Jan Messent opens up endless creative possibilities on a garden theme for knitters who wish to explore and experiment. There are hundreds of projects which are both functional and decorative such as bedspreads, wall hangings and pillows. There are also full instructions for delightful three-dimensional gardens: a Victorian kitchen garden, a friary garden and a row of cottage gardens complete with wildlife, flowers, shrubs and trees.
No. 117, Sept 07
Originally published in 1991 as Knitted Gardens, this is another reprint of a knitting classic from Jan Messent and Search Press. Jan's years as a teacher of school teachers combined with the work of her pupils has resulted in an abundance of ideas for knitted gardens worked in small units: ideal as a group project. Having been given a tour of the RHS's norther garden at Harlow Carr the night before reading Jan's book, it would be fair to say that the gardens are more traditional than 21st century, but that is hardly surprising in a book that was produced sixteen years ago and conceived well before that. The knitted bedspread with its rows of vegetables, formal parterre and herbaceous borders is a delightful example of patchwork knitting with embellishment that could be used for cushions and even garments. I particularly liked the concept of replicating seed packet designs in knitting as an exercise in interpretation. If you like small, compact projects, have a supply of numerous yarns and don't feel the need to make obviously 'useful' things, then this book might well appeal to you.
Lesley Fidler
* SlipKnot *May 2007
Jan Messent's incomparable knitting books are deservedly classics and are being reissed as such by Search Press. This one was first published back in 1991, another book for the intermediate knitter to make an amazing conversation piece for their home...a knitted garden!
You could put this handsome book on that coffee table, but it is already groaning under the weight of other lush Search Press books so why not make up the garden instead to impress your guests? It is all in here in abundant detail, with plenty of helpful diagrams as well as a memory-jogging section at the back of stitches and other knitting know-how. It is not for the beginner and you cannot learn to knit in here as the author warns you, but there are plenty of other books for that and you do not have to be too advanced to tackle what is in truth a lot of small pieces. The book is the result of teaching knitting in schools and although I wouldn't let very small children play with it older ones will enjoy telling stories about the characters and their adventures if not making part of it themselves. There are three gardens to choose from: a set of adjoined cottage gardens, a Victorian garden and further back in time the friary garden complete with monks. This is another beautiful book by the author who brought you such delights as Wool n Magic and Knit A Fantasy Story (both also reviewed on this site) - another one for the keeper shelf.
* Myshelf.com *July 2007
Jan Messent first published Knitted Gardens back in 1991 and it is testament to the book's content that it is still in demand and has just been reprinted for a new generation of knitters. Knitted Gardens contains advice, guidance and suggestions from the author that she has gleaned from teaching knitting for many years. Reading the book, it can feel like you are actually there in the workshop with her. It begins with a fairly simple vegetable garden cushion to get you familiar with the idea and also the ways to vary the project which is a common form of encouragement throughout the book. Over the page is a wonderful garden coverlet and pillowcase which will turn a bed into hours of playtime fun with its flowerbeds, vegetable patches, cottage and dolls. As the patterns are introduced, they are interspersed with inspirational knitted gardens created by Jan's pupils so you can see where other people's ideas and creativity have taken them. As for patterns, there is everything you could imagine for the garden. Starting with the cottage, there is then the greenhouse, coldframes, hedges, tools, pots and containers. Then you have to plant the garden with rows of cabbages, carrots, onions and leeks plus ornamental topiary and flowers to create your dream garden.
* Knit Today *