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Tuesday, March 27, 2018

Inspired Shawls review

Book Description:

Knitters of all skill levels will rejoice in this colorful collection of 15 original shawl patterns. These stylish, versatile designs will complement any outfit, formal or casual, while offering the warmth and comfort of a cloak. Perfect for any season, the patterns include varying yarn weights and textures that provide the pleasures of year-round knitting. Their unique designs, rendered in bold colors as well as in neutral shades, offer a rich assortment of knitting choices.

Author Laura Zukaite was inspired in the creation of these shawls by the vibrant handicraft traditions she observed during her South American travels. Beautiful full-color photographs illustrate the patterns, which feature herringbone and cable stitches, ruffles, stripes, geometrics, and other eye-catching motifs in an array of gorgeous, hand-dyed yarns. The diversity and abundance of designs guarantee that this book is one that knitters will turn to time and time again for an inspiring range of patterns.

My Review:There are some absolutely gorgeous patterns in this book.  Many of the shawls include interesting textures created by combining different weight yarns in the same pattern, use of cables, embroidery, and open lacework.  The instructions appear to be well written and several of the patterns include charts as well.  The photography is BEE-YOU-TIFUL! with many of the patterns including multiple photographs.

My only disappointment was the costs of the suggested yarns.  For example this pattern:

The Amazonia,calls for $70 worth of yarn to create.  Another pattern suggested a yarn that was $58 for a skein of 330 yards, and that pattern used 3 skeins of the yarn!  And while I realize that these are items that can last for generations, especially if you use quality materials, and that you CAN substitute less expensive yarns, it was disheartening to realize that it was going to be so costly to reproduce the beauty on the pages.

So, is it worth the $20 (physical copy) or $10 (digital copy) price tag for Inspired Shawls?  If you are willing to put in the time finding comparable yarns in beautiful colorways, or able to invest in some of the fabulous yarns suggested, then absolutely.  The patterns are gorgeous.
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