Eclectic Closet Litblog, Book Reviews & Knitting Designs

A litblog dedicated to book reviews/recommendations, as well as literary and publishing news. Now enhanced with knitting designs.

BOOK REVIEW: Knitting Through It: inspiring stories for times of trouble edited by Lela Nargi

May14

I began reading Knitting Through It: inspiring stories for times of trouble a few months ago, sampling the WPA’s Federal Writer’s Project stories and the modern essays as time and whim allowed. The writings collected by Lela Nargi are fascinating, certain to appeal to knitters of all ages. Then, late in April, I got the news that my Grandfather was dying and something propelled me to pop this little book into my suitcase.

We arrived at my Grandfather’s bedside a few days before he passed away and I spent some of my time there knitting. At night in the hotel room, Knitting Through It was my reading choice and it provided comfort in the same way my needles and yarn did during the day. I read it cover to cover and then started over again. Suddenly the stories spoke to my grief directly and I found comfort in the generations of knitters who had experienced similar situations and found a way through it.

Knitters are aware of the therapeutic nature of knitting: it calms us during periods of stress, makes us productive during periods of trouble and provides comfort when we gift our work to someone in sorrow. We knit for victims of war and natural disaster, for the homeless and dispossessed, we knit for those grieving and by doing so, we share part of ourselves. Knitting Through It shares those traditions in words, providing comfort and community for knitters.

My Grandfather passed away on May 1 after a long battle with illness. His legacy of spirituality and hard work were passed down to all his children and grandchildren. When I remember this time, it will be with images of knitting; a fitting tribute since it was his wife, my Grandmother, who helped me gain proficiency in my knitting.

ISBN10: 0760330050
ISBN13: 9780760330050

Hardcover
224 Pages
Publisher: Voyager Press
Publication Date: July 1, 2004
Author’s Website: lelanargi.com

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BOOK REVIEW: Miss Bea’s Seaside by Louisa Harding

April24

Miss Bea and her friends visit the seaside to play in the sand and waves in the sixth book in the delightful Miss Bea series. The simple storyline, large photos and colourful illustrations will engage children aged 1-4 in exploring the beach or enjoying an ice-cream along with Miss Bea.

Adults will enjoy knitting the 10 projects worn by the children in Miss Bea’s Seaside. Each of these garments is designed for Rowan Denim yarn and most are unisex. The designs come in three sizes for 1 to 4 year olds, include charts and written instructions, and learn to knit instructions are included at the beginning of the pattern section. The written instructions are colour-coded to correspond to specific size information (instructions for size 1-2 years are green, 2-3 years are red, and 3-4 years are blue).

The simple garments include three cardigans, five pullovers, one vest and one sundress. One pullover includes a basic cable, one cardigan has some lace and several garments have stripes or other colourwork, making these great patterns for the beginning knitter looking for timeless designs that will wear well for active toddlers. The denim cotton yarn will age and soften like a pair of favourite blue jeans. Any worsted weight cotton yarn can be substituted for the recommended yarn, useful for those who may wish to knit in colours other than indigo blue or cream.

ISBN10: 1904485138
ISBN13: 9781904485131

48 Pages
Trade Paperback
Publisher: C & T Publishing
Publication Date: July 1, 2004
Author Website: louisaharding.co.uk

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BOOK REVIEW: New Ideas for Today’s Knitting by Jean Leinhauser & Rita Weiss

April5

Every now and then, a pattern is published that falls under the heading of “what happens when knits go bad.” When the majority of a knitting book fits into this category, knitters are left wondering what strange confluence of astral events or editorial confusion led to its publication. Unfortunately New Ideas for Today’s Knitting is such a book; a decent concept – “edgy designs [using] the same knit and purl stitches we’ve always used” – that went sadly awry.

My initial impression was that this is a book published five to seven years too late, after the love affair with novelty yarns ended. Of the twenty-three designs, over half are made in part or completely with novelty yarns including a memorable three-quarter length coat in yellow faux fur and a barely-there, backless mini-dress constructed with a ribbon ladder yarn and an eyelash/chenille blend, finished with a 10″ fringe around the bottom. But perhaps the most impressive “knits gone bad” example is the red, fun fur ensemble comprised of jacket, beret and boot toppers.

There are a few halter and tank designs which may appeal to the younger knitting crowd, made from cotton and bamboo yarns, so popular this spring. Empress Halter showcases Schaefer Yarn Company Laurel’s beautiful hand dyed colourways in cotton and Sophisticated Tank makes use of bamboo yarn’s drape.

Tops in New Ideas for Today’s Knitting range in finished bust sizes of 28.5″ to 64″, with the average range being 32″ to 38″.

Free pattern – Cabled Tube Top

Read the review at Armchair Interviews.

ISBN10: 1402723075
ISBN13: 9781402723070

Hardcover
128 pages
Publisher: Sterling
Publication Date: February 5, 2008

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BOOK REVIEW: The Best of Interweave Knits edited by Ann Budd

March18

Interweave Knits is the knitting magazine I eagerly await each season for, without fail, I find a “must-knit” in its pages. Over the years, many well-known designers have had patterns featured in this popular magazine, although many young designers have found a place here as well. Interweave Knits is known for its innovative and appealing designs, offering challenging and wearable garments for advanced and beginning knitters alike.

As Pam Allen, past editor-in-chief, explains in her introduction: “The best moments [in putting together the magazine], however, come when the contents of a submission envelope spill out and elicit a collective “Ahhh!” from the staff…For The Best of Interweave Knits: Our Favorite Designs from the First Ten Years, we’ve culled as many “Ahhh” projects from past issues as would fit into these pages.”

Over the years, many Interweave Knits designs have become as well-known as their creators and this collection of 30 designs contain many of these: the Lotus Blossom Tank (Sharon Shoji); the Forest Path Stole (Faina Letoutchaia); and the Icarus Shawl (Miriam Felton). This leads to the obvious question; how many of the patterns featured here are your favourites? This collection includes four of mine, two already listed (Icarus Shawl and Forest Path Stole) and two others – Striped Fringe (Amanda Blair Brown), an ingeniously designed wrap of 7 different coloured stripes, and Cambridge Jacket (Ann Budd), the perfect zip-up weekend sweater.

Sweaters in The Best of Interweave Knits range in finished bust sizes of 32.5″ to 57.5″, with the average range being 36″ to 48″. Scattered throughout the volume are “beyond the basics” sections which cover topics from cast-ons to blocking, pulling together great resources into one volume.

Look inside The Best of Interweave Knits.
Errata

ISBN10: 1596680334
ISBN13: 9781596680333

Trade Paperback
172 Pages
Publisher: Interweave Knits
Publication Date: October 28, 2007

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BOOK REVIEW: Knitting America by Susan Strawn

January29

Knitting America: A Glorious Heritage from Warm Socks to High Art celebrates the craft and its history in America within a historical context from the colonial period to the present. Knitters are often curious about knitters and, in the past, little information has been available on knitting in America. Susan Strawn provides a fully detailed answer, exploring knitting from historical, cultural and artistic viewpoints. As Melanie Falick states in her introduction; “…Susan has placed the history of knitting within the context of American history, so we can clearly see how knitting is intertwined with such subjects as geography, migration, politics, economics, female emancipation, and evolving social mores.”

The earliest knitters in America were probably taught by the Spanish who introduced desert “churra” sheep to the New World. By early 1600s, other European (knitting) nations had arrived along the Atlantic seaboard and by the early 1700s girls were recorded working on their spinning and knitting. The first half of Knitting America covers knitting from colonial times to the end of the 19th century. The second half looks at knitting from the beginning of the 20th century to modern times. Interspersed throughout are 20 historical knitting patterns including: an 1850s “necktie” scarf; fancy silk mittens from 1880s; an 1890s Victorian miser’s purse; Civil War era Union Army socks; and a World War II U.S. Navy Iceland sweater.

Lavishly illustrated with more than 300 historical photographs, illustrations, advertisements, vintage pattern booklets and vintage garments selected from museum collections, Strawn has created a truly fascinating volume. Knitting America is the perfect coffee table book for lovers of fiber arts, as well as anyone interested in women’s history in the United States of America.

Sample Pattern: Imogene Scarf

ISBN10: 0760326215
ISBN13: 9780760326213

Hardcover
208 Pages
Publisher: Voyageur Press
Publication Date: October 15, 2007

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BOOK REVIEW: The Yarn Lover’s Guide to Hand Dyeing by Linda Labelle

December28

The past several years have seen an explosion of hand dyers offering their yarns to knitters. Many knitters are tempted to try their hand at designing unique colour-ways but have no idea where to begin. Linda Labelle’s new book The Yarn Lover’s Guide to Hand Dyeing: Beautiful Color and Simple Knits is the perfect introduction to this complex art.

Beginning with an introduction to color theory, yarn preparation, and the basic techniques used throughout the book, The Yarn Lover’s Guide to Hand Dyeing is organized according to dye type. Moving from kool-aid and food colouring to commercial dyes, each dye method is reviewed and illustrated using lots of pictures. The dye technique is followed by a pattern designed to utilize the newly created yarn. Although the patterns are fun, their main purpose is to illustrate how the newly dyed yarn looks once knit up, showcasing the dye-effect. Patterns include socks and hats, ponchos/shawls, gauntlets and even a lace sweater.

Scattered throughout The Yarn Lover’s Guide to Hand Dyeing are interviews with seven professional dyers. The beautifully photographed sections show the dyers at work in their studios, surrounded by stunning yarns. Labelle discusses dyeing with some of the yarn world’s luminaries; Cheryl Schaefer from Schaefer Yarn and Karen Selk of Treenway Silks. Darlene Hayes of Hand Jive Knits shares her techniques and tips with her instructions on using eucalyptus, a product available to anyone (by order through a local florist), to create a beautiful natural dye.

Labelle assumes her readers are absolute beginners and provides instructions on everything from choosing the right gloves to complex dyeing methods. It is this careful instruction which makes The Yarn Lover’s Guide to Hand Dyeing an excellent choice for anyone interested in learning dye methods.

ISBN10: 0307352536
ISBN13: 9780307352538

Hardcover
160 Pages
Publisher: Potter Craft
Publication Date: November 13, 2007

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BOOK REVIEW: No Sheep for You by Amy R. Singer

October24

Amy Singer, editor and founder of Knitty.com, learned to knit at age six and as she puts it “learned she was allergic to wool soon after.” For many years, knitters allergic to wool were stuck knitting with synthetic substitutes that felt too much like plastic or with cotton which bagged or drooped. With the recent explosion of yarn options, non-wool knitters finally have their day in the sun.

No Sheep for You: knit happy with cotton, silk, linen, hemp, bamboo & other delights explores the fabulous options open to the modern non-wool knitter. With her trademark wit and personal understanding of the subject, Singer introduces knitters to the five “families” of non-wool fibers and their characteristics: bast (flax, hemp, linen); seed (cotton); manufactured fibers from natural materials (rayon, bamboo, corn, seacell®, soy fiber); protein (silk); and synthetic (nylon, lycra, acrylic). Understanding the characteristics of each family, the best needles to use for each, appropriate stitch techniques, and how to wash and block the garments is essential if knitters wish to produce garments they’re happy to wear. Perhaps the most important section is on adapting patterns written for wool to non-wool fibers.

The latter part of No Sheep for You is dedicated to the twenty-one patterns designed for non-wool fibers. The patterns, many from designers familiar to regular readers of Knitty.com, are marked with an icon indicating which fiber family is used for the design. Scattered throughout this section are sidebars full of helpful hints (how to wind slippery yarn on a ball winder, finishing steeks) and useful information (why does yarn pill, why does yarn shrink).

Singer, as befits one of the authors of Big Girl Knits, includes a wide range of sizes in No Sheep for You. Women’s patterns range from a finished chest of 31” to 64” (78.5cm to 162.5cm), averaging 34” to 54” (86.5cm to 137cm). Several patterns are included for men, as well as ones for hats, mitts, wraps, socks and bags.

Whether you are allergic to wool or just looking to expand your knitting repertoire, No Sheep for You is an essential addition to any knitter’s library.

Read the review at Armchair Interviews.

ISBN10: 1596680121
ISBN13: 9781596680128

Trade Paperback
160 Pages
Publisher: Interweave Press
Publication Date: April 2007
Author Website: www.knitty.com

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BOOK REVIEW: Kaffe Knits Again by Kaffe Fassett

October23

When most knitters hear the name Kaffe Fassett, they immediately think colour. Now known for his bold, graphic designs and innovative use of colour, when Fassett burst on the knitting scene in the early 1980s he was considered a maverick. He changed colours whenever the mood struck, tying off yarn in the middle of a row, and used more than 20 different colours in one design.

Inspired by the colours in the landscape during a visit to a Scottish textile mill; Fassett bought yarn and asked a passenger on the train back to London to teach him to knit. His first knit garment design was featured in Vogue® Knitting and soon Missoni was commissioning his designs.

Many knitters consider colour knitting to be too complicated and pass over Fassett’s exciting designs in favour of “simpler” projects. While I understand the fear of colourwork, I knit his Ribbon sweater as my second project soon after learning to knit (from his first book Glorious Knitting) and over the years have knit several of his designs and returned to his books for refreshers on working with colour.

Kaffe Knits Again: 24 Original Designs Updated for Today’s Knitters is his first book in over a decade and here he revisits some of his favourite designs. Some patterns are reworked in less time-consuming projects like shawl or cushion, others use fewer colours per row. Some, like the Big Flower Throw discover new life when reworked in chunky yarn on large needles. Knitters will be delighted to discover favourite designs reworked in modern silhouettes. Whether this is your first introduction to Fassett’s unique take on colour or merely a reintroduction, Kaffe Knits Again is sure to win many converts.

Read the review at Armchair Interviews.

ISBN10: 0307395383
ISBN13: 9780307395382

Hardcover
144 Pages
Publisher: Potter Craft
Publication Date: October 2, 2007
Author Website: www.kaffefassett.com

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BOOK REVIEW: Knitting Classic Style by Véronik Avery

October22

“Fashion, as we knew it, is over; people wear now exactly what they feel like wearing.” Mary Quant, quoted in the introduction to Knitting Classic Style: 35 modern designs inspired by fashion’s archives

Véronik Avery had one main goal when creating the patterns in Knitting Classic Style: 35 modern designs inspired by fashion’s archives – to inspire knitters “to knit whatever it is you feel passionate about wearing.” Unlike past fashion periods, today divergent clothing styles are desirable, yet many retail clothing stores offer consumers more of the same. To help fashion individualists find a more personal look, Avery has explored classic designs to create the designs in this volume.

For Knitting Classic Style, Avery has focused on four main themes: Fashion Mavens (women’s wear); Tomboys (menswear); Global Travelers (ethnic costume); and Thrill Seekers (sportswear). For each pattern Avery discusses the fashion history and inspiration behind the design. The Bias Shell pays homage to Madeleine Vionnet, a cutting edge couturière from Paris known for her bias garments. Avery’s Tabi Socks draw inspiration from Japanese hosiery and speculation that samurai may have knit tabi socks (socks with separate big toes) to supplement their income at the end of the Edo period.

Avery has included a wide range of sizes for her designs. Women’s patterns range from a finished chest of 29.5” to 52.75” (75cm to 134cm), averaging 34” to 48” (86.5cm to 122cm). Two girl’s sweaters (size 2 to 8) and three men’s sweaters with a finished chest of 34” to 57.75” (86.5 cm to 147 cm) are included. Accessories round out the pattern offerings with designs for socks, hats, gloves, wraps.

Avery gives her Québec heritage and the Montreal Canadiens a nod with her traditional Montreal Tuque. She reminds knitters to select their colours wisely if knitting for a sports-loving recipient for “in a famous Québécois children’s story, The Hockey Sweater, author Roch Carrier recounts his outrage when, as a child, he was forced to wear a Toronto Maple Leafs sweater, received by mistake as a replacement for his beloved but worn-out Canadiens sweaters.” Avery recommends knitters research favoured team colours prior to purchasing yarn.

Read the review at Armchair Interviews.

ISBN10: 158479576X
ISBN13: 9781584795766

Hardcover
144 Pages
Publisher: Stewart, Tabori & Chang
Publication Date: September 1, 2007
Author Website: www.veronikavery.com

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BOOK REVIEW: Pretty Knits: 30 designs from loop in London by Susan Cropper

October21

For many years customers have been asking for patterns for the garments displayed in Loop, a hugely popular yarn store in London, England filled with more than 130 different yarns. Usually the clerks have had to disappoint customers, telling them that the designs came from independent designers and there is no pattern available. With the publication of Pretty Knits: 30 designs from Loop in London edited by Loop owner Susan Cropper, many of these coveted designs are available for knitters to enjoy.

The designs in Pretty Knits are divided into four chapters: Flirty Fashionista (garments); Divine Accessories; Beautiful Boudoirs (items for the bedroom); and Feminine Fripperies (accessories for the rest of your home).

Garments range from 30” to 44” (76cm to 112cm) with most falling in the 34” to 40” range (86cm to 102cm). Knitters from every skill level will find something in this volume. Beginners will be tempted by basic patterns with special extras such as the “Bliss” Empire-Line Top by Debbie Bliss which features silk ribbon threaded through eyelet ridge. More experienced knitters will be drawn to patterns such as Kristen Griffin-Grimes “Anisette” Wrap that uses three different lace patterns and highlights the beauty of luxurious Rowan Kidsilk Haze.

Unusual and luxury yarns fill the pages of Pretty Knits. An evening out bag is made with Leigh Radford/Lantern Moon Silk Gelato (a Vietnamese silk cut into strips); bed socks created from Jade Sapphire Mongolian Cashmere; or a runner from Be Sweet Bamboo all contribute to a decadent knitting experience. Yardage requirements are not provided in the instructions so knitters wishing to work these projects in more economical options will need to do a bit of investigation.

The final section of Pretty Knits provides instructions in knitting techniques; three different cast-ons, knitting with beads, working cables, and various finishing methods. As many of these patterns use notions, Cropper has included sources for these as well as the yarns suggested in the patterns. While a trip to London and Loop is not in the cards for most knitters, “this book is a little extension of Loop and those who make it special.”

Read the review at Armchair Interviews.

ISBN10: 0307383156
ISBN13: 9780307383150

Hardcover
144 Pages
Publisher: Potter Craft
Publication Date: October 30, 2007
Store Website: www.loop.gb.com

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