I love retro patterns. I love antiques, old things, historical things, and new things based off old things but in modern gauges and sizing. I love most everything about this book. Rita Taylor and Madeline Weston give us a selection of knitted summer shirts, sweaters, cardigans, twinsets, and accessories, each one developed from a retro pattern and most named for a famous woman from the time period the pattern is from. Most of the patterns are knit in a smaller gauge with thinner yarn which can throw some people off, and there are no charts which I see as a downside but I know not everyone likes charts.
The patterns are all well-written and in a variety of sizes, usually between a 34 inch bust to a 40 inch. I do question some of the suggested yarn choices, like Doris, a lace top that they suggest for summer but then knit in a mohair blend, which seems to me like a sweaty nightmare. I knit mine in a bamboo-cotton blend. Luckily, the yarn requirements are stated plainly with yardage requirements and gauges so it’s easy to substitute yarns.
I see myself knitting every pattern in this book and wearing them often. Helps that I do love lace, and a majority of the patterns use it for detail.