I have been knitting for just over a year and consider myself to be of intermediate skill--I've done lace, socks, seamless garments, sweaters with significant shaping. I was hoping that this book would inspire me to strike out on my own and try writing my own patterns, or alter published patterns without fear, but I was ultimately disappointed.The knitting "exercises" were silly and the patterns included in the book are for the most part things that I wouldn't spend my limited knitting-time on--a knitted screen door being the best example of such. Some of the smaller items caught my eye--the photography in this book is beautiful--but I will be selling this book!