Search - The Art of Knitting: Stitches * Colors * Fashion on DVD

Oh, so that's what I'm supposed to do

Carine Greene | New England, USA | 12/08/2004

(4 out of 5 stars)

"I was a little skeptical when I first heard about this dvd, mainly because of a flashback to when I was just learning to knit about a year ago. I rented a video on knitting that made watching paint dry sound like an exciting alternative. The Art of Knitting dvd is surprising in that it's informative without being condescending or dull. They make techniques that are so difficult to translate in print comprehensible in a way that only the visual arts can. During this past year, I've amassed an obscene amount of knitting books (I love them all) but I sometimes come away even more confused after looking something up because I can see the words and technically I understand the words BUT I have absolutely no idea what they're talking about. I don't know about you, but the directions for M1 for instance never made any sense to me until I saw it done. Besides the basics, some of the topics covered are; understanding gauge, ripping, increasing/decreasing, weaving in ends, changing colors and how to pick up dropped stitches.

You get a quick glimpse into the different aspects of knitting, from the communities and events to the process of making yarn from wool. They even thought to tie in various stretches for knitters and tips on how to prevent injuries. All this conveyed by a very natural group of professionals and an engaging newbie.

The only reasons I gave this a 4 star rather than a 5 star rating was because I wish they had adjusted for sharpness when they zoomed in for a few of the closeups on technique. That and the sound quality wasn't always great. Hopefully they will take care of these issues with the subsequent dvds (which incidentally I plan on buying). All in all it is a wonderful teaching tool."

HIGH5! This is THE "knit bible" for all level knitters!

knitchicks | Baltimore, Maryland | 05/26/2004

(5 out of 5 stars)

"There's so much great stuff in this DVD. If you are a beginning knitter, this is like having a private instructor in your living room; you can learn at your own pace. If you are intermediate, you can sharpen your skills with techniques that will tempt you to try other fun projects, beyond scarves. And advanced/all knitters, there's an interesting color theory section, a fit-to-knit workshop to keep your muscles in condition, a demo on wire knitting, a very informative "fiber care" lesson, lot's of fashion inspiration and fun stuff to watch (the alpaca sheering is SO cute!). I love how easy it is to get to whatever subject you're looking for, with the interactive INDEX. Oh - and the knit circles in CA and NY are a stitch!
The perfect gift for wanna-be-to-expert knitters."

My Grandmother taught me to knit!

Sharleen Davis | Baltimore, MD | 12/14/2004

(5 out of 5 stars)

"My Grandmother taught me to knit, but I have to tell you, this DVD is the next best thing. There is so much information and lessons packed into this hours long (it says 3 1/2 hours) DVD that it took me a full week to review all of the segments.

This DVD is fantastic! The beginner section was a refresher for me as I hadn't knitted since I was 12 years old with my Grandmother. In the Choose Your Style section I finally mastered the Continental knitting style, which now allows me to knit much quicker. One of the best lessons for me was in the Intermediate section where I learned the skills to knit my first sweater.

The Art Of Knitting is inspiring. I'm a backup singer and on the road a lot. I just pop this DVD in my laptop at nights, pick up my needles and it relaxes me after a show. I knit little things for my daughter. It's far more personal than buying her some cheap junk in an airport, when I'm away from her. Now my little girl wants to knit and I look forward to doing this with her. She is 7 years old and can easily run a DVD remote.

Besides the lessons, the DVD has sections on yarns, color theory, knitting as a meditation, knitting events, a resource guide (which helps me find cute yarn stores while I'm traveling), a stitch library and music-to-knit-by (which I LOVE!).

This was the best 20 bucks I've spent in a long time. It's a lot more than a DVD, it's a way to fill your life with creative activity while, at the same time making something special for the people in your life."