Cool Stuff, Fall 2009

by Jillian Moreno, Amy R Singer, Katherine Ganzel, Kate Atherley

SR [Finished chest measurement for sweaters] = the smallest chest measurement to the largest chest measurement we could find in the book. There may be only one pattern with the smallest or largest size, but it's in there. Books are softcover unless noted otherwise. All prices USD unless noted.


Buy now at Offhand Designs	Suzannah Bag by Offhand Designs 11"H x 21"W x 6"D $160 The Suzannah bag is an elegant cocoon for your knitting. Which doesn’t mean that it’s not useful or durable. It is and it's fabulous. As with all Offhand Designs bags, it's handmade in the US of beautiful vintage-style fabrics that you might describe as "carpet-bag-like" -- limited-edition plush velvets, chenilles, brocades and wools. The one pictured is in "Astoria". The fabric is thick and tough, it has protective feet on the bottom, it has eight pockets of varying sizes inside, room for a sweater and a tight magnetic closure. It’s usable, useful and stands up to the wear and tear of the knitting life. But it’s also so lovely that it makes any knitting that you carry around in it more beautiful. It’s a magic bag, I think. JM FALL CONTEST! Offhand Designs will give away a Suzannah Bag to one lucky Knitty reader! Read the contest details and then make sure you're eligible to win!

Buy now at Amazon	Toe-Up! Patterns and Worksheets to Whip Your Sock Knitting Into Shape by Chrissy Gardiner Sydwillow Press $24.95 Do you want to make toe up socks that really fit? Do you want to learn about toe up sock construction? Do you want, need, variety in your sock knitting? Look no further than this comprehensive book. Chrissy Gardiner takes you on an in-depth tour of toe-up sock knitting. Using 15 original patterns as her starting point, she adds easy to use worksheets to customize how your socks fit. She discusses a variety of cast-ons, bind-offs toes and heels. An incredibly thorough and engaging book. JM

Buy now at Amazon	Yarn Bombing: The Art of Crochet and Knit Graffiti by Mandy Moore and Leanne Prain Arsenal Pulp Press $19.95 SR=30-54" Ever since I saw my first piece of knit graffiti, I’ve been fascinated. It’s definitely my kind of public art. This book is packed with information, art and interviews on the subject. There are 20 projects from garments to wear while tagging - including the fabulous Knitting Kninja Threads and Switcheroo Sweater - to different style of tags to knit or crochet, including Master Tags.
Then there are all of the words; there are interviews and manifestos, tips and tricks from taggers around the world, including the brilliant ‘What to do if you get caught’. This is an art book that didn’t skimp. 230 pages and easily half of that is really quality photography. You can get your knit on and out, whether you are seasoned tagger or are just along for the ride. JM

Stash Wiz $49.99 through Sept 30 Mac version: top right PC version: bottom right See-through plastic bins and labelmakers can only go so far. Stash Wiz will help you organize your pattern and yarn stash in exacting detail, which means you can know what you have in moments, and find it in your house just as quickly! No, really! For example in the yarn section, in addition to the things you would expect to see - yarn names, manufacturers, gauge, dye lot - you’ll find it asking for where you’re storing your yarn, the shop where you bought it, the pattern you plan to use it with, and a place for scanned photo! Stash Wiz is easy to use, but I do recommend reading the easy-to-use PDF guide which kept me on track to enter my information in the specific order that makes your organization go as smoothly as possible. Check out a demo here - the demo is PC, but Stash Wiz is available for PC and Mac. JM Buy now at Stash Wiz

Buy now at Amazon	Debbie Bliss Tips for Knitters: Stitches and Seams to Finishing Touches by Debbie Bliss Trafalgar Square Books $19.95 A pocket-sized guide to the knitting basics for beginning to intermediate knitters. There are no patterns, which is rare for a Debbie Bliss book of any size. The illustrations and directions are clear and succinct. Most of the techniques you’d expect to see are here: casting on and off, seaming, basic stitches. There are also some techniques usually covered only in bigger books, like seaming and lace edgings. JM

Buy now at Amazon	Noro: Meet the Man Behind the Legendary Yarn Knit 40 Fabulous Designs by Cornelia Tuttle Hamilton Sixth and Spring Books $24.95, hardcover Cornelia Tuttle Hamilton has been lucky enough to design with Noro yarns for over 20 years. This book is celebration of Noro and Hamilton as a Noro designer. The book begins with a history of Noro the man and Noro the yarn company, which are inextricably linked. Fascinating for any fan of Noro yarns is the next section on how the colors are selected and the yarns are made. The book is filled out with a great collection of patterns designed by Hamiltion that are beautiful and timeless, showcasing Noro yarns. JM

Buy now at Amazon	The Joy of Sox: 30+ must-knit designs by Linda Kopp Lark Books $22.95, hardcover over spiral binding Variety is the spice of life and the same can be said for sock patterns. This book has enough variety to keep even the most jaded sock knitter engaged, with 30 patterns designed by 28 designers. There is sock talk and silliness with wink-wink, nudge-nudge innuendo. There are also two great articles on using and making variegated and hand-dyed yarns work for you written by Shannon Okey and Laura Bryant. JM

Buy now at Namaste	Hermosa Bag by Namaste 18" W X 14" H X 7" L $75.00 A huge, HUGE knitting bag, but very useable and not unwieldy in the least. Made of non-PVC faux leather, it’s stiff enough not to sag and 5 feet on the bottom give it structure so it won't fall over when put down. With 8 pockets - 5 outside, 3 inside - there is space to organize smaller things. It pretty much holds most of your stash. I carried a pound cone of yarn, half a sweater, my circular needle case and a book and there was still room for more. There are 3 magnetic closures, so unless you have stuffed it beyond its limit, it will stay closed. Even though it is an extra large bag, it is designed so well that it is comfortable to carry. JM

Buy now at Amazon	Booties, Blankets & Bears: 20 Irresistible Hand Knits for Your Baby by Debbie Bliss Trafalgar Square Books $23.95, hardcover Lovely patterns to give or keep in perfect Debbie Bliss style. Most of the projects can be made in a weekend, and any of the projects can be mixed style-wise to be given as a layette. These are you-can’t-knit-just-one types of patterns, perfect to make and save for future babies. JM

Buy now at Amazon	Men's Knits: 20 New Classics by Erika Knight Potter Craft $21.99 SR=38.5-52" Erika Knight began her career designing menswear. Her understated-yet-contemporary aesthetic is perfect for designing sweaters for men. She starts with classic silhouettes and pushes them, just a little. She retains classic stitches and colors and stretches some in yarn choice by going chunky and super chunky. The book contains 15 sweater patterns and several accessories. The garments are photographed on men of varying ages and sizes, and they work every time. Be sure to look at the author photo at the beginning of the book - the sweaters look great on women, too. JM

Buy now at Amazon	99 Yarns and Counting: More Designs from the Green Mountain Spinnery by Green Mountain Spinnery Cooperative $24.95 Countryman Press SR for adult patterns=34-52" Green Mountain Spinnery is employee owned and operated, spin and dyes their yarns in an eco friendly way, an they use mostly US grown fiber and much of it New England local , they run their business with more than the bottom line in mind. Not to mention their yarn is beautiful, rich in color and natural texture. As a company they started with a single wool yarn and now have - you guessed it - 99 yarns. This books tells the story of the business and yarns, and features patterns to go with them.
There is nothing flashy or twinkly in these patterns. They're 100% natural fiber and 100% wearable sweaters modeled by friends and neighbors. The patterns are more texture than colorwork. The book is loaded with sweaters and just a sprinkle of accessories. They are exactly the type of things you wear every day through the fall and winter and with 30 + patterns you and yours will never be chilly. JM

Buy now at Debra's Garden	Sock/Lace needle size gauge by Debra's Garden $16.00 and up [depending on type of chain or finding] Colors: Hot pink, champagne, wine [shown below in original version, sizes US 0 to 15], black, red, dark blue, lavender, light blue [shown in sock/lace size], dark green, light green, purple, teal. *Amy's note: I wrote this review in 2008 when Debra's original needle gauge came out. Now that she's added a new size to her line, I re-read it and it's all still true. So here it is again! Sometimes people are clever. Debra is such a person. She's created one thing that's actually two things. First, it's a useful needle gauge, in your choice of US, metric or crochet sizes. The markings are lasered into the anodized aluminum surface which means they won't wear off. Second, it's really, really purty. Turn it over and you've got a crazy organic sculpture to hang around your neck as a pendant. Not one of those kitschy "look, I'm a knitter!" things. It's subtle, classy and might one day be the equivalent of a secret knitter's handshake in non-knitting situations. See someone wearing one and you know what they'd rather be doing at the boring meeting you're both stuck in. Functional, lightweight and pretty. I love this thing. BOTH* these things. AS

Buy now at Amazon	400 Knitting Stitches: A Complete Dictionary of Essential Stitch Patterns $18.99 Potter Craft Before Japanese stitch pattern books and designs were all the rage, the most lusted-after stitch books and patterns were French. Everyone had a Pingouin pattern on their needles, and Mon Tricot stitch pattern books were hard to find and prized by all knitters. This book is a translation of a Mon Tricot stitch book. All 400 stitch pattern samples are knit in the same off-white yarn (2-color slipped stitches use black also), which allows your mind to focus on the stitch pattern instead of the yarn. There are a variety of patterns. A third of the book is devoted to cable and twisted stitches, a third to lacy patterns and the final third to slipped and ‘fancy’ stitches. Patterns are both charted and written out. Interestingly I’m seeing more similarity in these stitch patterns to Japanese stitch patterns than British and US patterns. JM

Buy now at Lexie Barnes	Classic Lexie Collection by Lexie Barnes Small: 14.0"W x 10.5"H x 5.0"D, $79 Medium: 18.0"W x 12.0"H x 6.0"D, $99 Large: 23"W x15.0"H x 7.0"D, $119 Shiny and gorgeous, in a completely inter-galactic way. Mr Spock will absolutely beam you up while you’re sporting this bag. Three sizes for all of your hauling needs, all with straps long enough to wear over your shoulder. Those straps are sticky enough to stay put, but not so sticky to pull out your hair (thanks for that!).
I got the supersized chrome one for review. It’s lightweight, completely smooth on the outside and has four pockets of varying sizes and a key clip on the inside. The top opening is huge. It doesn’t matter that the lining is black - when you open the bag the light gets all the way down to the bottom. The best part is this bag's fat bottom. I thought for sure it would fall over when I set it on the floor, but nope, the ballistic nylon bottom is gusseted and really, really resists falling over, which means no yarn spillage. JM

Buy now at Amazon	The Big Book of Socks: The Ultimate Beyond-The-Basics Guide to Knitting Socks by Kathleen Taylor Taunton Press $24.95 A decidedly well-rounded sock book. If you are a beginner, this book will take you from knitting a basic tube sock to any sock you can dream of: top down, toe, up, cables, lace, you name it. If you’re an experienced sock knitter, the 75 sock patterns will keep you busy. All of the patterns are sized for men, women and children, and many are presented in different weight yarns. There is a enough variety style and substance in the patterns that you could fall into your couch as fall begins and get up in the spring with many, many pair of socks. JM

Buy now at Amazon	One More Skein: 30 Quick Projects to Knit by Leigh Radford $19.95 STC Craft / A Melanie Falick Book The follow up to the classic One Skein, this book doesn’t disappoint. Leigh Radford continues her quest to bring creativity to knitting. Patterns are accessories for adults and garments for babies. The patterns are clean without being spare. I love her ability to add richness to simplicity by using unexpected combinations of stitch patterns in a single project. JM

Buy now at Scout's Swag	The KnitKit $19.95 available in black with white tools or white with pink tools This is one of those accessories that the knitting world gets worked up about before we even see it. Just the pictures were enough to make me want one...it looked so handy! I didn't get my hands on a sample until this past June, and in the interim, I heard some not-so-great things about the quality of the parts from hands-on users. So I was determined to give my sample a good workout and see what happened. Nothing happened. I slipped it into my knitting bag when I received it and, the first day, accidentally dropped that not-very-thick bag FOUR TIMES on the concrete sidewalk - the kit was at the very bottom. Trust me, everything inside took a jolt, but the KnitKit was completely unaffected. I also press down the button as I extend the measuring tape, letting go to lock it in place, and it continues to work well for me, just as it should. So if there were quality issues, I see no evidence of them now. Okay, down to the deets: included in this egg-shaped kit are a crochet hook, thread cutter, row counter with lock, measuring tape, foldable scissors, stitch markers and point protectors. The last three are stored in a compartment on the back of the kit. I have all these tools separately, but my kit is about the size of a paperback book, and isn't something I want to drag around with me all the time. The Knitkit is small, and it has the essentials, so it's an easy thing to slip in my bag. Very handy! AS

Buy now at Amazon	Knitted Socks East and West: 30 Designs Inspired by Japanese Stitch Patterns by Judy Sumner $22.50 STC Craft / A Melanie Falick Book 30 sock and sockish patterns inspired and featuring Japanese stitch patterns. All socks are knit from the top down and are written in one size; be sure to check the length and circumference measurements before knitting, some are larger than the average woman’s foot due to stitch repeats and may need to be adjusted to fit. The not-so sock and more-thana sock patterns include tabi socks, legwarmers, yoga socks, leg warmers with a stirrup to keep them in your boots and shoes. These are not patterns for a beginning sock knitters, since some of the socks use multiple and complex stitch patterns, but it is exactly those complex patterns that make these socks so feminine and beautiful. JM

Buy now at Amazon	Reversible Knitting: 50 Brand-New, Groundbreaking Stitch Patterns by Lynne Barr STC Craft / A Melanie Falick Book $29.95 , hardcover Lynne Barr has one of my favorite brains in knitting. She's not afraid to explore, de- and re-construct to hit on something new and inventive. In this book she presents us with new stitches that are reversible – really cool stitches that sometimes take some figuring and a tiny bit of manipulating to accomplish, but they are beautiful, contemporary and addictive.
With these reversible stitches she designs some great patterns, then called up some of the most forward-thinking designers working right now and asks them for some designs. [I’m sure it sounded like this: "Hi Teva, this is Lynne Barr. My knitting brain and I would like you to design something using some reversible stitches I just figured out. You in?”] Well, Teva Durham, Cat Bordhi, Debbie New, Pam Allen, Véronik Avery, Norah Gaughan and others all said yes. The result is inspiring. JM

Buy now at Amazon	Luxe Knits: Couture Designs to Knit & Crochet by Laura Zukaite Lark Books $24.95, hardcover SR= 32-51" Laura Zukaite seems to be popping up everywhere all of a sudden, in patterns for yarn companies, books, magazines and now her own book. Her signature high-fashion style is gorgeous in hardcover. 26 patterns for garments and accessories are grouped into 8 categories, each representing a traditional stitch pattern - mostly knitting, but also freeform crochet. The patterns are for intermediate and experienced knitters, using shaping and a variety of stitch patterns to make modern and timeless garments. ed note: America's Next Top Model fans: That's Naima on the cover! JM

Buy now at Scout's Swag	Sterling Stitch Marker Necklace by Knowknits $36.00 I love the look of sterling, and when it comes to stitch markers, having sterling ones is just too great a treat to pass up, especially when they can double as jewelry! These are simple geometric shapes, all different sizes, that can stay on the black rubber neck cord, or removed one at a time when you need a marker and your tool kit is nowhere to be found. Great for guy knitters, too. Nothing about it screams any gender at all. Extra bonus for those whose names start with "K" -- one of the markers shows your initial! For the rest of us, it probably means "knitter", which is spot on, right? AS

Buy now at Amazon	Silky Little Knits: Luxurious Designs and Accessories in Mohair-Silk Yarns by Alison Crowther-Smith Trafalgar Square Books $24.95 It’s fall do you know where your stash of Kid Silk Haze is? Better find it. This is an entire book of accessory patterns using Kid Silk Haze and Kid Silk Aura. The usual gorgeous suspects are here: lacy shawls and scarves – beautiful but not complex. And there is the unexpected – color blending using multi strands of Kid Silk Haze, and patterns for jewelry and pillows. My favorite patterns are mitts and bed socks paired with knitted frilled gift bags...irresistible. JM

Buy now via Jordana Paige	The Knitter's Satchel™ by Jordana Paige 18" W X 14" H X 7" L $89.00 Jordana Paige has released a new version of their classic Knitter's Satchel: it's pink [with a fabulous lime-green lining]! And they'll donate 10% of the suggested retail price of every pink Satchel to the fight against breast cancer.
We reviewed this bag in 2006 and we still love it -- in fact, we love it more now...because it doesn't plop over on its face any more! Here's what we wrote back then: This is one sexpot of a bag. I carried and used mine as a knitting bag and a purse for a couple of weeks. Everywhere I went, every day, knitters and non-knitters commented on it. "What a cool bag", or simply "Where?" The style is something like Mary Poppins meets Lulu, vintagey, but mod. I love, love, love the clicky grandma's purse closure, and the feet on the bottom that keep it from dragging through what ever is on the floor when you put it down. The straps are that perfect hold it in your hand or over your shoulder length. It has all of the signature Jordana Paige interior elements that help keep your knitting life and that other life organized together, circlets for keeping your yarn from tangling, needle holders, cell phone pocket, and lots of other pockets, including a snap-out zipper pouch for your tiny tools. "But how big is it?" I know you're dying to know. HUGE. I stuffed it full, like I like to do, and here's what I carried easily in it: the back of a vest and the yarn for the front, a scarf project, an Interweave knitting book (8x9"), a legal pad, 4x6" moleskine, digital camera, wallet, phone, and assorted kids toys. JM

Buy now at Amazon	Sensational Slippers: 30 Trendy, Cozy, Dainty, and Practical Designs for Comfy Stylish Feet by Benedikte Rathmann Hansen $17.95 Hardcover Trafalgar Square Books Delightful slipper patterns from Danish felt artist Benedikte Rathmann Hansen will welcome you home at the end of a long day or help you smile with your morning coffee. The patterns are felted, knitted then felted, knitted or crocheted. There is one size per pattern, and include patterns for men, women and children, but the patterns seem easy enough to customize. Many, especially the ones that are made from felt are really constructed to last, down to a leather sole applied after the slipper is finished. The patterns are whimsical, delightful small pleasures. JM

Buy now at Amazon	Cabling 101 with Janet Szabo by Janet Szabo Big Sky Knitting $24.95 DVD Cable expert Janet Szabo isn’t one of those teachers you find teaching somewhere every weekend. When she does come your way, take her classes: she’s so good you will learn to think in cables. She’s made a DVD and now can teach in your living room. Like the title implies, this is a beginner cabler’s DVD. You’ll learn about materials, how different yarns look with cables, how to fix cable mistakes, how to knit several kinds of cables, and how to cable without a cable needle.
The DVD uses up-close images presented at different speeds so you can knit right along. I love knitting cables and learned quite a bit. I have always ripped my work back entirely to fix any mistakes in cables because the directions in books didn’t make sense. Watching Janet on the DVD gave me one of those wonderful 'duh' moments and now I can fix cables without ripping half of a sweater. She presents her cable lessons in an enthusiastic, patient teaching style of an expert and passionate knitter. JM

Buy now at Amazon	Natural Nursery Knits: 20 Handknit Projects for the New Baby by Erika Knight St. Martin’s Griffin $22.99 Beautiful natural colors and natural yarns and basic stitches are the basis for this book. Not only are there patterns for garments, but the makings to outfit an entire nursery: blankets, rattles, mobile, a soaker, hats. The entire package of this book is splendid. The photography is light and serene with scenes that seem just vacated, the paper matte and slightly textured. A beautiful book. JM

Buy now at Amazon	The Alchemy of Color Knitting: The Art and Technique of Mastering Exquisite Palettes by Gina Wilde Potter Craft $24.95 SR=32-52" Gina Wilde appreciates color as holistic. She includes everything in her exploration of color – from big history to world folklore to the specifics of the effect of a stitch pattern on color and the effect of color on emotion. This book teaches her personal approach to color and color knitting. She starts with an in-depth discussion of color in strict definition using a color wheel and in what color means to her. She breaks color into three sections Monochromatic Color, Multicolor and the Effect of Hue, Value and Intensity, she teaches a brief overview, then more specifically and intensely in her introductions to patterns that represent each color lesson. The patterns are exactly Gina’s style, graceful and feminine, nothing trendy, and the colors are mouthwatering. Even the lightest colors have depth. You can use this book as just patterns to knit or as a transformational learning tool. JM

Buy now at Amazon	HatHeads: 1 Man + 2 Knitting Needles = 50 Fun Hat Designs by Trond Anfinnsen Watson Guptill $22.95 Hat Heads wonderfully embodies friendship and the spirit of knitting. Stories and pattern sare included for 50 of the 200 hats Tron Afinnsen designed and knit for his friends and family. The basic hat design is a beanie. The designs, thought and individuality behind each of them is anything but basic. All of the hats are photographed on their inspirees/recipients, accompanied by a story of inspiration - how every detail reflects each distinctive personality, making each the ultimate knitted gift. JM

Buy now at Amazon	The Harmony Guides: Knit Edgings & Trims by Kate Haxell, Editor Interweave Press $19.95 This book is the perfect complement when you just feel like knitting stockinette or garter stitch, but you want your finished piece to look anything but ordinary. 150 edgings, most knit lengthwise and applied to knitting, would make the simplest hat or blanket sparkle. I have several baby gifts to make in a short period of time and I’m thinking they’ll all be sporting a trim or two from this book. p.s the edgings make great headbands or wristbands and ribbons for gifts too. JM

Buy now at Amazon	Design It, Knit It: Secrets from the Designer's Studio by Debbie Bliss Sixth and Spring Books $24.95, hardcover over spiral binding SR=32-48" Debbie Bliss has the perfect simple style to teach knitters who are branching out from just knitting to designing or adding style or shape to others’ patterns. Debbie Bliss breaks down her design philosophy into 5 sections each with 3 patterns illustrating the techniques she employs. She discusses body shaping, color, texture, designing for kids and detail all with the practicality, simplicity and expertise to give a fledgling designer confidence. JM

Buy now at Nancy's Knit Knacks	DP Wip Tubes™ by Nancy's Knit Knacks 2 tubes per package, plus a bonus DP tube $6.50
As a rabid sock knitter, and avowed DPN-user, this is an absolutely indispensible part of my knitting toolkit. Sock knitting is incredibly portable, but there are always a couple of things I worry about when I'm taking my project out of my bag: I might break or lose a needle, or stitches might fall off the needles. These simple little cardboard tubes have changed my life: I just slide them over my DPNs before I put my knitting away. Genius. The tube keeps your knitting and needles all tucked up together, nice and safe. No fear of losing a needle, or dropping stitches. And it's useful no matter what sort of needles you use. It protects fragile bamboo and wooden needles from breaking, and spares your bags and your hands from the points of your metal needles. And when you finish the project in transit, you have a safe place to store the needles until you get home. The tubes are extendable (from 5 to 10 inches ), so that no matter what your preference of needle length, you're accommodated. And they come in sets of two...because no one is ever knitting just one project. KA

Buy now at Amazon	Interweave Presents Knitted Gifts: Irresistible Projects to Make & Give by Ann Budd Interweave Press $21.95 30 eclectic patterns to knit and give. The title says "gifts", but who says you can’t gift yourself? These little projects are also great teaching and learning tools with a variety of knitting levels and techniques. The patterns are of that earthy modern style that Ann Budd and Interweave have come to characterize. There are socks, pillows, scarves - mostly projects for women but there is something for men, kids and babies, even a mouse toy for cats. The stand out pattern for me are the wonderful slippers by Marta McCall who makes magic with color. JM

Buy now at Amazon	Knit One, Bead Too: Essential Techniques for Knitting with Beads by Judith Durant Storey Publishing $18.95, hardcover SR: 32 – 52" This book is the most comprehensive guide to knitting with beads I have yet seen. I don’t think there is a method of adding beads to your knitting that is not in here. There are many beautiful photographs to help you see the different kinds of beads, yarns, threads and tools required. The tips on how to avoid “bias skew” and threading beads of different colors while following a chart alone are worth the price of this book.
The instructions are so complete that even my severe lack of three dimensional thinking did not keep me from feeling like I could take any chart of my choosing and make a perfect knitted reproduction. I also loved the tips on how to fix beading mistakes, a must for projects where you thread all the beads before you start knitting. The projects for each technique start small and simple so you can try it before tackling the larger complicated pieces. There are hats, gloves, scarves, purses, sweaters, socks, and more. I was intrigued by the coasters that were adapted from miniature oriental carpets. I could imagine finding more patterns to adapt and making a whole bunch, each one unique. I would also love to make and wear the black gloves with the beaded diamond pattern on the back of the hand. KG

Buy now at Amazon	Knits from the North Sea: Lace in the Shetland Tradition by Carol Rasmussen Noble + Margaret Leask Peterson Martingale & Company $27.99 I love lace and this is a lovely collection of lacy things to knit. The patterns go from quite easy, for the newbie, to challenging, for those who need more excitement to satisfy their lace needs. For those who need it, there are some very good drawings to help illustrate the trickier techniques. The patterns include scarves, triangles, stoles and squares. I loved that some of the items were smaller projects and some were quite large which meant that you could find whatever project you were in the mood for. I’ve already started swatching Margaret’s Starry Night Scarf which would make a lovely gift. And I’m lusting after Carol’s Alice Maud Stole which has a vintage stitch pattern named after Queen Victoria ’s second daughter combined with a traditional border stitch called Queen’s Edge. KG

Buy now at Knitting Out Loud	Mason-Dixon Knitting Outside the Lines and Stories From the Nation's Leading Bi-regional Knitting Blog written and read by Kay Gardiner + Ann Shayne $19.95 Audio CDs This is the perfect book to make into an audio book or maybe Kay and Ann are just the perfect audio people. Listening to the CD, you don’t miss the patterns, especially if you know they’re already sitting on your shelf. Kay and Ann speak just like you want them to: one with a little New York, one with a little twang, but both with a welcoming tone. On this recording, Ann and Kay include selections from their blog, bringing their lively stories to life! These two are the best of knitting friends and they invite you in to share their funny stories and joy of knitting. JM

Buy now at Knitting Out Loud	The Secret Language of Knitters written and read by Mary Beth Temple $14.95 Audio CD If you listen to this book, you will smile and nod and mostly likely laugh out loud. Mary Beth Temple uses a knitting dictionary style recitation of knitting terms to shed light on the hidden life of knitters. Don’t get me wrong - she gives factual definitions to knitting terms, abbreviations and phrases, but it’s the asides that are snort-worthy. For example: as an aside to the Seam definition, "no matter how many times you’ve read the Harry Potter series, the house elves are unlikely to arrive in the night and do your seaming for you". JM

Buy now at Leslie Wind	Cable Needle Necklace [left] Flame Eye Needles [below] Jewelry by Leslie Wind Cable needle necklace, 2" long X 2 1/2" wide, $40 Needle small, 3”, $20; medium 3”, $30; large 4”, $35. Cable needle necklace Beautiful and useful, the cable/necklace is a brilliant idea. It’s smooth and didn’t snag on any yarn I tried. It’s pointy, but not sharp. No one that hugged me got impaled while I was wearing it. It comes on a length-adjustable waxed cotton cord, so you don’t have to remove the necklace to use it, and it won’t fall off of the arm of the couch. Made of bronze and polished to a dull warm shine, the cable needle necklace is a unique gift to give yourself.
Large-eyed Needle Smooth and weighty beautiful beyond utilitarian use, these needles made weaving in ends a pleasure. Polished to a high shine, they didn’t snag on my yarn and have a wonderful balance. You can have a needle made to your specifications in sterling/bronze or copper/bronze, and with a bent or straight tip. A lovely indulgence.

Buy now at CJKoho Designs	AKate 45 by CJKoho Designs $70 for 3-rod, Red Oak version [top left] $73 for 4-rod, Red Oak $85 for 3-rod, Maple [bottom left] $88 for 4-rod, Maple This is a fantastic lazy kate. It solves two big problems that I have when plying from the kates I already own: creeping and tangling. This is a fat-bottomed kate. She has it going on weight-wise (3 lbs.) and she has sticky little feet, so where ever you put her down she stays. There is no going along plying only to have your kate creep up and suddenly knock on your wheel. Made by the crafty husband of a skilled and experienced spinner, the 45 part of the Kate 45 is the angle of perfection, the angle that won’t tangle - the angle of her removable brass rods. I have yet to get a tangle while plying with this kate. The angle keeps the bobbins at just enough tension to ply with real control. JM

Buy now at Amazon	All New Homespun Handknit: 25 Small Projects to Knit with Handspun Yarn by Amy Clarke Moore Interweave Press $22.95 Knitting spinners rejoice! This project has been whispered about for years in spinning circles. 25 knitting projects using handspun yarn, and all of the projects request that you please engage your brain. Not astronomically hard, but most are intermediate level knitting and up. And why not? Sometimes a pattern should reflect the depth of thinking that goes into creating yarn. Plus, none of the projects are large: hats, shawls, mittens, kids and baby sweaters. The projects would be lovely in commercial yarn too, but the use of yarn spun with the intention of each particular project makes them extra beautiful. Be sure to peek at Kathryn Alexander’s energized-single coin purse and the team of Judith McKenzie McCuin and Nancy Bush’s bison lace scarf. JM

Buy now at Schacht	Schacht Niddy Noddy Folded dimensions: 13-1/2" long x 10" wide x 1" high $69 maple $71 cherry An adjustable niddy noddy is a brillant tool. I wonder why no one has made one before? When I laid hands on the new Schacht Niddy Noddy, I instantly knew why. It’s one of those tools that sounds simple, but is very hard to pull off well.
Schacht pulls this off with their usual excellence. First, it’s beautiful; it comes in either maple or cherry wood. It’s easy and intuitive to use. The niddy noddy can wind a 1.5 or 2 yard skein – there is no doubt how and where to adjust the telescoping shaft. As a bonus, the mechanism that makes it adjustable makes it really easy to remove your skeins. It has a big handle, First I thought it was too much, just a design feature, but it’s comfortable, ergonomic, and helps to balance the niddy noddy when you’re winding on. Like all things that Schacht does, it’s well thought out and just right. JM

Buy now at Interweave	Start Spinning by Maggie Casey with Eunny Jang Interweave Press $34.99 This dvd is thorough overview of beginning spinning starring the guru of new spinners, Maggie Casey. This is a companion to her book of the same name but you don’t need the book to happily learn from the video. In the dvds, Maggie walks novice spinner Eunny Jang through learning to spin on a wheel. Through 2 hour+ dvds, she teaches her about fiber, spinning wheels, plying, finishing, carding and different spinning techniques. Maggie’s teaching style is gentle, a ‘just go ahead and do it, don’t over think it’ attitude. Eunny really doesn’t know how to spin and asks great questions. This creates an organic flow to the dvds and leads to many asides that aren’t in the Start Spinning book. One of the best parts of the dvd is when Eunny shouts out, “It looks like yarn!” That’s what it’s all about, isn’t it? JM

Buy now at Amazon	Productive Spindling by Amelia Garripoli Ask the Bellwether $18.00 A useful little book for all spindle spinners. An especially good book for beginning ‘I could never spin on a spindle’ spinners. This book is packed with tips for spindle spinning in general and how to spin a quantity of yarn on a spindle in particular. I especially liked the discussion about consistency in spinning and winding on leading to a more packed spindle, as well as the very helpful section on plying with spindles. JM

Buy now at Amazon	Spin Dye Stitch: How to Create and Use Your Own Yarns by Jennifer Claydon Northlight Books $24.99 An inspirational book that give a good basic overview of spinning and dyeing, and 10 projects that use your new yarn. If you think that creating your own yarn is complex, take a look through this book, it walks you through materials and tools to get yourself started spinning on a spindle or a wheel. Want your own colors of fiber to spin? That’s in here too, with several different methods to choose from. There is also a lovely gallery of handspun yarn to inspire your future dyeing and spinning. JM

Buy now at Schacht	Schahct Mini Cards $49.00 I have discovered the perfect accessory for your spindle: Schacht mini cards. Using the same 72 psi cloth and curved back as their full-size wool cards, these little gems slip easily into your spinning bag. Mine are tucked into a little larger than usual spindle bag, along with some silk , angora and merino – spinning from fresh rolags on the go is nearly decadent. JM
Looking for fiber reviews? They're on their own page, right here!

Crochet Adorned: Reinvent Your Wardrobe with Crocheted Accents, Embellishments, and Trims by Linda Permann Potter Craft $24.95 Adorable ways to spiff up your wardrobe with a little crochet.	Bend the Rules with Fabric: Fun Sewing Projects with Stencils, Stamps, Dye, Photo Transfers, Silk Screening, and More by Amy Karol Potter Craft $21.95 Infectious joy in painting ,stamping, dyeing, silk screening fabric projects.
Quilting for Peace : Make the World a Better Place One Stitch at a Time by Katherine Bell STC Craft / A Melanie Falick Book $19.95, harcover Fifteen quilting projects, information about 25 charity groups comforting those in need.	Crochet Edgings & Trims by Kate Haxell Interweave Press, $19.95 Perfect finishing touches for crochet or knitting projects.
Knitted Wire Jewelry by Samantha Lopez Northlight Books $22.99 Much more jewelry making than knitting: the techniques are tricky, but the results are sublime.	Sakura kokeshi doll by Knitwhits kit: $21 pattern only: $5.50 kit shown in rose; also available in aqua more adorableness from Knitwhits!
i knit monster rubber stamp by vozamer $3.50 stamp out non-knitting everywhere!	knit me something by wearthou $30 ooh, shiny!
mitten blockers by succaplokki $22 made from recycled plastic! in finland! separate thumb blockers included! [i think these are neat.]	knitting magnets by jlyarnworks $4 set of 3, no knitting required
double rabbity hand-carved Lazy Kate by peanutga11ery1 price varies by design celtic, atomic, piratey, mermaidy...or custom!	knitter's labels in ultrasuede by rememberwynn $20.00 set -- 36-66 labels, depending on size chosen
Bluebird shawl pin Pennanular spiral shawl pin by Designs by Romi prices vary with metal chosen Beautifully hand wrought by a master artist. Each piece holds your knitwear in place and does it beautifully. [The spiral above is my favorite, sez Amy]	Treble clef stick pin
1 dozen mothaway sachets by stonycreek $13.50	Two Plus Yarn Equals Love set by ouou $9 for four cards
white balance lens cap available at Photojojo $45-65 depending on model of camera if you don't adjust your white balance, you need to. this is the most brilliant product ever.	Bend the Rules Gift Labels by amy karol $12.99 flipping adorable. Labels say things like "I made this, just so you know. So don't say anything mean about it."
Happy Hands Goats Milk Honey Hand Creme for Knitters by LocalGringos $9.958oz Cinnamon Cider scent [others available]	Buttons of every description by Durango Button Company wholesale only...contact them to find a retailer near you.
Mountain poster by Caitlin Keegan $25 12 x 18" high-quality digital print signed and numbered, limited edition of 50
	Sig'nits kit [shown at left] with 6 charms and crochet hook $22.95 clever idea..tiny knit-in-able charms that sign your work for you and stay with the item forever. tons of different designs to choose from. tiny ladybug is knit into sample above
Writer's Oasis by Levenger $98 made of cherry, folds for storage	Editor's favorite tool: Reading desks like these [left, below] are meant to lift your laptop off your lap or hold books at a comfortable angle for reading. Amy uses a stand like this to angle her laptop more ergonomically on her desk. Easier on the wrists and it brings the monitor closer to eye level. Brada by IKEA $2.49 steel, cheep + cheerful

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