DomiKNITrix: Whip Your Knitting Into Shape

by Jennifer Stafford

Whip Your Knitting into Shape do•mi•kni•trix \ da-mi-'ni-triks \ n, pl -trices [US, var. of dominatrix, re: knitting] (2005): a woman who dominates her knitting; broadly: a badass knitter You have knitted your last bad piece. Let the DomiKNITrix show you the ropes. Yes, it may be painful to take the time to knit a gauge swatch, count stitches and fix mistakes. But just think of the pleasure you'll get when you knit a gorgeous, perfect sweater with no holes and no uneven stitches. Learn the rules or else. Inside you'll find a no-nonsense, comprehensive guide to essential knitting operations and finishing techniques, including step-by-step instructions for all the basic stitches used in the patterns in the book. Get your hands dirty. The book features over 20 spicy projects to satisfy any knitting appetite. For a Knitting Quickie, choose from one of the smaller projects, such as the Mohawk hat or the popular Snow Devil cap. If you want more of a challenge, try the L'il Red Riding Hoodie or the Big Bad Wolf icon sweater, The Slink or City Coat.

Genres: Knitting, Crafts, Nonfiction, Reference, How To, Adult

256 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2006

Reviews

[Antoinette · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have flipped through this book several times, but just recently took the opportunity to sit down and read the entire thing, cover to cover. Impressive, but impossible for me. The projects are beautiful, and the tutorial section is pretty extensive. There are several warnings in the book about the difficulty of the projects, and I was wise to follow them. Even the easy projects are a bit over my head. I like to make scarves, blankets, hats, and easy things. This is a great book to read if you want to get inspiration for working up to harder things, but for the self-taught crafter it may be too advanced. I am thinking during winter break I may tackle a heart-shaped pillow, but that is as fierce as my projects will be anytime soon. Who needs a stressful, tedious project when they are busy with school and work? Hats off to any of you beginners that dive into a complicated pattern, I am jealous, because there are plenty of beautiful and unique goodies hidden in this book. Also, makes a nice addition to any craft bookshelf. Plastic feeling binding, and smooth thick pages will appeal to friends you are trying to persuade to take up knitting. A novelty, a great read, and inspiring. Enjoy!

[Lauren Allen · Rating 4 out of 5]

An excellent knitting book, but a little weird that we had it in our high school's library....

[Laura · Rating 3 out of 5]

I thought that the beginning of this book was really informative and I actually learned some things that I hadn't known before, (I've been a knitter for about 5 years now) It had a fairly large amount of information, something that you don't normally find in your average knitting book, and for that I might use this book as a reference. Unfortunately the patterns in this book were somewhat lacking, meaning I only found a couple that I would even begin to think about knitting for myself. I think it was three to be exact. Some of the patterns in this book were a little, "sketchy" for me and the photographs of the knitted items were hard to focus on because the models looked so bizarre themselves, or they lacked proper clothing. Overall I didn't like the patterns in this book, but enjoyed the techniques in the beginning, making this book three stars.

*Taken from my book reviews blog: http://reviewsatmse.blogspot.com/2008...

[Margie · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is the same review I wrote for Pretty in Punk.

I'm comparing Pretty in Punk to Domiknitrix, because I'm using both at the same time, and they both have a similar hat (helmet style). Generally, the patterns and projects in Pretty in Punk are much, much simpler, which might make one think it's more suitable for beginners. Yet Domiknitrix offers far more in the way of hand-holding; they recommend specific cast-ons and decreases for each project, and have photos and step-by-step instructions for a variety of cast-ons, increases, and decreases. As a result, both books seem a bit unclear on who their audience is.

[Julie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’m so sad that I didn’t find this book when I was still young.....these patterns are HOT and not your grandma’s knit sweaters! Seriously, if you are in your twenties & thirties, get this book and knit up a few of these patterns. Me, I’d look like someone’s sketchy drunk great aunt. But that doesn’t necessarily stop me. I just may knit up the Little Red Riding Hoodie but put the skull motif on the back. And I honestly am going to make the Snow Devil hat in hot pink for next yeaer’s Women’s March....a perfect riff on the iconic pink pussy hat.

[Laura · Rating 5 out of 5]

Stafford gives the basics and skill-upping tips that new and advanced beginner knitters need. I'm not so sure that knitting gurus would need all of the info, but if they have a wicked sense of humor, I'm sure that they could get something out of this book. I love the heart-shaped pillows that you can embroider naughty words on or the devil-horned hat that would come in handy during Halloween.

[Ligaya · Rating 2 out of 5]

I felt the author was trying too hard to stay in her Domiknitrix voice and it lost its cleverness. There aren't any patterns I would execute here (see what I did there?) but I'm sure it has appeal for some. There is lots of good introductory material on yarns, tools, and techniques and the author's Eight Rules to Knit By are valid but the books' small format affects the size of photos and contributes to the cramped feeling of the page designs. The photos are also ill-lit and they don't necessarily highlight the knitting.

[Chelsea · Rating 2 out of 5]

Way Too Tame for the Title

I expected to see some interesting patterns, maybe something a bit more adult. All I saw were tons of your basic "my grandma makes this" type of patterns, minus one okay ish pattern for a devil hat. The red one pictured looked cute, but the pink one looked... not so cute. I won't be making anything from this book. The reason it got two stars instead of one, though, was some of the explanations for how to do this or that weren't bad.

[Aiko · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love the designs in this book. There's a lot of variety. I can't wait to get started making them. The instructions are all easy to read, and it looks like there's enough info to customize some of the sweaters with designs that aren't in the book.

[Tara · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fun book. Not super crazy about any of the patterns but the sections on pros & cons of different types of increases, decreases, bind offs, joins, etc. would be useful if I get into garment-making.

[OneDayI'll · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really great collection of knitting patterns. There's amusing anecdotes with each pattern, a good introduction that shows casting on/off and stitches, and skill building.

[Beth · Rating 4 out of 5]

I REALLY want to make some of these patterns, but I need to practice WAY more first.

[Stella · Rating 3 out of 5]

I do not knit, so read this for the pictures and the puns. I would like a snow devil hat, please.

[Cow · Rating 3 out of 5]

I picked this up after seeing it a couple of times in bookstores, flipping through the patterns, and liking them. It's one of those odd collections where I don't see a single thing I want to make, but I can see the techniques underneath and how modifying them a bit will get me where I want to go. So, I bought it.

But oh wow, the text. So painful. First, the title of the book is clever, but this doesn't mean you have to use 'DomiKNITrix'--yes, capitalized like that--*thirteen times* in the first four pages. 13! I just went back and counted. Also: not every knitter is female, a straight female, or, most of all, a straight, fat-shaming, societally-controlled female. (Should I cite a pile of examples that cause eye-rolling? ...meh, why bother, we can all fill in the blanks) Not everyone thinks every piece of clothing must be "flattering" of a "thin waist". etc etc etc I could go on I won't because whatever.

So yeah. Get through (or skip) the first hundred or so pages, all the manifesto nonsense, and just get to the techniques and patterns. The author really knows what she's talking about and has a lot of great ideas, even if she coaches it in a glaringly obnoxious and off-putting rhetorical style.

[Allison · Rating 4 out of 5]

While the patterns in this book are a little beyond my knitting skills at the moment, and I'm not yet at the point where I look for challenges and alterations at every opportunity, Dominknitrix features some of the most solid technical instructions I've found in all the young hip knitting books I've come across. (i.e. not Elizabeth Zimmerman or Vogue Knitting sock books) I especially appreciate the section where different stitches and techniques are shown in both Continental and English style, since I learned Continental initially and it was SO hard to find any instructions on how to purl that weren't English.

The attitude of the book can get a little grating sometimes, but that's the entire premise, and it's funny, which makes it stand out. This is definitely not the essential standard knitting primer, but if you're looking to branch out into more creative projects, or garments, I recommend looking through it.

[Laura · Rating 3 out of 5]

Some patterns I definitely want to revisit when I have the skill level, particularly the Little Red Riding Hoodie.

For some reason, I found her instructions easier to handle than many others I have read.

The pattern style is similar to that of my favorite cookbook, How to Cook Everything in that she gives you the bare bones, or something that would make a serviceable piece, then tells you where you can go off on your own without messing anything up, and where you can't.

[Laura Eydmann · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was just going to sit down and flick through this book, but I ended up reading it from cover to cover over the course of two days…

The patterns themselves are great, there are at least 4 or 5 that I will give a go, although some look more complicated than I can handle at the moment! The plan was to flick through and decide on my next project but I ended up reading this from cover to cover. The tutorials are brilliant, with good photos and illustrations, and I have learnt a lot just from reading it.Jennifer’s style of writing is witty but concise, and the patterns look very easy to follow. I can’t wait to start work on the Red Riding Hoodie!

[Melissa · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is absolutely the best knitting book I have ever read. The tutorial is outstanding, the projects range from semi-challenging to extremely challenging, and (unlike many other so-called "punk" or "new generation" knitting books out there) this one offers a wide range of patterns that one might actually wear, not just novelty items. Her advice and encouragement on knitting issues is top-notch--particularly because she advises her readers that it is they who control the yarn, not the other way around.

[Kate · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm not a hugely experienced knitter, and this book is kind of intimidating. Some of the patterns look interesting, but most of them are complex just for the sake of being complex. I guess I'm more of a knitting-as-therapy person... only recently got into cable knitting (then discovering I had purls and knits confused, which makes for ugly cables). The author will definitely "whip your knitting into shape"--she is very by the book, insisting on gauge swatches and the like. I suppose, if I were smart, I'd listen to her advice.

[Gabriella · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is one of the best knitting books I've come across. The tutorial section in the beginning of the book is fantastic! That alone makes it worth it for me. I borrowed this book, but I'd like to get myself a copy to have on hand for personal reference. As for the pattern section, a lot of them are quite advanced. I wouldn't want to make most of the patterns in the book simply because they're not my style, but there are some really nice ones that I'd like to bookmark- the conversation heart pillows are cute and fairly simple.

[danica · Rating 3 out of 5]

About half of the patterns look intriguing to me. The how-to photos are great. My main beef about this book is the paper stock. Who decided to use uncoated paper for a book full of dark, moody photos??? The already shadowy pictures are completely dull and the details are hard to make out at times as the flat paper sucks the life out of them. It makes me sad because I want to love this book, but I can't see it!

[Ariel Servadio · Rating 3 out of 5]

I felt the patterns in this book were far too ambitious for an amateur pattern-follower like myself, but I appreciated the knitting tips/instruction offered in the first half of the book. I definitely adapted some of this advice into my knitting routine and it has helped me. I would consider buying it to have on hand as a reference, and for maybe one day when I feel like taking on a more difficult project. Until then, I'll continue to borrow it from the library when I need it.

[Skari · Rating 3 out of 5]

The instructions and coming at things from a sewing point of view is very interesting, I like how intense she is about proper fitting, but unfortunately I didn't find a lot of patterns I liked. I feel like I could get the same amount of information out of a good fitting book with possibly more patterns to try that I'd like. It does have very good tips though, and might be worth the purchase if only for that.

[Kayleen · Rating 2 out of 5]

I learned to knit continental using this book. A little silly. But the encouragement to learn to make your own patterns off your measurements is good. Not a fabulous book, but one I will keep.

The vinyl cover reeked for weeks. And it was made in China, lord knows what nasty chemical crap it was out gassing into my home. Yuck. Had to move it outdoors into the garage to air out.

[Radhika · Rating 5 out of 5]

Of all the how-to-knit books, this one though it isn't strictly only a how-to book, is the most detailed. The Dom knows what she is talking about. Excellent suggestions for tools, how-to's (usually more than one), and patterns. If you were buying one book for your knitting library as a how to- I would recommend this over the Stitch and Bitch guide.

[Nicole Bunge]

cousin's wife is having a baby, grandma dragged me to the knitting store so she can make an afgan for her first great-grandbaby... I find stuff to make a baby hat... remember I bought this on a whim. Now I need to get my shit together, find a knitting group, so I can actually make some of these super-cool alternative items (like the devil hat.)

[Caitlin · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed the instructive part of the book, simply because I'm a perfectionist knitter that loves complicated patterns and techniques. I will say that I'm not a fan of the patterns, not because they aren't good, but because they are not my personal taste. Overall this is a good book for ambitious beginners and perfectionist knitters. I would not suggest this for the casual hobbyist.

[KD Williams · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a wonderful book for any knitter in terms of the advice it gives on "whipping your knitting into shape" and specifically great for any knitter that happens to be a member of the "counter culture" movement. the projects range in skill and techniques, while the instructions and patterns are relatively easy to follow.

[Penemue · Rating 1 out of 5]

The designs look cute, but the book is full of mistakes and the instructions are terrible. Tried the Mohawk hat, but the lack of clear instructions and/or pictures made it impossible to complete. If you have a whole website dedicated to all the mistakes in the book, there's something wrong. Nice idea, but poor execution.

[Cobraflower · Rating 5 out of 5]

Smart and Cheeky

All Hail The DomiKNITrix! This book was understanding and helpful from page one, as a knitter who has yet to finish a "10year sweater," I truly wish I had found this book 8 years ago. I now understand why I have never given up on my sweater even when I put it in time out (for a couple of years), I am a baby DomiKNITrix, so cool!