Classic Knits: 15 Timeless Designs to Knit and Keep Forever

by Erika Knight

Erika Knight designs chic and classic knitwear for every occasion.


With 15 stylish patterns, gorgeous photographs, and clear instructions, Classic Knits shows you how to create gorgeous knitwear pieces no woman should be without.

Genres: Knitting, Nonfiction, Crafts, Adult

96 pages, Hardcover

First published October 20, 2006

About the author

Keep it simple, chic and contemporary! So says Erika, textile designer and fashion design consultant, whose trademark has been the traditional with a twist. Coming into knitting via fine art training, she is highly regarded in her field and works for many international companies designing ready-to-wear ranges. Author of Comforts of Home (Martingale), her latest book is Simple Knits for Cherished Babies (Collins & Brown).

Reviews

[Abbey · Rating 4 out of 5]

BOTTOM LINE: One of the nicest pattern books I've seen in a long while, even despite there not being plus sizes available and with there being several designs I did not much like. Well-arranged and photographed, a really nice book with great production values.

This rather thin Potter Craft book would be a very useful addition to almost anyone's knitting library, especially if you are interested in classic designs - there's approximately one of each of the basic sorts of sweaters one might want, in very carefully written up patterns and with beautiful pictures as well. And there are basic patterns for socks, gloves and a bag, along with a scarf and a shawl. A beginner could make all of these pretty easily, while a more experienced knitter could take the patterns in unexpectedly wonderful directions.

Includes:
Cable Scarf
Casual sweater - super-bulky yarn, basic loose turtleneck long-sleeves
Messenger Bag - a bit lumpy-looking to me, but then I'm not a fan of knitted satchel things...
Wrap-Around Jacket - super-bulky yarn very loose fit, with shawl-collar
Military Cardigan - has some odd details, but the basic design is good, with a high neck, long sleeves, wide rib bands, worked in medium-weight striped yarn it looks a bit like a high-school letter jacket style, but softer
Tank Top - long ribbing lines, very deep v, vest-like but looks like it would only "work" well for extremely skinny folks or very young girls.
Bardot Sweater - a bit too "Cute!!" for my liking, this extremely wide boatneck super-bulky weight sweater might suit someone else very nicely but it's the sort of thing that really ought to be done in babypink mohair, kwim?
Kelly Cardigan - THE basic of all basic styles - simple, round-necked long-sleeved cardigan worked in extremely thin yarn with two strands held together, has nice ribbing details.
Mademoiselle Jacket - pretty variant of a Chanel jacket worked in medium-weight silk yarn with a minimal color contrast on the edges, quietly elegant.
Slouch socks, basic pattern worked in medium yarn on #8 (US) needles.
Cotton Camisole - simple little v-necked sleeveless top, with very narrow shoulder bands and a wide v-neck, uses very fine cotton thread/yarn and small needles (#2 USA).
Silk Shrug - basic shrug pattern worked in soft lightweight silk yarn, has nice wide rib details, short sleeves and fit the model well, but edges don't meet in the front middle which doesn't really "do" for those rather larger endowed folks.
Gloves - basic design, with long ribbed cuffs, all worked in double-knitting weight cotton blend, #2 USA needles
Deep V Sweater - Very "tennis, anyone?" long-sleeved style, worked in lightweight cotton blend yarn.
Classic Turtleneck - another gotta-have sort of pattern, plain stockinette turtleneck long-sleeved sweater with ribbed edges and deep collor/neck, worked in DK yarn on #5 (USA) needles.

All are mainly in stockinette with ribbing and, occasionally, seed-stitch, details. Yarns and measurements are given on separate page at beginning of each design with a facing full-page black&white photo. The beginning of the book shows color pictures of all patterns, in sequence, before you come to the pattern section - this is one of my favorite ways of arranging a knitting pattern book as it allows you to easily browse the designs right away. Instructions are clearly written and construction of the book is excellent - it ought to last a long time.

Sizings are only up to 42" but these basic designs might fairly easily be extended by an intermediate or experienced knitter to fit us larger folks. And if worked in some beautifully hand-dyed yarns, these basic patterns might be extraordinarily beautiful. Recommended.

[Mckinley · Rating 2 out of 5]

lovey pictures. scarf to knit

[Ligaya · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book definitely delivers on its title! The pieces are mostly classic, so nothing out of the box. Artistic and moody photos sometimes don't show the knitting well, and the last sweater, in black, is hard to read at all. The book is organized with color photos of the pieces in the front, with tonal photos and the instructions at the back half of the book. I wish there were MORE garments, though. Erika Knight knitting books are solid and classic.

[Amanda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Some nice classic and simple patterns. Like the patchwork quilt would be fun to make that one.

[Christina · Rating 3 out of 5]

Nice pictures, not a lot of projects, but each one is unique in its own way. I won't be making anything though. Other reviews said some of the projects were weird or useless but I am sure someone will enjoy a knitted door stop or special yoga slippers.

[Ilze · Rating 5 out of 5]

16Oct09 ... just finished the camisole for my mother - not so simple, but complete!
19Oct09 ... (ah! the thrill of working with thicker needles/thicker wool!) the handbag for my sister in-law is there.
27Oct09 Now the socks for my mother in-law are actually quite easy, it's fitting it inbetween everything else that slowed them down! The other big hassle is finding wool/needles that match the patterns: I'm learning that UK =/= RSA.

[Priscilla King · Rating 3 out of 5]

What I thought, at the time, was that this book was overpriced. Nevertheless, I bought it, because I'm a pattern hoarder. Then I studied the pattern for the chair cover. I didn't have or want that kind of chair. I had a vintage 1968 chair upholstered in plastic that I was trying to sell, cheap, that desperately needed a cover. I got some cotton yarn, adapted Knight's pattern to fit the chair, and made that something-or-other comfortable. So the book was well worth its price.

If you're not ready to make a chair cover yet, this book contains other whimsical, fun decor items to knit--a toy poodle you could "stuff" with a bottle, cushions, rugs, wall hangings, coverlets. My idea of classic knits for the home would have focussed more on coverlets and afghans. So would most people's. That's what gives this collection more distinction.

[Ligaya · Rating 2 out of 5]

Erika Knight knitting books are always artfully photographed with mostly refined but rustic projects in pleasing muted and earthy tones. This book is organized with color photographs of all the knits at the beginning and then the pattern directions with schematics and graphs follow. But out of the 15 patterns, some seem a bit kooky (plant pot covers, doorstop), the lace throw seems like a mind-numbing amount of knitting, and the others are just not that interesting really to make the time investment. Some (the floor cushion) could be a good jumping-off point for related projects, but this book did not grab me.

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved the design of this book. It was very artistic and the photographs were fantastic. The knitted items were showcased well and the backgrounds for all the pictures were engaging and interesting. I didn't find any particular patterns that I wanted to knit, but I'd still recommend for others.

*Taken from my book reviews blog: http://reviewsatmse.blogspot.com/2010...

[Laura · Rating 3 out of 5]

There were some lovely pieces in this book, but I didn't see anything that I wanted to actually take the time to knit. I'm sure someone else would find this book enjoyable though. The book's set-up was nice and I enjoyed the photo montage of the patterns in the beginning of the book and all the patterns at the end of the book. I would probably recommend.

*Taken from my book reviews blog: http://reviewsatmse.blogspot.com/2010...

[Emily · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent. It's like a J. Crew catalog filled with patterns.

[Kimberly · Rating 4 out of 5]

I looked at this book in the library, it has somereally nice patterns... not sure if i am up to this level yet but i copied a couple of patterns

[Crystal · Rating 3 out of 5]

There were so many wonderful patterns in this book.

[Kelly · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love the sweater vest

[Carole · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not many patterns I would be interested in trying

[Jess · Rating 4 out of 5]

I check this out at least once a year.

[Mckinley · Rating 2 out of 5]

Blankets, pillows, an area rug, slippers, etc.
2 stars because nothing I want to make.

[Kate · Rating 4 out of 5]

This has some nice classic pieces in sizes up to a 42 inch chest.