Amazon.com
Good software starts with a good design, and the subtitle of Applying UML and Patterns, "An Introduction to Object-Oriented Analysis and Design (OOA/D) and the Unified Process" reinforces that that's what this book is about.
The first edition of Applying UML and Patterns became a standard. The second edition uses the unified process (UP) as the iterative process within which OOA/D is introduced, and extends the case study used in the first edition. Other changes have been made to reflect the growing consensus on the most effective ways to work with OOA/D and patterns.
Although you will learn UML, this isn't what Applying UML and Patterns is all about. It's designed to teach you to think of software as a collection of objects with properties and to manipulate the relationships between them. This is far more profound.
The case study enables Craig Larman to carry the design through to Java code. In practice, you will need a basic understanding of OO programming to benefit from Applying UML and Patterns, though you needn't know Java--you can implement the designs in the OO language of your choice with equal facility.
When it comes right down to it, Applying UML and Patterns is all about providing you with a language in which to think about software design. This is quite different from learning a language in which to code a design.
A facility with OOA/D will enable you to design and discuss programs independent of code, to produce more elegant and maintainable software, and to take a 30,000-foot view of the way your software interacts with the world. In effect, it can shift your viewpoint from that of a mechanic to that more sophisticated viewpoint of an engineer. Recommended. --Steve Patient. Amazon.co.uk
Book Description
“People often ask me which is the best book to introduce them to the world of OO design. Ever since I came across it, `Applying UML and Patterns' has been my unreserved choice.” —Martin Fowler, author, “UML Distilled” and “Refactoring”
The first edition of “Applying UML and Patterns: An Introduction to Object-Oriented Analysis and Design” quickly emerged as the leading OOA/D introduction; translated to many languages and adopted in universities and businesses worldwide. In this second edition, well-known object technology and iterative methods leader Craig Larman refines and expands this text for developers and students new to OOA/D, the UML, patterns, use cases, iterative development, and related topics.
The book helps newcomers to OOA/D learn how to “think in objects” by presenting three iterations of a single, cohesive case study, incrementally introducing the requirements and OOA/D activities, principles, and patterns that are most critical to success. It introduces the most frequently used UML diagramming notation, while emphasizing that OOA/D is much more than knowing UML notation. All case study iterations and skills are presented in the context of an “agile” version of the Unified Process -- a popular, modern iterative approach to software development. Throughout, Larman presents the topics in a fashion designed for learning and comprehension.
Among the topics introduced in Applying UML and Patterns are: * requirements and use cases, * domain object modeling, * core UML, * designing objects with responsibilities, * “Gang of Four” and other design patterns, * mapping designs to code (using Java as an example), * layered architectures, * architectural analysis, * package design, * iterative development, * the Unified Process.Foreword by Philippe Kruchten, the lead architect of the Rational Unified Process.
“Too few people have a knack for explaining things. Fewer still have a handle on software analysis and design. Craig Larman has both.” —John Vlissides, author, “Design Patterns” and “Pattern Hatching”
“This edition contains Larman's usual accurate and thoughtful writing. It is a very good book made even better.” —Alistair Cockburn, author, “Writing Effective Use Cases” and “Surviving OO Projects”
Customer Reviews:
First book for anyone learning to create business software.......2007-08-11
Craig Larman's classic has reach 10 years of prime position on my professional book shelf, the 1st edition now replaced with the 3rd. Whenever anyone asks for an introduction to UML, this is always my first recommendation. Though the book focusses on software construction from scratch, it still contains much brilliant guidance for enhancement work or implementation of software packages.
This book takes you in a logical, distilled process through pragmatic application of Unified Modelling Language on real projects for which people pay. Of course the examples are simple, but relevant and helpful. The book is chock full of diagrams and little text, which makes it quick to read and easy for reference.
You could do little wrong if you used only this book to guide your first application of UML to a real project.
Review of Applying UML and Patterns: An Introduction to Object-Oriented Analysis and Design and Iterative Development (3rd Editi.......2007-07-19
I have 30 years in the industry (and in different industries in IS management) and one thing I dislike is the author's persistence do down-grade the waterfall or modified waterfall models. He should be more objective on his comments since the waterfall and modified waterfall do have their merits on projects -- refer to "Rapid Development, Training Wild Software Schedules" by Steve McConnell, Microsoft Press, ISBN 1-55615-900-5. I have used them very successfully on big programs. The key here is, with any model, in order to be successful you need quality communications with ALL stakeholders. Just like in our personal life's, communications is everything; the models can be secondary.
The author should also strictly follow the attributes of writing good requirements. On page 72, he wrote for "frequency of occurrence", "Could be nearly continuous". Now, I ask, how ambiguous is that????
The single best book for your OO development team.......2007-07-06
As others have pointed out, the content on OO analysis and design is excellent. Equally important - Larman's book is also an excellent on "process".
Unlike many books that simply focus only on "programming", Larman gives you a working examples and excellent advice on overlapping fields like "requirements", "testing", "architecture" and "project management".
Craig Larman's "Applying UML and Patterns, 3rd Ed" is a wealth of practical advise, covering *all* significant aspects of successfully defining and implementing a non-trivial software project. If your team were to choose only one book as your "Bible" - this would be that book.
Excellent Work!.......2007-04-23
As pointed out by many, this book is a very nice introduction to Object Oriented Analysis and Design. The author's explanations were very clear. This book covers agile practices, UML, many patterns including Gang of Four (GoF), and software architecture. Overall I really enjoyed reading this book. From an industry standpoint as well as an academic standpoint, I believe this book does an excellent job. This book will be part of my library for a long time to come. Highly recommended.
Excellent guide!.......2006-11-10
Well, I think this book should be a must read for any pro or beginer in the software design/build area, it takes you from the start trying to make you understand what your client want you to understand, until the best practices to have patterns, tests, and a good team development, so do not hesitate to buy it!.
Book Description
You're not alone.
At any given moment, somewhere in the world someone struggles with the same software design problems you have. You know you don't want to reinvent the wheel (or worse, a flat tire), so you look to Design Patterns--the lessons learned by those who've faced the same problems. With Design Patterns, you get to take advantage of the best practices and experience of others, so that you can spend your time on...something else. Something more challenging. Something more complex. Something more fun.
You want to learn about the patterns that matter--why to use them, when to use them, how to use them (and when NOT to use them). But you don't just want to see how patterns look in a book, you want to know how they look "in the wild". In their native environment. In other words, in real world applications. You also want to learn how patterns are used in the Java API, and how to exploit Java's built-in pattern support in your own code.
You want to learn the real OO design principles and why everything your boss told you about inheritance might be wrong (and what to do instead). You want to learn how those principles will help the next time you're up a creek without a design pattern.
Most importantly, you want to learn the "secret language" of Design Patterns so that you can hold your own with your co-worker (and impress cocktail party guests) when he casually mentions his stunningly clever use of Command, Facade, Proxy, and Factory in between sips of a martini. You'll easily counter with your deep understanding of why Singleton isn't as simple as it sounds, how the Factory is so often misunderstood, or on the real relationship between Decorator, Facade and Adapter.
With Head First Design Patterns, you'll avoid the embarrassment of thinking Decorator is something from the "Trading Spaces" show. Best of all, in a way that won't put you to sleep! We think your time is too important (and too short) to spend it struggling with academic texts.
If you've read a Head First book, you know what to expect--a visually rich format designed for the way your brain works. Using the latest research in neurobiology, cognitive science, and learning theory, Head First Design Patterns will load patterns into your brain in a way that sticks. In a way that lets you put them to work immediately. In a way that makes you better at solving software design problems, and better at speaking the language of patterns with others on your team.
Customer Reviews:
Love it or Hate it and I hate it.......2007-10-03
I just felt the strong urge to write a review. I usually don't write reviews. My opinion about this book is either you will love it a lot or hate it to the core. I hated it. Their writing style is not conventional. So please go to a book store and read a few pages and see if you like this style of writing. Even though when I first read, I thought I liked it, I realized I don't like this style of writing for a technical book
Excellent learning style.......2007-09-26
I think the book is great for learning what it was written to teach. I found it easy to read and stay in its pages for a longer period of time. If you've read computer related books you know what I'm talking about. I would definitely recommend this book if you ware getting into design patterns and want to get a rock solid foundation. One consideration though, you really need to know something about Java or C#. If you are completely unfamiliar with OOP languages altogether, you might want to tackle that subject before this one.
Theory AND Practicality!.......2007-09-25
I flipped through this book to get a feel for how it will differ from other design patterns works. I immediately realized that the authors are taking a very accessible approach to teaching readers about patterns.
On an individual basis, the text is very accessible. It is written in an easy-to-read style. Instead of avoiding technical jargon, the text improves understanding and retention by coupling technical terms with humorous anecdotes and quips. This approach gives the feeling that design patterns are within reach (and they are) of even readers new to the concepts. It also serves as a built-in mnemonic tool.
The structure of pattern delivery seems to be intentional as well. In the rare case where a pattern is referenced without yet being described, it is almost always in the context of how the current pattern will prove useful in other scenarios. As such, the reader never feels lost. In fact, quite the opposite affect occurs. Readers should feel like they are following a logical approach to learning patterns.
Although it may seem, from the above comments, that the book is elementary, I assure you that even seasoned developers will find the book useful. Even if you know the material extremely well, you may find that the authors' descriptions are useful when teaching junior developers on your teams.
The book layout, like the rest of the book, is broad-reaching. Obviously, it is an instructional work. More than that, however, the book is also a teaching tool. It can easily be adapted by educators and trainers for classroom-style and one-on-one teaching. The book also serves as a workbook. There are exercises and notes pages throughout each chapter. Finally, the book serves me as a reference work as well. If I remember the gist of a pattern but not the specifics, it is easy to find examples and canonical references.
I absolutely love this style. I highly recommend this book for anyone wanting to learn patterns, refresh their existing patterns knowledge, or just take in a proverbial "breath of fresh air" to the stiff writing style of other books covering complex topics. I also feel that any of the "Head First" books are worth consideration. They provide accessible formats that promote learning.
I have to close this review by concurring with the authors in their note to the "Gang of Four". Seriously, when are we going to see another book? :)
A good choice.......2007-09-18
If you are working, if you don't have too much time to invert in learning, or if you feel that leraning something new is very difficult for you, then this book may help you. When i started reading it, the book traped me, and all that stuff (that the book does) to keep your atention focused works.
The book says on the first pages that there will be repeated things, with the purpose of helping you to GET the concepts, and not forGET them later. Besides that trick, there are other aids and ideas to achieve that (text written very near -or inside- images, exercises and more).
Exceptional good book.......2007-08-16
This is the first ever technical book I could not stop reading as much as I can...
Customer Reviews:
Misses out on the important patterns.......2007-08-07
This book is a complete beginner's handbook for enterprise patterns.
1) The "Mapping to Relational Database Patterns" section discusses patterns that are completely intuitive. I recall logically coming to this conclusions when I started programming in Visual Basic in 99. Nothing new in this section.
2) The "Concurrency" section is criminal in nature and assumes that the application runs on high-cost server. Process-per-session? Thread-per-request? Come on!! Has the author missed out on the Reactor, Proactor and Active Object patterns (he does reference ACE but only as a reference). These patterns have been recognized as not scalable in the late 90s.
3)The distribution patterns are clearly incomplete and desire a lot of details.
If you're just starting out,as a System Architect :-), you'll find this useful. Otherwise, use MSDN or ACE for enterprise patterns.
Must have reference for all developers.......2007-07-16
Even if you don't do "Enterprise Application" development, this book is a must have in your library. If you have been developing for more than a couple of years and you haven't seen 1/2 of the patterns in this book, then you are probably doing something wrong and this book could greatly help you.
Even if you do know 1/2 or more of the patterns in this book it is a great reference to the details of these patterns. Unless you are a Sophomore Software Engineering Student I'd recommend this book over the GoF book. Gof is a must have too, but if you can only have one. Get this one!
Must read.......2007-04-05
This is a must read book if you are a developer, architect or in anyway related to technology.
Great reference for building business apps.......2007-03-13
For me, this book is an invaluable reference for building business apps.
Want help choosing a framework? Want some guidance for solving common business problems? These patterns help solve these kinds of problems.
NOTE: I have tried to find other sources for these patterns, and I have only found Fowlers website, which is really only a summary and recommends purchasing the book.
This book has examples in both Java and C#. You can certainly use these patterns in .NET.
Under .NET you are not actually forced to use the Table Model. I think the purpose of this book is to help you realize this.
There are frameworks for .NET that use the Domain Model and Data Mapper patterns, but you would never know this unless you were familiar with the patterns in this book.
For me, reading this book didn't allow me to write new code, but it did allow me to understand my choice to use a particular framework/technique over another.
Educates you on Enterprise Architecture.......2007-03-10
As a newcomer to enterprise architecture this book educated me on possibilities for decisions to be made in designing an enterprise architect. It will also give you a language for describing existing characteristics of an existing enterprise application which may use some combination of the patterns describe in this book. The discussion of where to keep session state for a webapp was particularly helpful to me.
Amazon.com
Design Patterns is a modern classic in the literature of object-oriented development, offering timeless and elegant solutions to common problems in software design. It describes patterns for managing object creation, composing objects into larger structures, and coordinating control flow between objects. The book provides numerous examples where using composition rather than inheritance can improve the reusability and flexibility of code. Note, though, that it's not a tutorial but a catalog that you can use to find an object-oriented design pattern that's appropriate for the needs of your particular application--a selection for virtuoso programmers who appreciate (or require) consistent, well-engineered object-oriented designs.
Book Description
Now on CD, this internationally acclaimed bestseller is more valuable than ever!
Use the contents of the CD to create your own design documents and reusable components. The CD contains: 23 patterns you can cut and paste into your own design documents; sample code demonstrating pattern implementation; complete Design Patterns content in standard HTML format, with numerous hyperlinked cross-references; accessed through a standard web browser; Java-based dynamic search mechanism, enhancing online seach capabilities; graphical user environment, allowing ease of navigation.
First published in 1995, this landmark work on object-oriented software design presents a catalog of simple and succinct solutions to common design problems. Created by four experienced designers, the 23 patterns contained herein have become an essential resource for anyone developing reusable object-oriented software. In response to reader demand, the complete text and pattern catalog are now available on CD-ROM. This electronic version of Design Patterns enables programmers to install the book directly onto a computer or network for use as an online reference for creating reusable object-oriented software.
The authors first describe what patterns are and how they can help you in the design process. They then systematically name, explain, evaluate, and catalog recurring designs in object-oriented systems. All patterns are compiled from real-world examples and include code that demonstrates how they may be implemented in object-oriented programming languages such as C++ and Smalltalk. Readers who already own the book will want the CD to take advantage of its dynamic search mechanism and ready-to-install patterns.
Customer Reviews:
WOW!!!.......2007-09-13
Being a total noob to programming, my friend got me into learning about Objective-C and Cocoa. I have bought many books on the subject and I'd like to say that this book helped me with my understanding of objective-c programming language.
Thanks to the authors
Wonderful but it is difficult.......2007-09-05
The book is wonderful and samples are very exciting and meaningful.But book is difficult,if you don't have any idea about design patterns,you cannot learn easily from his book.But If you are not new about Design patterns,this book is very useful.
Fantastic Book.......2007-08-12
I would recommend this book to any software developer, architect, or designer. Fit for all levels of experience. It is clear why this is so often referenced in other development literature.
A Thorough Introduction.......2007-08-12
I have read this book many times over. I purchased
this book many years ago and I still reference it today. For those
who are interested in OO design this is the best book I have read,
followed by John Lakos "Large Scale C++ Design". This book will
have you thinking about how to design software, and if you are
diligent, eventually you will be designing your own patterns.
This book is a definite must for any language, since it will
change the way you view software.
Great book.......2007-08-05
I found the case study very helpfull. The patterns explained in a very clean way, so I recomand every developer that is interesting in design patterns, refactoring etc to read it.
Book Description
Have you ever felt like you were working on a seething mass of bits? Even worse, was it _your_ code? Or have you worked on a project that started out simply enough, but ended up a nest of twisty passages that nobody could navigate?
Surviving until the next bug report isn't fun, isn't fulfilling, and just isn't a good way to live. Fortunately, there's a way out. Head First Objects shows you how to analyze, design, and write serious object-oriented software: software that's easy to maintain and extend, software that doesn't hurt your head, software that lets you add new features without breaking the old ones.
You'll learn:
- How to put fundamental OO _design principles_ and _patterns_ into practice
- How to _refactor_ your code so that it's easy to maintain and extend
- How to write _reuseable code_, so you don't have to repeat yourself
- How to use UML 2 to _describe_ how your software works
Have you stayed away from Object Oriented Programming because you thought it would put you to sleep? Because it sounded like it was fun only to pointy-headed geeks? Don't worry. If you've read a Head First book, you know what to expect: a book designed for the way your brain works. Expect to have fun, expect to learn, expect to help Trini build the ultimate online salad boutique.
Customer Reviews:
A good book is made of good stories - and that is the case.......2007-09-23
I have already read quite a lot of Head First Series books. I have to admit that I have already been a little bit tired by almost the same pictures in all the Head First books. So after long pause I have decided to open the book. I was positively surprised I have found very good stories explaining main aspects of OOAD in real world. You can read the book even on sundays afternoon instead of some novels. It teaches you OOAD basics (and even a lot more) by nonintrusive method. Before reading the book I recommmend to think about Head First Design Patterns too.
Could be only 30 pages; has good topics.......2007-08-30
I have read this book after Head First Design Patterns and I expected a similar level, but I am disappointed a little. This book has good topics and it is good for start, but I think that the useful information in it could be told in 30 pages instead of almost six hundred.
Great Book, very easy to learn.......2007-08-25
I already know the family Head First and this one specially is very important in every Object Oriented developer. Very easy to study and learn with this book.
for the beginner's beginner.......2007-07-15
I was quite disappointed with this one. Way, way too much fluff. I kind of liked the "fluff" on the Head First Design Patterns - because design patterns is a hard topic and it helped. But for this one? Gosh, that doggy door use-case example got _really_ boring after 50 pages, I was withering in pain. This book is for the absolute beginner. Professionals and CS grads might want to stay away from this.
Good Book, Bad Title.......2007-06-29
Fine enough book, but in case you were hoping for a book on Business Systems Analysis and Design using Object Oriented Techniques... this is not it. Should be Re-named to "Head First Object-Oriented SOFTWARE Analysis and Design in Java". Did this book really need to be so programming language dependant??
Book Description
Designing a good interface isn't easy. Users demand software that is well-behaved, good-looking, and easy to use. Your clients or managers demand originality and a short time to market. Your UI technology -- web applications, desktop software, even mobile devices -- may give you the tools you need, but little guidance on how to use them well.
UI designers over the years have refined the art of interface design, evolving many best practices and reusable ideas. If you learn these, and understand why the best user interfaces work so well, you too can design engaging and usable interfaces with less guesswork and more confidence.
Designing Interfaces captures those best practices as design patterns -- solutions to common design problems, tailored to the situation at hand. Each pattern contains practical advice that you can put to use immediately, plus a variety of examples illustrated in full color. You'll get recommendations, design alternatives, and warnings on when not to use them.
Each chapter's introduction describes key design concepts that are often misunderstood, such as affordances, visual hierarchy, navigational distance, and the use of color. These give you a deeper understanding of why the patterns work, and how to apply them with more insight.
A book can't design an interface for you -- no foolproof design process is given here -- but Designing Interfaces does give you concrete ideas that you can mix and recombine as you see fit. Experienced designers can use it as a sourcebook of ideas. Novice designers will find a roadmap to the world of interface and interaction design, with enough guidance to start using these patterns immediately.
Customer Reviews:
Good but not user-friendly.......2007-06-16
This book does to UI design what the well-known "Design Patterns" did for software design. Many readers, specially those experienced in graphical and UI design will find much of the content familiar, when not trivial, but the purpose of a "pattern language" book is not to break new ground but to formalize and explain a well known language.
The book is beautifully laid out and illustrated. The amount of theory preceding each group of patterns seems right on the mark.
¿Why the low star rating?
The book's binding broke before I finished reading it, something that's completely not user-friendly. If you're not in a hurry I'd wait for a second edition that fixes the problem.
A good reference and prefab pattern library........2007-04-30
I found this a bit shallow as a read-through textbook or handbook, but it should make a very useful reference and may serve well as a prefab pattern library. I think it will serve best for those working on web sites and web apps, though it also covers desktop apps.
Designing Interfaces.......2007-04-24
Designing Interfaces is a great book to get you started on the subject, wether you are a designer or a developer, this books will show you how important is to *design* you application.
Concepts are presented as design patterns and they are intended to help you resovle real world problems, some knowledge of UI design is recommended but every patten is described and explained very well, the use of the "Use When", "Why" and "How To" sections will give you al the information you need to know to make a decision on the use of any specific solution.
From web forms to destop application, this books will show you the right way to make the user's interaction experience as simple and intuitive as possible.
Jump-started my problem-solving process.......2007-03-21
Having already read through the first few chapters, today I sat down with an explicit need: to solve a problem that involved searching and filtering a large set of data. This book came through for me. Yes, some of it appears obvious when you first read through, but once you have a specific problem to address, its true utility emerges. I opened to the Showing Complex Data chapter, and as I read through, ideas began to form. Some came directly from the book, others were inspired by or related to what I was reading. I took notes, and those notes helped me develop the questions about the data and the users I need to answer in order to continue.
When you're faced with a design challenge, and you're a bit stymied as to how to proceed, this book will help move the solution forward. Even if you think you have a solution, this book can help you make it fresh and creative.
Usefull, Concise - Great.......2007-02-24
This is a really usefull book. It's also simply interesting to read.
Book Description
Portable, quick to knit, and universally wearable, new knitters have recently been discovering socks in droves, while Interweave Knits magazine has been providing original, beautiful patterns for a decade. Featuring 25 beautiful and timeless sock patterns for every occasion in a range of techniques, traditions, and designs, many of these patterns have become unavailable as original issues of Interweave Knits went out of print, but are available once again in this inspired collection. Highlights include a tutorial for knitting socks on two circular needles, instructions for making resoleable socks, and six completely new designs for those avid knitters who may have every issue of Interweave Knits magazine.
Customer Reviews:
Great resource.......2007-07-25
I've been knitting for several years, but I was nervous about socks--even though I'd already been using the techniques that make people afraid of sock knitting (e.g. kitchener stitch, short rows, dpns). But my best friend--a non-knitter--bought me this book for my birthday, so I figured I would give it a shot. The book is very sturdy and well-constructed, and the pictures and layout are attractive. The twenty-five patterns vary from beribboned knee socks to resoleable socks, lace socks to Eastern European footlets. (Most of the patterns are reprinted from Interweave's back issues--which wasn't an issue for me because I'm not a subscriber, but N.B.) Most patterns are written to fit women's feet, but many offer men's and children's sizes as well. I started out with a pair of the Retro Rib socks to make for my husband, making him promise he would wear them... And they're just lovely. This book is a great resource, and I'm sure I will go back to it again and again.
Socks, socks and more socks.......2007-07-25
Socks have long been a popular item for knitters to make. Portable and requiring relatively small amounts of yarn, they can be as complicated or as simple as a knitter desires. For many knitters, they are the perfect way to try out a new technique while make something inherently useful, and ensure that loved ones' feet are kept warm.
From the second issue of Interweave Knits, sock patterns have been an integral part of the popular magazine. Ann Budd and Anne Merrow have combed the archives and selected seventeen of their favorite designs for inclusion in Favorite Socks: 25 Timeless Designs from Interweave. From Meida's Socks, Estonian-inspired lace socks by Nancy Bush (1997), to the Waving Lace Socks, a popular design by Evelyn A. Clark featured on the book's cover (2004), there is sure to be an old favorite for everyone.
Patterns have also been pulled from sister publications PieceWork and Spin*Off, offering patterns that many knitters have never seen before. To round out the collection, six new patterns have been included.
Many of the original issues of Interweave Knits have gone out of print and Favorite Socks ensures these patterns are accessible for a new generation of knitters. Besides providing many classic patterns, this collection also includes a helpful tutorial on knitting socks on two circular needles, instructions for making resoleable socks and both toe-up and top-down instructions.
Published with a hardcover and a spiral binding so the book opens flat, Favorite Socks is sure to win pride-of-place in many knitters' libraries. Patterns range from the basic Retro Rib Socks suitable for beginning knitters (Winter 2004 issue) to the elegant Anniversary Socks in a cashmere/silk blend (PieceWork, Sept/Oct 2003) or the Eesti Trail Hiking Socks in colorwork (Winter 1997) for knitters who seek more of a challenge.
A Knitalong (KAL) has already poppedup at www.favoritesockskal.blogspot.com for Favorite Socks and is open to anyone who wishes to join. As the organizers state: "This is the place to share your photos, suggestions for yarn substitutions or variations, or any other creative ideas related to the patterns from the book."
Armchair Interviews says: Warm feet will sound good in winter.
every pattern is a prize.......2007-07-09
The spiral binding is the best idea for any kind of craft book. And the patterns! Every one is different so that you are learning many different types of sock construction. Some are plain and some are incredibly fancy, but there is not one that I wouldn't make. The best knitting book I ever bought!!!!
A Must Have!!.......2007-07-06
Your thinking "I have the magazines why buy this book". This is a great book. I would love to knit each of these socks. The spiral edge should be on every knitting book. The size of this book is great for carrying in a purse or medium size knitting bag. The patterns are easy to read and follow. I can not wait to cast on and start knitting. This is a must have for sock knitters.
Be.......2007-06-12
I bought the book and showed it to my friend . She bought her own copy and our other friends cannot believe the socks we are making which originate from the book. They think we are clever but we are just following clear instructions from a beautifully presented practical book. I have enjoyed sourcing the different yarns which have not always been part of my little world.
Book Description
over 14,000 hits every day
Fitted Knits features 25 projects, beginning with simple T-shirts and shrugs and moving on to more advanced sweaters, cardigans and skirts. The book also includes a comprehensive section covering the skills necessary to create a well-fitted garment, removing the guesswork from customizing patterns. Each project includes customization tips and tricks, describing to the knitter how to tell when and where increases and decreases should be placed to create the most attractive shaping.
Customer Reviews:
worth the money.......2007-09-27
I own hundreds of knitting books. Many sit on shelves and I never go back to them. This will not be one of those. The designs are great, the techniques are great for reference when I design.
Finally, knit patterns designed to fit!.......2007-09-26
I cannot stress how much I love this book. I am not petite in height, (5'5") but I am slender and usually find myself making alterations to clothing and knitted patterns using variations on children's body measurements and adult's sleeve lengths. Even then, I often find myself steeking to attain the proper fit. The patterns in this book can be knit for a range of sizes, all of which are designed to produce a flattering fit. This book has put me on the lookout for others like it!
Fabulous!.......2007-08-29
Wow, the book just arrived--the designs are wonderful! Every single one is so cute...I can't decide which one to start with. This is a book I will reach for over and over for inspiration! I can't wait to try her technique for knitting from the top down.
Awesome!.......2007-08-21
Even the more 'complicated' patterns have been a joy to knit for this beginner/intermediate knitter. I've already done 3 patterns from the book, and will be trying out most of them. I love this book!
easy to follow designs.......2007-08-20
Initially, I just followed her instructions and it magically turned into a beautiful sweater. Since then, I have altered the sizing, even making one to fit toddlers. I keep going to this book for my next project.
Customer Reviews:
Absolutely fabulous!.......2007-09-10
NOTE: The "patterns" referred to in the title are stitch patterns, not patterns for garments or other projects. If you want a how-to-knit-a-sweater-following-other-people's-instructions books, you are looking at the wrong review. If you want to learn creative knitting at it's finest, you are looking at the right book:).
My mother taught me the basics of knitting when I was a girl, but I never thought I would actually get interested in knitting until I found this book. It opened my eyes to a whole new way of thinking about knitting. Before I found this book in in the library, I had never thought of knitting as a creative means of designing fabric, but that's exactly what it can be, and the tools and methods are utterly elegant and simple. Knitting can create fabrics that rival the finest woven cloth, but all the tools you need can fit in a small bag or basket. If you are a creative person who is interested in fiber arts, and doesn't have a large work space, or money for looms or other equipment, knitting can be the answer to your dreams.
Whether you consider knitting an art, a craft, a stress-reducer, simply a way to make useful items, (or all of the above), you can benefit from this book. Even beginners can find basic knit and purl fabrics that are easy to make, yet look more complex than they really are. The same is true of lace kitting and multi-color patterns-you can start with very easy designs that will teach you the skills to work on more advanced stitches. Really, the sky is the limit. If you are interested in designing your own knits, or have learned to make basic knitted items and want to give them more pizazz, you can find a mind-boggling array of stitches that range from extremely easy to ultra-challenging.
Here's my advice for getting the most out of this book: give your self a knitting tutorial. Get some medium sized needles, and a few skeins of inexpensive yarn. The Germantowns, or midweight acrylics are fine for this purpose-you don't need fancy textures and colors. A smooth yarn in a light color will help you see the details of the stitches much better than dark or textured yarns. Then browse through the book and knit sample squares (AKA swatches) of whatever interests you. Don't try make anything yet-just focus on learning new patterns, and seeing how the fabric looks and behaves. If you make mistakes, just unravel your swatch and use the yarn again. If you like your swatch, save it for future reference. But don't feel obligated to make something useful every time you knit. Swatching your way through this book, or any of its sequels, is great mental exercise, even if you never make a thing!
A True Standard For The Avid Knitter.......2007-09-10
My orginal goal for this purchase was to get some basic stitches that I could use to start designing my own fabrics. Little did I realize how comprehensive this dictionary is - how much more could be contained in the other 4 volumes? Whatever stage a knitter you are, this first volume gives you more than enough information to get started, practice new skills, or move on to your own designs.
Beautiful and useful.......2007-08-26
I saw these books in several German knitterblogs and went so curious, that I decided to give them a try. The books are hard to find in between and I really hope, there will be a new release, so that they wont get lost.
The book has written a long time before, but it is absolutly timeless. The patterns are still beautiful and useable even today for a lot of wonderful projects.
If someone loves to knit items not completly after instructions, this book is a wonderful help and inspiration to arrange a very own project.
Love it!.......2007-07-31
I have a lot of knitting books. Some patterns I like but most were too basic or repeated. I stumbled across this and am ecstatic at all the wonderful patterns. I like how it gives you suggestions on what item the pattern works best on. The first time I opened the book, I was a bit surprised it was in black and white. Initially, it looks like xerox copies of the pictures. But as I looked through it, it didn't really bother me much. The beauty of the patterns still shows through and the stitching details are not lost. Overall, I am extremely happy. I spent hours looking through the patterns. My only regret is that I didn't buy it in hardcover (lol).
There are 500 patterns (the back cover says). The chapters include:
Simple knit-purl combinations
Ribbings
Color-change patterns
Slip- stitch patterns
Twist stitch patterns
Fancy Texture patterns
Patterns made with Yarn-over stitches
Eyelet patterns
Lace
Cables
Cable stitch patterns
a treasury of knittin patterns.......2007-06-01
I think this book is fantastic,I will buy more in the future.
Book Description
Renowned for its comprehensive coverage, exceptional illustrations, and clear instructions, this hallmark book offers detailed yet easy-to-understand explanations of the essence of patternmaking. Hinging on a recurring theme that all designs are based on one or more of the three major patternmaking and design principles–dart manipulation, added fullness, and contouring–it provides all the relevant information necessary to create design patterns with accuracy regardless of their complexity.
Sewing guides included for the pleated trouser (with pattern layout), belt/loops, pockets, and zipper; the jean pant with pockets, countour belt, and fly front; and the gusset. Updated jacket foundation draft includes fabric preparation, interfacing, chest piece, tape control, and shoulder pads. Pant drafts–Trouser draft including pocket, waistband, and loop; dungaree foundation draft; grunge pant draft; and three jean waistline variations including pocket and sewing instruction. Includes fitting corrections for the basic patterns. Unique section on patternmaking for bias-cut garments.
For anyone developing their patternmaking skills.
Customer Reviews:
Well worth the money.......2007-07-18
Patternmaking for Fashion Design and DVD Package (4th Edition)
I'm an intermediate level sewer and haven't had a course in patternmaking. However I have found this book invaluable even though it is written as a textbook. I haven't read it cover to cover because I regard it as a reference book. However, after having reviewed the sections that relate to the sewing I do, I have found it very enlightening. There are certain principles that I didn't understand until I read it, such as dart rotation. This, for instance, will be very helpful to me in altering commercial patterns to make them fit better. I plan to do some pattern drafting, but will probably use it mostly in altering commercial patterns. For instance, I was recently altering a pants pattern and wondered if I was changing the ratio of the width of the front leg to the back. The book answered my question while books on pattern alterations didn't address this issue. The layout of the book has been thoroughly explained in other reviews, so I won't go into describing it. I will say, however, that I highly recommend this book for anyone who sews as a hobby because it answers a lot of questions one would have when it comes to altering commercial patterns or drafting simple patterns. It's expensive, but money well spent. This book should be in the library of any serious sewer.
No, No, No.............2007-01-23
This book is outdated, outmoded, and nearly useless. It contains tons of information on how to manipulate fabrics that aren't even in use anymore. Hardly anything on dealing with knit fabrics, which look better and are easier to manipulate. Ask anyone under 50 if they have ever seen any darts in their clothes? And all this slashing and turning and manipulating??? not only is it sloppy, its useless, Useless, USELESS! Lots of money spent for vague instructions on basic blocks, and only clothes made in the 80's. Save eyour money, just because this book is expensive, doesn't make it useful.
Extensive, but a few mistakes..........2006-11-03
I was required to purchase this book for my fashion design class. At first I was completely blown away at how comprehensive it was. It talked about measuring, darts and manipulation, basic patterns and principles, women, mens, children, knit, and sportswear. From what I can tell, it's based off of " Industry Standards". So It's not your everyday Joe book.
During class though, many of my teachers noticed discrepancies in the instructions. Particularly the fitted arm block. It made me fail my class twice because the first and second teacher didn't catch that the instructions were incorrect, causing me to continually make an incorrect arm block. It took my DRAPING teacher to find out that the book was incorrect in the instructions for the sleeve cap.
We also had a problem during class, when the instructions made an extremely wonky sleeve pattern, and also a two dart bodice. The student was extremely frustrated with the book and the teacher for their lack of help and knowledge. The student was not an " industry standard" size. So the measurement guides were not available to her to make a proper judgement. She had to receive a bad grade because the book would not produce the correct pattern, and the teacher didn't know what to do.
Otherwise, this book is still a great reference. Many of the styles seem outdated, but yet can be played on to create current looks. But some of the wedding sleeve types are somewhat awful, but that's personal opinion.
Some Instructions Inadequate.......2006-09-10
I purchased this book as my figure has changed and I needed to re-do my basic slopers. The pattern design books I currently have did not cover trousers so I was delighted to find a new book that was apparently so comprehensive.
I found however that the method used to create basic bodice slopers, simply did not work with my measurements. There was no way the strap measurement was going to reach the line it was supposed to and there is no way to work around it as the rest of the drafting works from the point created.
I would also have liked some instructions on how to take measurements on live people rather than just models. If "the strap measurement may cover the armplate", what happens with an arm in the way? After all at least a few fashion students would hopefully go on to work with actual people rather than just standard measurements or models. I thought it was a major flaw in the book that there was no instruction on taking personal measurements & so little instruction on creating the basic slopers. It is really disppointing to have to find another method before I can use the rest of the book.
Finally ! Best value for my dollar.......2006-09-01
I received this book yesterday and read the first 100 pages. I've sewn all my life and consider myself an advanced seamstress. I've sewn and made my own patterns for childrens' heirloom, business suits, and now enjoy making (jazz) dance costumes. I'm the one in line at the fabric store buying ten patterns, just to combine different details and features in different sizes, especially if sewing for a group. I probably own hundreds of patterns and almost that many books. For me, this book will pay for itself many times over. It isn't a sewing "how to" book and it wouldn't be the first book for a beginner. The reader should be familiar or use other reference books for actual garment construction techniques. I've bought other, less expensive sewing books to learn pattern manipulation and fitting techniques. I put off the purchase of this book, being put off by its price. But, finally! This book is so inspiring and liberating. In just the first 100 pages, I've gotten through the basic patternmaking and dart manipulation. I think I may never have to buy another pattern again ! This is definitely a must have for the serious sewing enthusiast.
Books:
- Art in China (Oxford History of Art)
- ART OF POCAHONTAS, THE
- Batman: The Animated Series Guide
- Bellini, Giorgione, Titian, and the Renaissance of Venetian Painting (National Gallery Of Art, Washington)
- Botanical Illustration Course: With the Eden Project
- Botanical Illustration Course: With the Eden Project
- Botanical Illustration Course: With the Eden Project
- Capturing Radiant Light & Color in Oils and Soft Pastels
- Cigar Bands : Temporis Series (Temporis)
- Circles of The East : Quilt Designs from Ancient Japanese Family Crests
Books Index
Books Home
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Object-Oriented Design
| Software Design, Testing & Engineering
| Programming
| Computers & Internet
| Subjects
| Books
UML Distilled: A Brief Guide to the Standard Object Modeling Language (3rd Edition) (The Addison-Wesley Object Technology Series)
Design Patterns: Elements of Reusable Object-Oriented Software (Addison-Wesley Professional Computing Series)
Head First Design Patterns (Head First)
Agile and Iterative Development: A Manager's Guide
Writing Effective Use Cases
