Most people are familiar with actress Tracey Ullman for her zany sense of humour and the eccentric characters she created over many years. What most people won’t know is that she is an avid knitter who learned to knit at age four but for most of her life was only able to knit long “holey” scarves, never having learned the mysteries of increases and decreases.

That all changed when Tracey discovered that knitting was enjoying a renaissance and knitting stores were offering both classes and yarns that weren’t anything like the “tightly wound, bottle green acrylic type” of her youth. Soon Tracey had made a new friend in Mel Clark; the owner of wildfiber, a knitting store in Santa Monica, California. The two decided to collaborate on a knitting book geared to knitters like Tracey, who “may be just starting out but quickly realize that they want to learn new skills and take on a challenge.”

Featuring more than 30 of Mel Clark’s original patterns, Knit 2 Together: Patterns and Stories for Serious Knitting Fun is definitely not your grandmother’s knitting book. This is fun knitting for people who don’t mind being noticed; knitting inspired by Tracey Ullman’s kooky sense of humour. What other knitting book would include a pattern for a knitted gym slip, complete with bloomers (called Witches Britches); a tutu tea cozy or an anemone-inspired messenger bag?

Although the book doesn’t include the pattern for Tracey’s knitted dreadlocks, the sense of fun needed to make your own and wear them is definitely present in this fabulous book. So grab a cuppa, your best girl-pal and kick back with Tracey and Mel for a good dose of giggles and inspiration.

Read the review at Armchair Interviews.

ISBN10: 1584794844
ISBN13: 9781584795346

Hardcover
168 Pages
Publisher: Stewart Tabori & Chang
Publication Date: October 2006

tags: books book reviews Tracey Ullman knitting Mel Clark