Guest Author - Marjorie Colletta
Knit to be Square by Vivan Hoxbro is a book about knitted mitered squares. I think people either love modular knitting or hate it, and if you fall into the former category this book may be one you really want to own.
Pros
The instructions are incredibly clear. Hoxbro explains how to make the squares, connect the squares, and deal with the ends as you knit. There are great descriptions and combined with the pictures and illustrations make this the best book of its type I have seen.
This book adds the element of felting the squares to add stability and it makes the squares and projects very interesting. Hoxbro’s felting sets her book apart from the other “square” or modular knitting books I have come across.
The patterns in the book are clearly written and the color choices by the author are lovely, but as is the case in most books on color, you can certainly change the colors you use when making any of the patterns in the book.
Cons
What struck me most about the book was that this look may, in the wrong hands, become very dated. Some of the patterns may be of the ilk that once made are quickly considered yesterday’s news. I’m not a huge fan of putting time into projects that have a short life span because of fashion dictates. And I am afraid to say that I think some of these patterns fall into that category.
Conclusion
If you are a fan of color work and want a book that allows you to experiment with a technique that lets you start with small projects before tackling a big project this book may be the one for you. If you have tried this technique before and found it confusing this book may clear that up. But, if you already have a book about mitered squares you may want to flip through this book, but not add it to your collection.
Happy Knitting!
Disclosure: A review copy was provided by the publisher. For a full explanation of BellaOnline’s ethics and review policy click here.
