Tudor Roses

This is stunningly beautiful and clever. The patterns are all carefully researched and are a magnificent way of representing theese strong women. The photographs are beautiful and I love the addition of the fictional diary extracts.

Full of beautiful and intricate patterns that knitters have come to expect from designer Alice Starmore, "Tudor Roses" does not disappoint. The rich colors and the detailed patterns will make these patterns easier to read, though the skill to complete them is up to the readers. It isn’t simply a pattern book, each pattern is based off one of the Tudor women who formed that part of English history. Starmore has added diary entries to each pattern to give a bit of a personal attachment to each historical character. She also has included not only her personal decisions for each piece but a bit of history, should the knitters wish to know more. I also enjoyed the use of modern day jewelry designed by students of design to bring what may be seen as costumey pieces into a more modern feel.

This would not be a book for beginners. The patterns themselves are intense and time consuming. While they leave you with an absolutely beautiful finished project, I fear that anyone who attempts one of these as a first project may feel a bit burned out. The book also would make a wonderful coffee table book, though for that I would recommend the hardback version. All together a wonderful achievement by Alice Starmore.

*This eBook was provided by NetGalley and Dover Publications in exchange for honest feedback.*

This is a very beautiful and interesting book of knitting patterns. These patterns match historical people and what they might have worn modernized for today’s woman. The patterns look gorgeous, and the layout of the book is fantastic. Overall I want to give this book 4 stars, but I have to knock it down to 3.

Dover Publications is probably ready to revoke my galley privileges because I tend to harp on the same problems I see throughout their books. The pictures in this book are gorgeous, and I would love them, if I was reading Vogue. They are high quality artistic pictures. That being said they are too dark to show off the sweaters well. Let me pick on specific pages. Pages 27, 33, 34, 36, and 37 the reader has no idea of what that sweater looks like. The sweater is either black or dark blue and you see nothing. On page 37 you can almost see a row of buttons down the back which makes me really want to see what this sweater looks like. If you like floating heads behind a bright blue fence, check out pages 119, 128, 129. I bet this is an awesome sweater, but the black yarn mixes with the black background. Lastly, I love the sweater on pages 149-159. Or at least I think I do. But I can barely see it. Plus I would have loved to see the entire look that was created. I was just as interested in what appears to be a blue plaid lined skirt as I was in the sweater.

This book is just a little bit away from dynamite. I love that Dover had fancy photos done, but they are too artistic and make the projects invisible. Like Goldilocks, I am looking for something that is just right.

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More than a knitting book, Tudor Roses combines a unique variety of knitting designs and fascinating information about the Tudor women. The photos are beautiful and I really liked the way the models were chosen so carefully.
This is a good crossover title that people who enjoy reading historical fiction will like and confident knitters will find plenty of projects to please.

Wow, I am so excited by this book.. I love history, I knit. weave and spin yarn so this was on my to read list.. Alice Starmore and her daughter Jade collaborated in producing the book. Jade even models in it. Based on the Tudor women in history, the models were carefully chosen, as was hair, make up, wonderful jewellery from the City of Glasgow College. talented students make this a book to devour in term of pictures alone. You do not have to be a knitter to enjoy it, in fact I would not attempt most of the challenging patterns. I wish I could! Clever thoughtful words preface each Tudor lady before the pattern, explaining why it's considered suitable for them, their taste, colouring etc.

Somehow the modern hair styles work beautifully with the knitting designs, rich colours, shapes, cables, bodices. It's an amazing book on several levels. It's a modern day look at the Tudors but with much consideration for the people who make that period so wonderful. A lot of research must have gone into the period, I suspect Alice and Jade both love history.

I have order my copy, be sure to do the same.

This a truly beautiful book. It takes the strong female characters from the Tudor period, and translates them in to the most exquisite knitting patterns with a historical twist.

These patterns are not simple- so I wouldn't think them suitable for a beginner. There is an extensive use of charts, which I always find helpful, and the instructions are clear and easy to follow, so they are patterns that I would tackle, and I think would be suitable for an intermediate knitter.

I also thought that giving the overall measurements for the garments was extremely useful.

I wasn't familiar with Alice Starmore before this book, but I am now on the lookout for more of her books..

A unique and glorious book of knitting inspiration, Tudor Roses by Alice Starmore is a work of love. Each original item of clothing was designed to reflect a historical female from the Tudor period. Scholarship and thought went into the research, which is shared in a relatable fashion.
The designs are breathtaking, and should inspire clothing makers and designers of all sorts, in addition to the knitting audience the detailed instructions address. Each named pattern translates historical design, reflecting Starmore's interpretation of the personality and circumstances of the Tudor women.
Highly recommend having a look at this beautiful book, and I envy you if you are wearing a completed design from Tudor Roses

If you were to look at my knitting book shelves it would be easy to spot that I am a bit of a fan of Alice Starmore.

I have been since my mum bought me a copy of The Celtic Collection for Christmas many moons ago.

Mum had an ulterior motive, she wanted her own Donegal jumper (it was her home county). So among other patterns from the book did make this almost infamous piece of colourwork (long before I learn two handed stranded knitting making it even more of an achievement). And I still have my Armagh jumper which is coming up on 25 years old. I was a poor student when I made it but it looked great in poundshop acrylic and is a great reminder of my first goes at "fair isle".

Over the years I have gathered a little collection of Starmore works - some bought new, some second-hand - but there is a notable gap. I don't have a copy of Tudor Roses. Copies of the original tended to be as rare as solid gold hen's teeth, then when Starmore released the updated version in a sumptuous hardback in 2014 I was mid shift to freelancing and couldn't justify buying it. So it has been on my to buy list ever since.

Now the updated version is being released in paperback (Feb 2017) and thanks to Netgalley and Dover Publications I have a review copy in e-book.

The book contains 14 patterns inspired by the women of the Tudor dynasty accompanied by an explanation of their influence.

For a knitter who is interested in history, this is a perfect addition to my collection. Starmore and her daughter Jade have researched each of the 14 Tudor women in terms of their life, knowledge and influence presenting us with a pen portrait and later an explanation of how the research influenced the designs. So we see the plain beginning of Elizabeth Woodvile (a founder of the dynasty) in her simple sweater, the sumptuous colours of Spanish embroidery in Katherine of Aragon's coat and regal colours in the garments of some of the queen's garments. The shaping of the period reflected in many of the sweaters.

The photography and styling by Jade Starmore creates "portraits" of each woman, emphasising the art of these pieces.

I can imagine gaining a lot of pleasure from knitting many of these pieces, but there is also much joy in reading the patterns and enjoying the clever use of colour, stitches and construction to create a stunning collection.

This book definitely shows the art and artifice of knitting and what can be achieved by simply looping yarn round needles one stitch at a time.

I will be adding a physical copy of this book to my shelves before long and hope it will inspire me for many years to come.

This is a beautiful book. I enjoyed the history information and the way it was presented. The garments are gorgeous and beautifully fitted. The only reason I didn't give it 5 stars is because, as a long time knitter (30+ years) who has made many, many garments, I find almost all of the projects intimidating. The color patterns are to die for, and I wish this was the type of knitting I enjoy, but I find them too ambitious, taking more commitment than I would be able to give even these beautiful sweaters and one shawl. There are knitters who would love to make any or all of these, but it's not the kind of knitting I enjoy. It is gorgeously done, written and photographed.

For slender women with eclectic taste

The knitted garments presented in this book are for slender women with straight spines and long necks and whose long necks don't get cold. While a few patterns enclose the neck, I am reading on a dank winter day and feel the chill, even from the substantial jacket on the cover.

Ms Starmore presents 14 designs: one shawl and 13 knitted jackets and sweaters. The designs and patterns spring from Ms Starmore's interpretation of the lives and interests of 14 Tudor women. Most of the designs are multicolored, with a few in a single color but with intricate knitted patterns. Each knitting pattern is stretched across several pages and each garment is presented in several views. There are no reverse side views to show how the garments, and particularly the shawl, are finished.

The instructions are very detailed and are a combination of text and charted designs. Ms Starmore recommends a few of them for advanced beginners, but I suspect the patterns would be daunting to anyone is not confident in their skills. Only a couple of these designs would forgive weak technique.

This is a book that I would like to own but I doubt if I would find useful. I like the two sweater designs and a few of the motifs. But no one I knit for is shaped for these jackets.

I received a review copy of "Tudor Roses" by Alice Starmore (Dover) through NetGalley.com. It was originally published in 1998 and has been revised and updated for this edition.

Being a long time knitter, Alice Starmore was always the Holy Grail. And to combine it with some of the women I have loved throughout history, a double win!

This is for the SERIOUS needle worker. I love Starmore's designs and appreciate the complexity and richness. A must for her devotees!

A new edition of Tudor Roses by Alice Starmore is always welcome. I own her Aran Knitting and will purchase this one as well. Starmore's books are not just knitting pattern books but are history lessons. Each garment is planned with their historical muse in mind. These craft books are for reading and learning as well as for crafting of a beautiful knitted item. These patterns are not for a beginning knitter but ones knitters strive to create one day. This is why Starmore books are snapped up hot from the presses and are kept on bookshelves all over the world waiting for one day when we will make the beautiful garment featured on the the beloved pages.

A beautiful book with stunning sweater patterns based on the Tudor women. Each design is accompanied by a short history of the woman who inspired it. The instructions look clear, but definitely not for beginners!

Firstly, I want to stay that this a beautifully put together book, detailing knitting projects based on clothing worn by Anne Boleyn, Jane Seymour, and other unfortunate Tudor women. I did find the photographs a little dark, with the details being difficult to see, but overall this is an amazing achievement. I realize these patterns are not for beginners, but they are a stunning form of art.

One word: Wow!

This book is a real tour de force that in many ways defies expectations. More than simply a book of patterns, Tudor Roses also serves as a kind of primer on the history of the Tudor dynasty; after a brief summary of the period at the introduction of the book, fictional sketches written in the voice of each historical character accompany the pattern for that woman (or in many cases, girl) and give a sense of her time and struggles. I am intrigued by this concept and think it is well-executed; I would love to see more works like this in which the patterns selected pay homage to a particular figure from history and give us a glimpse into their moment in time.

The patterns themselves are exquisite and seem to be well written. A quibble I have is that the colorwork charts are in black and white, and because this is evidently a British publication, the measurements given are in centimeters. For an American audience, it would be nice to have the measurements also listed in inches. Yes, I know we are the only weirdos that don't use the metric system. But it would still be helpful.

A quick flip through the book is enough to ascertain that these are very advanced patterns. I am an ambitious and experienced knitter, and I believe that is the audience for this book. Anyone wanting to tackle one or more of these projects will be looking at a significant time investment, but that is the price to pay for the depth of attention to detail. I would like to see more tips given for seaming pieces together (rather than just "sew fronts to back"), but I'm sure the author assumes that if you're making these pieces, you already know a thing or two about seaming.

The "About the Knitting" section at the end of the book is an interesting look at the designer's thought process in creating each piece, and provides some helpful notes (e.g. if you are a "competent knitter, then [Mary Tudor] is well within your reach," or, "Good sewing skills are required in the finishing"). I would have liked to have seen these notes along with the patterns themselves, as many people may not think to flip to the back of the book, and the information provided therein may be very helpful for the user in deciding which patterns to tackle.

An ambitious work, Tudor Roses was clearly a labor of love and is largely a success. Skilled knitters who are also history lovers will delight in this book; while I don't think there is likely to be a huge audience for this particular work given how advanced the patterns are, it is truly remarkable for the niche market is represents.

As a professional knitter, I enjoyed seeing this book back in print and updated. The designs are intricate and beautiful, with variety in the projects. Some are colorwork, some cables, and some seem plain except for the careful shaping and attention to detail that sets them apart.

Although the charts were not visible to me in Kindle format, I look forward to buying myself a hard copy as a gift!

Really good book, loved the photos of the pieces and its make me want to improve my knitting to be able to make these :)

Alice Starmore is one of the premier knitwear designers of the modern knitwear era. She has a keen sense of color and style and transforms yarn into something divinely inspired. I have read a number of her books and this one is as well written and produced as any of the others.

The design inspiration for this collection is the women of the Tudor dynasty, beginning with Elizabeth Woodville and ending with Mary, Queen of Scots. A beautiful collection of patterns, each introduced with a description of the woman who inspired the pattern and some of her writing.

These patterns range from challenging for an intermediate knitter to "I have been knitting for fifty-one years and this is beautiful but I will die before I finish it" kind of pattern. These are lovely and well designed garments, but some of them require a lot of experience, skill, patience and time.

This is an impressive book for any knitter's library. It is well worth reading since it contains a wide range of Starmore's many interests in knitting - fair isle, intarsia, lace, cables, and other fun knitting things (I am serious - I enjoy colorwork and cables). I found it to be inspirational for design ideas since I write my own knitting patterns. And she has some great ideas here.

Well worth reading even if you are a knitting novice. Alice Starmore is an icon, and this is an excellent introduction to her impressive body of work. Have fun!

Oh my goodness, this book is gorgeous! The finished objects, the styling, the accompanying writing...all just beautiful. The patterns are very hard to read in a digital format, but I would definitely purchase a hard copy of this book.

I was delighted to get the opportunity to read this new edition of Tudor Roses featuring new and reimagined items based on the original edition. 14 different garments for 14 different Tudor women from Alice Starmore and her daughter Jade, it is not just a book of knitting patterns, it is a book giving you a unique insight into each woman with absolutely stunning photographs and a new model for each woman. The patterns are gorgeous and intricately detailed, as you would expect from Alice Starmore. My one big criticism is that several of the pictures featured dark clothes shot on a black background and it was impossible to truly see the details in them, however, that was the exception rather than the rule.

What a gorgeous book. I love the concept – patterns based on and inspired by the women of the Tudor dynasty, along with quotes from or about the women and with extraordinary photographs. The patterns are every one stunning (and probably far beyond my ability), color and style and pattern harking back to the Renaissance without being RenFaire garb. I want at least half the garments shown here – and even if, as I suspect, the patterns are beyond my capabilities, the book itself is simply lovely to look at.

The usual disclaimer: I received this book via Netgalley for review.