In knitting as in anything else, it takes all kinds. I think that's the lesson from Martingale & Company's Stitch Style Socks: Twenty Fashion Knit and Crochet Styles. It's also possible the lesson is that I'm way out of style and didn't know it until I looked through this book.
The patterns, for the most part, are anything but classic, which some knitters will love and others will despise. And all the patterns are written for a medium-sized woman, so if you aren't one of those and don't want to adjust the patterns, this book isn't for you.
Simply Patterns
There is not much to this book other than the 20 patterns. The book starts straightaway with patterns, without any sort of introduction, and what instruction there is for knitting and crochet is on 10 pages in the back of the book.
This lack of basic sock instruction takes it off my list of books for absolutely new sock knitters, but those with a couple of projects under their belt would do just fine with this book.
The Patterns
The 20 patterns offer a wide range of styles and some projects that aren't technically socks, such as Mary Jane style slippers, fleur-de-lis slippers and two pairs of leg warmers, one of which uses pony beads for embellishment and the other a simple cable.
There are also slouchy socks that look like legwarmers with feet, another pair of slippers decorated with large beads, and a pair of slippers emblazoned with sequins that remind me of Christmas.
In the sock category there's a beautiful pair of houndstooth socks (featured on the cover) as well as cute socks with skulls and hearts (not on the same sock, but you could combine them as well), a pair with a ribbon woven through the back of the leg and a pair of flip-flop socks.
There are socks with flowers, socks with circles, and super-long silk stockings with knit bows to keep them on your legs.
This book provides a wide variety of options and shows what's possible in the world of socks. The patterns and embellishment could always be toned down a bit if you like the look of a sock but not, for instance, the appliqued flowers attached to the sock after knitting.
The bottom line is, this is not a book that most people are going to look at and want to knit every pattern from (not that most knitting books are that way). If you're interested in some different kinds of socks and slippers from the more traditional patterns and happen to fit in the womens medium category, though, you will find much to enjoy in this book.
And even those who are rather traditional may find something to like, too.
Publication date: December 2007
