Book Review: Mother Daughter Knits

Its been a while since I have done a book review (my last bunch of books got eaten by the mail system somewhere between here and the border in November).


Before I received Mother Daughter Knits, I thought it might be a book of interpretations on the same pattern, modified for a younger and older woman, or that maybe it would be a mother and daughter's take on similar patterns, or even matchy matchy knits for moms and their tots ... and was surprised to find it is none of those. The book features knitwear that appeals to all aged women, designed by a mother/daughter knitters Sally Melville and Caddy Melville Ledbetter.

The book has beautiful pictures of the 30 designs. The patterns are classified as beginner, intermediate, and advanced skill levels, with the majority of the beginner knits being designed by the daughter who has been knitting for 5 years (she has designed some amazing pieces, and it is hard to believe she has only been a knitter for such a short time!).

The mother's designs really appealed to me ... the cardigans are stunning ... and are the sort of patterns I daydream about knitting.


Yarns used are commonly found in shops or online, which is always a helpful thing for knitters who don't have easy access to fancy designer yarns or ample choices of hand spun.

One of the neatest things about the book is the chapter devoted to Fits that Flatter - a guided tour through how to find the most flattering shape for your body type (and the "paper dolls" used to show the body types and style options really drive the point home!).

This is ideal for anyone who has ever knit a sweater and been frustrated that their finished object didn't look as good on them as it did on the model in the magazine! It also provides insights into ways to modify patterns to emphasize your assets and draw attention away from your flaws. Useful stuff!

The book was originally published in hardcover in 2009 and has been re released as a softcover. It is a lovely book, with beautiful pictures, easy to follow patterns, big charts, and a nicely illustrated section on the techniques used in the patterns ... and would be a great book for someone who is new to knitting to advance through the patterns (the stylish patterns would help an inexperienced knitter to increase their skills over several projects to become a intermediate or even advanced knitter), and also has several interesting patterns that will interest an experienced knitter. The patterns have a timeless appeal, and many could become classics!