Son of Stitch 'n Bitch

November 5, 2007
The newest from bestseller Stoller (Stitch 'n Bitch
) gives men their first chance to snuggle up with her fuzzy, fashion-forward knitting projects. While the book is aimed largely at the women who knit for them, men will be happy to know that Stoller's first concern is for their particular tastes: many interesting elements—fancy stitches, unusual yarn, unique designs—are anathema to most males, who prefer simple pieces in a darker palate. Part two includes a wide array of (not too) colorful, occasionally edgy projects. Though there are designs which any man would be proud to wear (scarves, caps, tube socks and sweaters), many projects are geared toward younger men; among funky fashions, two standouts are the well-proportioned biker jacket (with long, slim arms and body for full coverage) and a felted DJ Bag with a retro cassette tape pattern (though some designs—such as the beer bottle–shaped throw pillows—are just plain juvenile). As expected, Stoller's directions are clear, terms are well explained, illustrations are easy-to-follow and accompanying photos are stylish and sexy, though projects are not rated for difficulty. Those unafraid to venture beyond their comfort zone will find something suitable for most any man on their holiday gift list.

Starred review from December 15, 2007
Superstitious knitters speak with foreboding of the dreaded sweater curse, which holds that if you knit your boyfriend a sweater, he will soon be an ex-boyfriend. With this latest book in the Stitch n Bitch series, women knitters may have a talisman against the sweater curse. The purpose of the introduction(which male readers can skip) is to explain to women knitters how to pick and plan projects that their male recipient will want to wear. Good advice for every knitter taking the time to knit something for someone elseconsider their tastes, from color to style to textureis so simple and so easily forgotten.Stoller does an excellent job explaining how to get the right fit for your project, including how to measure his favorite sweater. Informative sidebars cover the history of mens knitwear and give some insight from male designers into designing patterns for men. Stoller has done a thoughtful job of gathering a large collection of projects designed for men, either by men or at least by women with male input.Ninety percent of the patterns are knit and cover a wide range of items including beer pillows, a deady bear, socks, scarves, many sweaters, hats, and gloves. Every pattern has beenvettedreviewed and approved by men in order to make it into the book.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2007, American Library Association.)