Custom Knits 2: More Top-Down and Improvisational Techniques

by Wendy Bernard, Kimball Hall (Photographs)

In Custom Knits 2 , Wendy Bernard picks up where she left off in the bestselling Custom Knits (published by STC Craft), empowering knitters to delve even further into customization. Each chapter begins with a tutorial on the featured topic—such as converting patterns to fit men, women, or children, or tricks and techniques for substituting yarn, gauge, and stitch patterns—and is followed by a selection of Bernard’s fashionable designs on which to try them. The patterns can be knit as-written or customized; specific prompts for customization are included throughout. Custom Knits 2 concludes with formulas for making garments without a pattern, using only body measurements as a guide—a graduation of sorts for adventurous knitters.

Custom Knits 2:
“If you thought you learned a lot with Wendy Bernard’s first book, Custom Knits , hold on to your calculators, knitters! If Custom Knits showed you how do some top-down gymnastics, Custom Knits 2 invites you to join Cirque du Soleil with your brain.”
—Knitty.com

Genres: Knitting, Crafts, Nonfiction

160 pages, Hardcover

First published September 1, 2011

Reviews

[Carolyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really appreciated the author's emphasis on _how_ to alter sweater patterns to better suit yourself (it's me. I'm that person). I didn't completely follow all of it, but good enough.

These knits are a) incredibly summery because the author is from Southern California and B) so 2011. I was flipping through going "When was this WRITTEN?" because the style is slim fit and tunics. They're cute though. I am considering making the Zigzag short-sleeved sweater pattern.

The models are mostly wearing enormous quantities of eye makeup and styling their light sweaters over bikinis and/or with adoring males. It's a vibe.

[Harue Jules · Rating 4 out of 5]

I bought this BEFORE I bought Custom Knits because I liked the cover better.

It turns out Custom Knits was better.


It is one of the few knitting books I actually read, to learn the improvisational techniques.
In that regard, it is fun to read and helps a lot.

But highly recommended to first get Custom Knits (1), and then get this.

[Jenn Golden · Rating 4 out of 5]

There aren't quite as many patterns in here that made me want to CAST-ON-NOW! as there were in her first book, but still well worth the price. Again, her tips and modifications are incredibly useful to peruse for inspiration.