Find FAST, EASY Knitting Patterns You Can Use for Making Quick Gifts Like Blankets, Wraps, Shawls, Hats and More — Check Out Slow Fashion Made Fast By Alexandra Tavel
Would you be interested in finding a whole bunch of fast knitting projects — perhaps because you left your gift knitting until the last minute, or because there’s a last-minute party or event that you want to make something special for? Or maybe you just want to be sure of finishing your next knitting project before you lose interest in it.
I think we can all agree that there’s no such thing as instant gratification when it comes to knitting— right? But if you’re looking for quick knitting projects, one of the best ways to speed up your knitting is to work with thick, chunky yarns and fat knitting needles. And if that’s what you want to do, there’s a lovely new knitting pattern book you’ll definitely want to know about. It’s called Slow Fashion Made Fast.
What You Need to Know About This Knitting Pattern Book:
This Book’s Title and Subtitle: Slow Fashion Made Fast: 12 Thick & Quick Knit Projects
Author: Alexandra Tavel
Publisher: Leisure Arts
Copyright Date: 2019
ISBN 13: 978-1464777813
ISBN 10: 1464777810
Book Formats:
This book is available in the following format(s):
- Softcover With Perfect Binding — This is the version of the book I am reviewing, and it is lovely, with high quality paper, beautiful color printing and a glossy cover. I highly recommend this version of the book.
Number of Pages: 64
Recommended Knitting Skill Level: Easy! All the patterns in this book are rated with a knitting skill level rating of “easy.”
The Focus of This Book:
This book is all about giving you fast, easy knitting projects to work on. Many knitters will find that they’re able to finish each one of these projects in a single evening or weekend.
There are 12 knitting patterns all together. Some of the projects are fashion accessories and some are home decor items.
These projects were all designed for advanced beginners to knitting. They purposely incorporate simple shapes and relatively easy knitting techniques, which will hopefully empower each stitch to fly off your needles. So if you want to knit as fast as humanly possible, this is definitely a good book to consider adding to your pattern stash.
These projects can all be knitted with super bulky weight yarn.
The project samples in the book are all knitted with varying colors of the same brand of yarn; but if you want to use the same color and brand of yarn to make all these projects, it’s possible to make them all complement each other. Like, for example, you could knit a pillow, blanket and wall hanging all in the same color to harmonize with your bedroom decor. Or you could knit a shawl, headband and tote bag in the same color family as your favorite pair of boots or shoes, which will give you more coordinating options every time you get dressed.
The Fashion Accessory Knitting Patterns Included in This Book:
Latvian Braid Cowl
Eyelet Striped Wrap
This exquisite shawl is actually knit in a solid color; you create the stripes suggested in the pattern’s name by knitting alternating textures. This is one of my two favorite projects from the book (the other is the cabled poncho pictured on the front cover). I think it is truly gorgeous, and I’m positive that it will appeal to other knitters, too.
Moss Cocoon Cardigan
This garment isn’t constructed like a traditional cardigan; it’s more of a shrug. It’s created by knitting a rectangle, seaming it and then adding finishing details. It looks super pretty on the model, with its appealing shape and texture. It is, however, a one-size-fits-most garment — which means it may fit you differently than it fits the model in the photo.
Linen Scarf
The linen scarf isn’t actually made of linen, unless you decide to use linen yarn for knitting it.
Then why is it named that?
It’s because it’s knitted with a simple stitch known as the linen stitch.
The scarf is finished off with a unique, eye-catching twisted fringe edging. This is a super chic project that is on trend now but also likely to remain wearable for many years in the future.
Twist Front Headband
If you have BIG HAIR that needs taming, this looks like exactly the right headband for getting the job done.
I happen to have big hair, myself. Many times throughout my life, I have bought headbands that are quite simply too wussy to hold my hair in any kind of reliable way. I don’t think that will be a problem with this particular headband. I am likely to knit several of these — one to match each outfit I wear frequently.
Slouchy Tote
This roomy tote is the ideal bag to use for lugging around all your essentials. It would make a fantastic purse, shopping bag, book bag or beach bag.
Crisscross Cable Poncho
You can see a picture of this chic poncho on the front cover of Slow Fashion Made Fast. It’s a delightfully textured design featuring big, chunky cables.
Ribbed Tam Hat
This is a thick, cozy hat. It’s a design you’d want to make if you care about ensuring you will never again suffer from having a cold head in the fall and winter.
The Home Decor Knitting Patterns Included in This Book
Garter Pyramid Blanket
This easy blanket is finished off with elegant tassels.
Loopy Pillowcase
The surface of this fun, unique pillow sort of looks like shag carpet. It’s a playful design that you could use for dressing up a favorite armchair, your sofa or loveseat, your bed or a futon.
Wall Hanging
Macrame wall hangings are HOT right now. But if you don’t do macrame, this pretty knitted wall hanging is the next best thing.
Blanket Basket
This flexible knitted basket looks like it would be ideal for holding a large amount of yarn, stuffed animals, dog toys or whatever else you need it to hold.
The Best Things About This Book
The projects, obviously, are the most compelling reason you’d want to own this book. Because they are both easy and attractive, I think these patterns will be appealing to broad numbers of knitters.
The designer of these patterns, Alexandra Tavel, has formal education in fashion design — and that is evident as you look at this cohesive collection of fashionable, on-trend designs. Alexandra has obviously devoted a massive amount of effort into polishing her design skills. She has really delivered on the premise of fast, easy, wearable knitting patterns.
Usually, I try to avoid crocheting or knitting with super bulky yarn. A lot of big, hefty projects end up looking mediocre and not that flattering. This effect is magnified for me in particular because I am a small person (height — 5’3″; weight in the neighborhood of 115 lbs.) Thick, hefty knitting projects can have the effect of swallowing me whole.
There are occasional exceptions, and the projects in this book qualify. These designs made me stop and take a second look, because they are all sooooo well done as to be unusually appealing. And I’m actually pondering the prospect of knitting several of them.
Like that poncho on the front cover! How did I ever live without having that squishy, chunky piece of loveliness in my life?
And that headband — I need to own several of those.
And that eyelet striped wrap!
This book demonstrates that it is possible to create amazingly wearable accessories using super bulky yarns. I’m impressed. I think you will be, too. Even if you ordinarily avoid thick, hefty knitting projects, you might find that you actually like some of these designs.
This book is an incredible bargain. The author, Alexandra, sells bunches of similar individual pattern downloads in her Ravelry store for prices ranging from $4.50 – $6.50 US. People willingly pay those prices because her knitting patterns are fabulous! If you were to place a similar value on the patterns in this book, you’d be looking at a cost of somewhere between $54 to $78 US. But the cover price of this book is a modest $14.99 US ($17.99 in Canada.) which works out to about $1.25 US per pattern. That’s the cost of the paperback book; at the time of this posting, the asking price on the digital edition was even less, making the book even more of a bargain.
Folks, this book is a steal. It’s an incredible value for its asking price.
Things to Be Aware of Before You Buy This Book
Overall, this is an outstanding book, and I highly recommend it to other knitters. But, this is a book review, and I would be a bad reviewer if I didn’t point out the less-than-ideal aspects of every book I review. In this case, there are no major deal breakers that I found; these patterns are excellent overall.
But I think it’s important to pay attention to how things are named, because names can be evocative. They give people impressions about an item. If the item is thoughtlessly named, people might come away with the wrong impression about that thing.
That’s the one and only thing I noticed about this book that is less than ideal. The name of this book is catchy, and I like it — but, it isn’t 100 percent precise, because the inclusion of the word “fashion” in its title implies that all the projects are wearable ones. As I mentioned above, 4 of the 12 patterns included in the book are ones you’d use for making home decor items rather than fashion accessories.
There are no worries as long as you’re aware of that fact before you buy the book, and you’re cool with it. But please don’t buy it expecting it to only offer you fashion knitting projects.
Conclusion
I’m delighted to recommend this book to other knitting enthusiasts of every skill level who are in the market for quick, easy home decor patterns and women’s fashion accessory patterns.
Where to Buy This Book:
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Posted By: Amy Solovay
This page was last updated on 10-2-2024.