pattern, you’ll want to learn that skill before trying the patterns in this book. Bev includes a page of the abbreviations used as well. The abbreviations are identical to what we use here in the U.S.

If you would like to purchase a copy of Bev Tilson’s book, Knitting Patterns for the Hand Spinner, you can contact her directly at morecraft@xtra.co.nz. Prices will vary depending on shipping. I recommend this book for your knitting library.