BOOK REVIEW: KnitKnacks: Much Ado About Knitting
KnitKnacks: A small ornamental article used in the act of knitting; a trinket no knitter should be without (from the back cover of KnitKnacks)
With the resurgence of interest in knitting has come a commensurate interest in vintage knitting patterns. When not actively knitting, we enjoy reading about the world of knitting and the obsession we have with sticks and strings. With KnitKnacks: Much Ado About Knitting, Voyageur Press has combined these two elements presenting images from vintage pattern books, old photos and artwork along with essays from several well-known knitters.
The three essays are humourous and cover a range of topics. Laura Billings asks the question “Could knitting be so addictive that it’s like a drug” and helps knitters determine when they’ve crossed the line from recreational knitter into an honest to goodness addict. Clara Parkes considers the journey from yarnilepsy to yarnirvana and hopes that her personal story will help others realize that, no matter how long the journey, it is possible to reach yarnirvana and its infinite rewards. Sigrid Arnott ponders on knitting for the man in your life as a means of staving off guilt and has found creative ways to ensure your gifts are truly useful and tailored to his interests. Grab the needles and some nylon rope and knit your man an Electric Cord Snood or use twine and wooden beads and knit up a Car Seat Shrug. And don’t forget to read Arnott’s small section at the end and you too can use guy talk; never again will your partner’s eyes glaze over as you discuss your latest project. “Have you seen my on-demand textile fabrication toolkit?”
Knitters are encouraged to see themselves in the images of knitting in unusual places and the vintage images used to illustrate the various signs of yarn addiction. Muffled laughter is a sure sign that you recognize the “signs that yarn (and acquiring more of it) dominate your existence.” This little book is the perfect size to slide into a knitting bag and skim when you need validation that you are not alone in your relationship with yarn.
Read the review at Armchair Interviews.
ISBN10: 0760328471
ISBN13: 9780760328477
Hardcover
96 Pages
Publisher: Voyageur Press
Publication Date: April 15, 2007
