Comments on: Nature’s Wrapture: Contemporary Knitted Shawls

By: Joanna Daneman

Joanna Daneman — Sun, 22 Aug 2010 17:13:30 +0000

Review by Joanna Daneman for Nature's Wrapture: Contemporary Knitted Shawls Rating: If you're looking for something new, this book might spark some creativity in your shawl knitting. The traditional lace and Shetlands are not here. This book has more unusual shapes, and a lot of interesting closures including a shell donut for drawing through a pebbly bamboo and bison neck wrap, button down Aran wrap and metallic closures on a beautiful fringed wrap.

The yarns are unique as well--featuring a lot of bamboo blends. That's the "nature" part of the title. The stitches range from dense texture to light airy all-over openwork. Several of these, including the beautiful Aran wide loose cable with buttons and the "Sandy Beach" neck wrap had me itching to cast on immediately and thinking of ways to adapt the pattern to other ideas. The shapes tend to be simple; rectangles, a triangular shawl that is a bit like a Faeroese shawl with a vertical lace section down the middle (but it's smaller and less complicated in shape.)

Not your traditional lace shawl, that's for sure. Elegant and easy shapes, with nicely textured open stitches. Beautiful!

By: Felicia

Felicia — Sun, 22 Aug 2010 16:49:49 +0000

Review by Felicia for Nature's Wrapture: Contemporary Knitted Shawls Rating: Since receiving this book as a gift, I have thumbed through the pages over and over trying to decide which shawl to make first. I decided on making the 'Rose' shawl, because it was made with bulky yarn and I'd get some quick gratification because it would work up quickly. The pattern has no errors, the chart is very helpful, and I completed the back panel in two nights. I'm a very bad knitter though, I didn't swatch, and it did come out a little too big, so I'm going to frog it and try again with smaller needles (but that's my own fault, the book, as any good pattern, suggests swatching). This will be a lovely, functional shawl that I can wear in the office to keep the chills away. Looking forward to trying others in the book as well. Beautiful photos in this book show you just how the shawls are going to look when finished, and I really like the fact that they show the shawls being worn, not just draped over an object. I would recommend this book if you are looking for some creative, contemporary shawl/wrap patterns.

By: L. C. Cook

L. C. Cook — Sun, 22 Aug 2010 15:52:45 +0000

Review by L. C. Cook for Nature's Wrapture: Contemporary Knitted Shawls Rating: "Nature's Wrapture" offers 20 graceful, lovely wraps to knit. The designs are ones I would actually wear, and be proud to give as gifts. It's a great book to take along in your travel bag--compact, with a brief compendium of techniques at the back, so if you're like me and can never remember how to do a double crochet edging, you don't have to wait until you get home to finish your project. You may think you don't need any more knitting books, but this one will earn its spot on the shelf. Full disclosure: I sell the yarns that are used in one of the projects in the book. But I was a knitter long before I became a purveyor of yarn, and it is as a knitter that I reacted to this book, ready to grab my needles and cast on something wonderful!

By: Eleanor M. Schatz

Eleanor M. Schatz — Sun, 22 Aug 2010 15:42:30 +0000

Review by Eleanor M. Schatz for Nature's Wrapture: Contemporary Knitted Shawls Rating: I'm a knitter because of Sheryl. She is my teacher, mentor, inspiration. Her books are the first place I look when I'm ready to start a new project. I have them all, and I'm not biased because "Nature's Wrapture" is dedicated to me. Honestly, Sheryl and I don't dress in such beautiful wraps when we walk in nature. But we do for work, meetings, parties, and all kinds of occasions, including when relaxing at home. I've actually tried on every wrap in this new book. I have my favorites, but I love them all. And be assured, you can make them. Sheryl's patterns are perfect and her directions clear. As my copy becomes dog-eared from overuse, I can't wait for her next book - which I happen to know is in the works! Congratulations Sheryl.

By: Bonnie Brody

Bonnie Brody — Sun, 22 Aug 2010 15:10:59 +0000

Review by Bonnie Brody for Nature's Wrapture: Contemporary Knitted Shawls Rating: Sheryl Thies has written a new knitting book called "Nature's Wrapture". The author and her friend love to take daily walks. The author states that she realized that "nature could be knit, and the concept of for this book began to form." The book contains patterns for knitted wraps and this book, in particular, "incorporates fascinating aspects of nature - colors, contours, textures, and patterns". She states that the book should appeal to both the knitter and the weaver. As a knitter, it is the knitted aspects of the patterns that I am looking at. Many of the wraps are very lovely and I appreciate that most of the patterns do not incorporate charts, which I don't like to use.

I especially like 'Dragonfly', a shawl knit from primarily bamboo yarn; 'Fall Colors' knit from fingering weight merino; 'Flames' knit with Colinette merino yarn; 'Orchids' knit with yummy cashmere; There are other patterns in the book that are lovely to look at and it's obvious that the author has been inspired by nature's colors.

I always ask myself these questions when I purchase a knitting book.

Does the book contain projects that I will knit?

Can I use the book as a resource?

Are the patterns easy to read?

I can answer yes to all the questions, but not an absolutely, utterly resounding 'yes'. I rate this book a definite '4'.