Drop-Dead Easy Knits by Gale Zucker, Mary Lou Eagan, and Kirsten Kapur -- my REVIEW

I received this book, Drop-Dead Easy Knits, as a part of a book-review program that I participate in and was happy to get started reading through it! 

This book was written by three friends who like to knit.  They are accomplished knitters and wanted to share the joy that they experience through knitting with a larger audience.  The introduction gives you a feel for their knitting-ness as well as how they began the book and how they envision the patterns being used! 

I knit, but I will say that my knitting is very limited :) I knit hats and wrist-warmers and the occasional mitten or scarf.  Nothing like what these women talk about!  They talk about knitting while waiting at the doctor's office, while on a plane, while visiting, while waiting on hold, etc.  As a matter of fact this book came from an idea that they hatched while they were all knitting around a campfire in Maine!!  Wow!  I usually knit while watching TV and have knitted in the car, but that's the extent of it.

Their goal through this book is to make available beautiful projects for knitters to make when they don't want their full attention on knitting -- for example -- while chatting -- and as such they have fashioned their patterns to allow the knitter to know when they can knit on autopilot and when they need to give more close attention to the pattern.  They label certain sections of patterns "cruise control" and "concentration zone".

Each pattern begins with a little discussion about the finished project (items such as "Star Eyed Julep Throw,"  "Sharline Boot Toppers," "Bambino Blanket," "Turoa Mitts," and more) ; followed by a chart with difficulty level, sizes, measurements, materials, gauge, and an explanation of special stitches, and the stitch pattern.  The following pages expand on the pattern directions as well as give beautiful photographs of the finished products.

I enjoyed reading through this book.  The pictures are gorgeous and the directions appear well-written.  I think the "drop-dead easy" part of the title might be aimed at those who are fully-experienced knitters, as some of the patterns appeared a little more complicated than those I usually use.  It is not really a beginners' book and definitely not a learn-to-knit book.  The patterns also call for certain types of yarns which I think are more difficult to find locally and might be a bit more pricey.  I'd probably substitute what I can find and hope it turns out as nicely!

I think I would recommend this book--especially for experienced knitters who like to knit while doing anything :) 

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the Blogging for Books Program.   I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”