The Disney Book of Knitting

Adorning the 20 sweaters and accessories in this collection are such beloved Disney cartoon characters as Mickey Mouse, Goofy, Bambi, Dumbo and Lady and the Tramp. Duplicating these whimsical garments for adults and children, however, will send the novice knitter reeling. The big, bad wolf here is jacquard knitting, which demands frequent color changes and careful handling. Small amounts of many different colored yarns are needed, an expensive proposition even though individual kits are available (address and telephone number are provided). Hazy color photographs of finished products do not succeed in masking the discrepancies between the faces on the charts and the work-up, where the motifs appear compressed. British designers Coss and Robinson's homogenous background textures on model pieces look suspiciously like machine-knitting, rather than the handknitting that is implied. Most instructions for adult clothing are given in just one size, which will also disappoint many a grown-up Mouseketeer. Literary Guild and Doubleday Book Clubs selections. (January 18)