Tudor Roses Author: Alice Starmore | Language: English | ISBN:
0962558680 | Format: PDF
Tudor Roses Description
Part fashion, part photography, part English history, and all knitting, this splendid new edition was created by Alice Starmore, one of the top names in the craft. A stunning collection of hand-knitted designs inspired by members of the Tudor dynasty, this volume features charts and instructions as well as a fascinating historical background on the royal family. Glorious full-color photography spotlights the completed works as well as the jewelry created especially for Starmore's most ambitious book yet.
--This text refers to the
Hardcover
edition.
- Paperback: 128 pages
- Publisher: Distributed by Unicorn Books and Crafts; 1ST edition (September 1998)
- Language: English
- ISBN-10: 0962558680
- ISBN-13: 978-0962558689
- Product Dimensions: 11.6 x 8.5 x 0.6 inches
- Shipping Weight: 1.5 pounds
*NOTE* This review was originally done January 31, 2003 and refers to the first version of Tudor Roses, not the recent revision/reprint. Until Amazon's book listing system separates the two different books out by version, this review, which is 10 years old, will not be entirely relevant to the new book. There are few pictures of the new models. My guess it is because the author is known for keeping very tight control on her intellectual property (the designs) and doesn't want them copied or reverse-engineered. Want to see all of them? You have to order the new book. But I list the changes from the original edition:
Patterns with same styling, colorways, but fit may be different than the original 1998:
Anne of Cleves
Elizabeth the first
Katherine of Aragon
Catherine Parr
Katherine Howard
Mary Tudor
Margaret Tudor
Same name, but different appearance:
Elizabeth of York
Jane Seymour
Anne Boleyn
Completely New Patterns to the New Edition:
Margaret Beaufort
Elizabeth Woodville
Mary, Queen of Scots
Lady Mary
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The Tudor kings and queens had sumptuous clothing down to an art--gold embroidery, padding, slits, velvet, silks, jewels, lace. They had it all--and they wore it all at the same time. (They apparently did NOT have the fashion rule to look in the mirror and take ONE ornament away to avoid overdressing. No indeed. Their rule seemed to be to look in the mirror and make sure to add ONE MORE THING. Was there any other time in history when costume was so frankly over-the-top? I don't believe so.)
Alice Starmore and her apprentice, daughter Jade, created a number of sweater designs inspired by the Tudor royals. These are not recreations of Tudor clothing.
Update 11/13/2013: Note that this review is of the original version of this book. A new version has just been released which is significantly different.
Review of original edition:
I'm a big Alice Starmore fan, generally speaking. Normally, when I pick up an Alice Starmore book, whether it's her Fisherman Sweaters or Celtic collection, I see several sweaters I want to knit immediately. More often than not, I am interested in knitting the majority of sweaters in the book, something which I can't really say for many other designers.
After waiting for a year to get this book from my local library, I have to say I'm quite disappointed with it. The book contains 13 designs, all inspired by various members of the Tudor royal family. I can't give the book less than three stars, because there is incredible originality and detail in so many of the patterns. For example, I adore the birds stitched into the multi-color Anne Boleyn cardigan. Henry the VII is perhaps the most well-known design from this book, and it is a colorful piece of art. She also includes some original texture patterns.
First, despite the fact that this book was apparently published in 1998, at least half the sweaters have a decided 80s feel to me. Perhaps it's the mad swirl of colors; perhaps it's really a 90s feel, not an 80s feel. Regardless, for me, the sweaters felt very dated, like something that would have been cool a couple decades ago.
Second, many of the sweaters look great when posed on a sweater rack or simply laid over a chair. When put on an actual person, though, they look busy and don't seem to fit very well.
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