Soft textures, billowing sleeves, and intricate patterns make Romantic Knitwear by Helene Arnesen is a delightful collection for anyone looking to add a touch of romance to their handmade wardrobe.

Why This Book Caught My Eye

• There’s no mistaking what this book is about – the cover’s sweater, flowy sheers and the floral sofa all quietly scream “Romantic”
• Who doesn’t want to feel pretty?
• The collection of designs all honor a vintage aesthetic.

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What’s Inside?

• There are 16 patterns and 5 major sections:
  • Tips Before You Begin
  • Ethereal Blouses
  • Elegant Sweaters
  • Timeless Cardigans
  • Feminine Vests and a Vintage Hood
• She talks about how difficult (impossible?) it is to rank the difficulty of patterns all using the same system (and I wholeheartedly agree). So, instead of assigning a difficulty level, she talks about the stitches and techniques used.

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The Visuals & Instructions – Do They Hold Up?

• There are nice visuals for the unusual design elements – such as the Puff Shoulders and Cuffs in the Giselle Blouse.
• If there is a lace component, it’s presented as a chart. I couldn’t find written instructions for the charts though.
• There seems to be a good size range. I say “seems” because without schematics it’s very hard for me to tell how the grading (sizing up or down) is done.
• There aren’t any pictures of the back of each garment. I’d have to study the pattern to know what the back looked like.

Standout Techniques & Tips

• She includes a tip on how to easily count stitches. It’s been my go-to method for years now, so I can attest that it works well!
• If you learn by watching, you’ll love that there are links to 8 videos on topics such as German Short Rows and Twisted Rib.
• Swatches – She tells you to “do as I say and not as I do” because she knows its importance – and you know how important that is to me!

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What Could Be Better?

• I missed graphical schematics for each design. While there are a few basic measurements listed, I’d need to do a lot of reading and reverse-engineering to know how things really fit. I know this isn’t a requirement for everyone though, so ymmv.
• I was surprised at this after reading the very detailed section on Shoulder Width (and I agree that this is an important element to having it appear that you got the sizing right.). But given the focus on such a specific detail, I’d expect to see a lot more sizing measurements..

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Buy, Barter or Borrow

• Buy – if vintage fashion is your thing, you need this book.
• Barter – check out a friend’s copy first so you can see if it deserves a place on your bookshelves
• Borrow (from the library) – see if the book will work for you

The Last Stitch – Worth Adding to Your Shelf?

• I can’t think of another knitting book that presents so many designs with that vintage flair.
• If you’re looking for different silhouettes to knit, this book could give you a really nice start.
• However, I do find it frustrating that the patterns have so few measurements and no schematics.
  • If I look at it as a book of techniques, e.g. a ruched bust or mutton sleeves, then I think it’s a worthy addition to my library. The author gives us lots of unique design elements. This is no small feat! She had to figure out how to make them herself, without the benefit of looking at the “regular” way that they’ve been knitted over the years.
• If you wear a victorian or vintage-inspired wardrobe, you need to check this one out!
• But if you want to just pick up the book and immediately start making a design, you’ll likely be frustrated with the end product because there aren’t many measurements for you to make the design fit your specific body.
• Given this, you’ll need to have clocked a lot of knitting hours before being ready to tackle the patterns.

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Where to Get It & More Resources

• Romantic Knitwear releases on March 4th of 2025. You can preorder it on Amazon ($23.24 as of February 2025).
• Check out Fabel Knitwear – Helene’s Website, dripping with designs of yesteryear.