by Jillian Moreno, Amy R Singer, Carla Kohoyda-Inglis, Katherine Ganzel

TNNA -- the National NeedleArts Association -- is the the organization that most of the knitting companies who make stuff we love with belong to. Manufacturers of yarn, knitting needles, bags, all sorts of accessories, publishers of knitting books and magazines, designers and distributors gather twice a year to show and see what's new in the industry. Knitty has just returned from the big fall show in Columbus, Ohio, and in this edition of Cool Stuff, you get to see what we liked best from the show, fresh from the show floor.

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.

Jump to... Quick Picks • New in Paperback • Spinning

Knitting Mochimochi: 20 Super-Cute Strange Designs for Knitted Amigurumi
by Anna Hrachovec
Watson-Guptill
$19.99

I've loved the work of Anna Hrachovec, the queen of Mochimochi Land, for a very long time. Back in Fall 2007, Knitty proudly published Anna's Woodins pattern, little sprites that live in a hollow log. Since that time, Anna has continued to create a huge collection of improbable knitted beings, each more adorable than the last.

This book? This book made me squeal out loud. The graphic design is perfectly coordinated with Anna's knitted creatures. As I turned each page, there was a new treat to look at, a tidbit to read. Anna has packed every single page with adorableness. The 20 super-cute projects are exactly as advertised: super-cute. Pigs with wigs! Adorable smokestacks [this is not a typo]! A couch with eyes! A moose that thinks it's a bird! Plus the cuteness of the hippo on the cover...he's a slipper! And so much more. Every project is brand new, not seen before on her site. And they're all delightful.

This book will teach you what you need to know to knit toys [it's a little different than knitting garments] in a friendly way, and will even help you design your own knitted toy!

I absolutely adore this book.

AS

New England Knits: Timeless Knitwear with a Modern Twist
by Cecily Glowik MacDonald and Melissa LaBarre
Interweave Press
$24.95
SR=34”-52”

I love this book so much that I’d like to do a swan dive right into its pages and come out with 6 or 8 sweaters magically and beautifully knit in my size. Instead I will knit from this book, a lot. The sweaters are knittable and wearable and the construction and details so interesting that they will make you smile. The Hampton Cardigan, Brattleboro Hat, Greenfield Cardigan and Salem Hooded Jacket will be on my needles this late summer/fall.

Every July or August, there is a book that comes out that makes everyone wish it was fall already. This year it’s this book.

JM

The Knitgrrl Guide to Professional Knitwear Design: How to Keep Your Knits About You
by Shannon Okey
Cooperative Press
$22.95

This book is groundbreaking. Everything you need to know, and much more, about the knitwear design industry is contained in its pages. It's a fascinating read, whether you want to design or not. In fact, I think anyone who has ever bought a knitting pattern should read this book.

The first 11 chapters contain information it usually takes designers years to learn -- years of trial and lots of error. It's valuable and it's interesting, and much of it is useful for creative businesspeople in the digital age, whether you design or not. Topics covered include the essential starting point, professionalism, and go on to cover the business side of things, legal matters, writing patterns, making sales, proposals and publishing, advertising, professional associations and how to stand out.

Wool Toys and Friends: Step-by-Step Instructions for Needle-Felting Fun
by Laurie Sharp
Creative Publishing International
$19.99, hardcover

This book fully illustrates how easily I could become addicted to needle felting. The projects are small and adorable. Why yes, I do need a mushroom house sitting on my desk, or perhaps a sheep finger puppet to help me get through my workday.

The how-to makes it doable, shown step by step, it’s written and shot plainly – that is to say clearly: no confusing photos, all against a solid backdrop, no breed-specific wool, just fiber and a needle.

The intro portion of tools and felting basics is just enough information, moving quickly into the projects. Both solid needle felt and needle felt formed over forms – like for hand puppets – are shown. Maybe I want a felted matryoshka doll, because she’d be friends with the felted sock monkey I’ve already started.

JM

Power Cables: The Ultimate Guide to Knitting Inventive Cables
by Lily M. Chin
Interweave Press
$24.95
SR= 35”-47”

Every knitter knows that Lily Chin never does ‘just basic’ anything. In this book even the ‘intro’ to cables, shows cabling without a cable needle and Lily’s own, intriguing, cable charting system.

From there your brain and knitting go on a cable rocket ride. With increasing complexity, she takes you through her unique approach to reversible cables, creating unique cables, multicolor cables, brioche cables and designing a garment with cables. It sounds like a lot, and it is. It’s Lily’s experience in teaching that keeps this book from being overwhelming. She has the skill to get you to really visualize how cables work and flow.

There are 30 stitch patterns listed throughout the book and 15 original patterns for garments and a variety of accessories.

JM

The Sock Knitter's Workshop: Everything Knitters Need to Knit Socks Beautifully
by Ewa Jostes and Stephanie van der Linden
Watson-Guptil Publications
$19.99

When I first started knitting, I was fearless. If there was something I wanted to try, I jumped in with both feet. My first pair of socks was a disaster. Fortunately, my local yarn shop had a sock maven and when I took my pitiful first attempt in, she explained to me what I had done wrong and how to fix it.

Now that I have less time (and less sass), my knitting has become the tool I use to unwind. While I absolutely love to knit socks, I have a plain vanilla pattern that I’ve knit hundreds of times and can whip up without thinking much. The Sock Knitter’s Workshop has inspired me step off my comfort path and step into an alternate sock universe. In addition to the beginning sock knitters section there are sections devoted to the three major parts of a sock: cuffs, heels, and toes.

Each section provides a multitude of ways to knit the particular part you are working on. For instance, I usually use the paired-decrease toe for my vanilla socks. I’m itching to try out the spiral and star toe versions provided in Workshop.

Before this book, I knit one pair of socks from the toes up – and hated them. Didn’t like knitting them, didn’t like wearing them. The comprehensive section on toe-up socks in this book is making me re-think the whole issue. There’s even a section of patterns for those of us who don’t want to think too much about it, but want to try something new – mother & daughter matching socks, wee baby socks, complicated pattern socks – they’re all here. Plus, you’ll get dozens of charts telling you how many inches to knit for your gauge and whatever size sock you need.

If you’re an experienced sock knitter in a rut, this book is for you. If you’re a new sock knitter or haven’t knit socks because you’re afraid, this book is for you too. (Also, if you’re afraid, take the plunge. If you’ve knit a sweater, you have all the tools in your kit to knit socks. Give it a go!)

CK-I

EatSmart Precision Pro Digital Kitchen Scale
$25

Are there still fiber folks out there that don’t have or use a scale?
This silvery beauty can help you in ways you can’t imagine. The buttons work smoothly, no sticking. It has the high holy of scale features – tare – letting you subtract the weight of any container you're using to hold your fiber or yarn.

It'll weigh up to 11 pounds, which is a small fleece. Will weigh in grams or ounces, kilograms or pounds. An electric scale lets you weigh dye powder (don’t use it for food after that), fiber, yarn. My most frequent uses are to figure out when I’m halfway through a giant ball of yarn for socks and when I’m knitting shawls; I stop knitting and start binding off when I have between 5%-10% of the total weight of the ball left, no more running out of yarn.

Ori Ami Knits
by Olga Buraya-Kefelian and Vanessa Yap-Einbund
Digital and printed, $30
Digital only, $24
SR= 32”-50”

From the designer that bought us Zinzin comes a whole book from the creative mind that could construct such a piece with elegant precision.

Ori Ami Knits is a book full of patterns with imaginative construction and detail. All of the patterns are made from Habu yarn and are simple enough to show these exquisite yarns to their best effect, but are still well-designed pieces. There is attention to detail in every pattern, shaping, fit and the quirky extras.

Think Outside the Sox: 50 Winning Patterns from the Knitter's Magazine Contest
Elaine Rowley, Editor
XRX Books
$24.95

The scope of this book makes me exhausted as a regular person, but it makes the knitter in me excited.

From 296 entries in Knitter’s Magazine’s Think Outside the Sox contest here are patterns for 50 of the best, as judged by Cat Bordhi, Lucy Neatby and Sandi Rosner. Whatever your sock pleasure you’ll find it here: colorwork, texture, embellishment, hand dyeing, and even things you’ve never considered in a sock before. A truly creative endeavor.

JM

Design It, Knit It: Babies
by Debbie Bliss
Sixth & Spring Books
$24.95, hardback over spiral

Debbie Bliss has been designing for as long as I have been knitting. Some of my fondest knitting memories are knitting her baby patterns as gifts for my friends’ babies.

In my mind she remains one of the best designers of kids knitwear. Her style is unfussy, yet there’s always a twist that elevates it from the ordinary. In this latest how-to-design book, she discusses all of the aspects that go into making a great baby sweater: yarn choice, shape, colorwork, special occasion knits, embellishments, hats, mittens, socks and an entire chapter on preemies. In addition she includes 18 patterns made from her gorgeous luxury yarns.

JM

Dévoré: For Weavers & Knitters
by Anne Field
Trafalgar Square
$29.95

Dévoré is the process used to burn out section of cloth leaving behind a pattern in the fabric – think of the hugely popular velveteen leaf patterned scarves from the 1990s.

Even though Anne Field is known as a weaver, this book is more about the dévoré process on fabric than it is about weaving or knitting.

Its size is substantial-yet-compact. About the size of a paperback book, but narrower, it has dedicated space for almost anything. Below you'll see the cavernous space for paper money. In front is a zippered compartment for loose change that runs the width of the wallet. In front of that is a slimmer compartment that I found handy for storing receipts.

You can clearly see the card section [below left], easily accessible in the widest part of the wallet. It holds 6 cards. I found the card spaces tight at first; they loosened up with use. Behind that section is another wide compartment that can hold additional id, library cards, stamps.

This thing is elegant and spacious. It's substantial and well built. As with all Namaste products, it's made from vegan materials. You could make this your stand-alone carry about for daily errands, or slip it into your purse and know everything you need is with you.

AS

Color Knitting the Easy Way: Essential Techniques, Perfect Palettes, and Fresh Designs Using Just One Color at a Time
by Melissa Leapman
Potter Craft
$22.99
SR=35.5" to 52" for women and 39" to 61" for men.

I love it when a knitting book is the perfect book for an absolute beginner but still manages to give useful information and tips to experienced knitters who feel like they’ve done it all. Beginners will find everything they need to tackle knitting with more than color without fear of mistakes. Dealing with tails, “color jog” when knitting in the round, and uneven numbers of striped rows are all typical problems that are addressed in an easy to understand way.  She has included a treasury of stitch patterns that shows how the simple use of stripes can be manipulated into many different patterns and textures. And then there are the patterns for men, women, children and accessories which showcase the various techniques. One of the things Melissa does best is toshow alternate colorways for each of the patterns.  This allows your imagination to take over and consider all the possibilities of how to make the pattern truly yours.
 

Gifted: Lovely Little Things to Knit and Crochet
by Mags Kandis
Interweave Press
$24.95

Gifted is a book full of the charming, inviting accessory patterns that Mags Kandis is known for. It’s also the type of book that made me start a mental list of giftees as I flipped through.

There are 37 projects– 24 knitted, 7 crochet, 3 felted from a thrifted sweater, 3 sewn from purchased felt, and 4 recipes that also make wonderful gifts.

None of the patterns are complicated or take much time, but the combination of stitch, yarn and color choices make them remarkable. My favorites are the Felted Milagro Hearts on the cover [I want to make a pile and hand them out to everyone I know]; the Bevy of Bangles will add just the right amount of texture and color to my wardrobe; the Felted Egg Cozies make me smile; and the Ruby Foo Baby Cap may become my new go-to new baby gift.

JM

Phoebe's Sweater
by Joanna Johnson; Eric Johnson, Illustrator  
Slate Falls Press
$18.95, hardcover

A sweet book full of the love a knitted sweater can bestow. As Phoebe’s mother gets ready for a bab,y she knits Phoebe a new sweater. When the baby finally comes after Phoebe spends special time with her father, mother and grandparents, Phoebe is wrapped in her new sweater and the love that comes with it.

The illustrations in this book are superb, rich and textured with the kind of detail that young children love to explore. There is a pattern for Phoebe’s sweater in child and doll sizes and a pattern to knit a Phoebe doll.

JM

In the Loop: Knitting Now
by Jessica Hemmings
Sixth and Spring Books
$39.95

What is knitting today? How is it used, what does it mean? Based on a conference at the Wincehester School of Art in 2008, In the Loop gives a variety of answers to those questions.

In the Loop is an excellent collection of thoughtful essays detailing knitting in art, activism, history and everyday life. The book is divided into four parts: Rethinking Knitting, Narrative Knits, Site and Sight: Activist Knitting and Progress: Looking Back. Not one pattern here, just millions of stitches and the thoughts that bind them.

JM

The Complete Photo Guide to Knitting   
by Margaret Hubert
Creative Publishing International
$24.95

A book for beginning knitters that's full of photos of the basics for getting started in knitting from casting on to lace, cables and color work. There are over 200 stitch patterns for the new knitters to try and several patterns featuring the new skills they’ve learned.

What stands out about this book is a section called Specialty Knitting Methods that touches on one-piece knitting, top-down knitting, entrelac, freeform, crazy lace knitting [pattern by Myra Wood], knitting with beads, intarsia [pattern by Sasha Kagan], twined knitting [pattern by Beth Brown-Reinsel] and Ouroborus knitting [pattern by Debbie New].

JM

1,000 Fabulous Knit Hats
by Annie Modesitt
Quarry Books
$25.00

A book full of knitting inspiration. It’s true that there are only 10 patterns written out from start to finish, but there are 990 more hats to glean great ideas from. The hats have been gathered from knitters all over the world, knit and photographed by each knitter.

The full gamut of creativity is on display here – from yarn choice, to pattern and stitch design to model and location choice. The book is divided into types of hats: beret, bucket, cloche, sculptural, baby, etc. The top 10 patterns, selected by the author, are the 10 patterns included in this book.

JM

Row counter/cutter
by Debra's Garden
1 1/4" in diameter
$40.00

Debra's Garden is an innovator in functional knitting jewelry, and this new addition, the row counter/cutter is a lovely addition to the existing line of needle gauges.

Made of the same lovely [and very lightweight!] anodized aluminum as the needle gauges, it's decorated at front with a Swarovski crystal. You could absolutely wear it as jewelry on a long chain [so that you can read the numbers]. It'd work equally well as a zipper pull, key chain -- just about anything that keeps it close at hand.

The small dial counts from 0 to 9. The larger dial counts in tens, from 10 through 90, and pleasingly clicks from position to position. At the bottom, you see a larger divot and it's there for a reason. Turn the gear-shaped dial to 50, and a quilting-quality rotary cutter blade is fully exposed so you can snip your yarn without digging for scissors.

I wondered if the blade could nick you accidentally. I'm not sure how it could. If you place your finger along the outside edge of the counter, you feel nothing -- just an open space because the blade is recessed. I wouldn't let kids play with it, but I can't see hurting myself with average daily use.

Debra tells me they intentionally made the pendant this size so they could use this easily replaceable blade. Just loosen the screw at the back and you can [first] rotate the blade to give you access to a fresh, sharp portion. Later, once you've used up the whole blade, the screw will allow you to remove the blade and replace it. Blades are available at most craft stores or quilt shops.

It's an elegant tool.

AS

Ice Tote Sailcloth Tote Bag - Gray, Lavender and Violet
by RAGGEDedge
13" x 6" x 12"
$85.00
[other sizes, shapes and colors available]

Sails are big white pieces of canvas that make boats go, right? Not even close, not any more. Sure, there is still white sail material, but it's in Dacron [aka polyester], not canvas. But there are other new materials that are really strong, lightweight and durable, designed to handle the stress of weather and competitive sailing. And the people at RAGGEDedge decided they'd make really cool bags out of it.

It's called industrial laminate sailcloth, and this stuff is super neat. It won't absorb water, smells or dirt, and if you do get it dirty, you can rinse it or -- shocking! -- throw it in the washer.

This bag is crispy. It holds its shape, yet is very light. They say that with use, it will soften and become supple like a pair of denim jeans. The bag may not have been designed for knitters, but I think that makes it even cooler. The zippers are heavy-duty marine grade and won't corrode. The front pocket has a gusset at the bottom, so it'll hold a good number of small tools securely.

The straps have a 9" drop, which I can wear comfortably on my shoulder. Sizewise, this bag would hold almost any sweater-in-progress, or a smaller project with a laptop.

Nautical or not, this bag is eyecatching and functional.

AS

Signature circular needles
by Signature Needle Arts
Available in US 5/3.75mm, US 6/4.00mm, and US 7/4.5mm
Needle lengths: 4, 5 or 6"
Cord lengths: 20, 24, 32, 40, 47" [custom lengths available, depending on needle length]
Available in middy or stiletto point
$40.00

These needles are absolutely the finest needles I have ever knit with.

It's hard to get your head around circular needles that cost about double what the average pair of high-quality needles cost. Until you knit with them. For me, the number one reason to be in love is in the picture below -- the join. It is completely seamless. My knitting slides over the join as if it wasn't there, in either direction. The amount of cumulative stress a knitter's hands must endure from working knitted stitches across a not-smooth circular needle join, I can't even begin to imagine. As someone who's recovering from Repetitive Stress Injuries [RSI], removing any resistance to easy knitting is actually a health benefit for me, not just a pleasure.

What about the rest of the needle? Well, they're of the same caliber as the already beloved Signature straights. Our review of those needles is here [about halfway down the page]. As with the straights, the anodized aluminum needle body is lightweight but very very strong.

There are three different needle lengths. Why would you want these? Well, the first thing I knit was a simple swatch. For comfort, I reached for the 5" needle, which came on a 24" long cord. It's a great all-purpose size. The 5" gives my reasonably small hands more than enough to hang on to as I work.

Then I cast on for a baby dress. This time, I used the 4" needle on the 20" cord [remember that the needle length is included in the cord length, so the cord is actually only 12" long]. The shorter needle in this case made knitting the small circumference baby dress a breeze. Knitting with slippery cotton, these needles are not too slippery to use with comfort.

Because I can't knit with wool, I took them to my LYS for a woolly test drive with the knitters in attendance. The majority of knitters loved working with them for the same reasons I've mentioned. A few tried using them to magic loop and found that they had to work harder to move stitches from the silver segment [the part that attaches to the needle] onto the needle itself. Those knitting flat or in the round had no such trouble.

I'd use the 6" needle length when I need to keep more stitches on a needle, perhaps for a section of cables or lace. I think this aspect of needle selection comes down to personal preference, just like everything else about choosing your knitting tools. If you have a circular needle you particularly like using, measure the needle portion and use that as a starting place to choose your Signature needle size.

The final element is the cord, and it's great. It's substantial without being rigid or kinky. It is well matched to the size of the needle [which is likely why they just offer three sizes of these needles at the moment] and moving your knitting around it is easy as pie.

There's no question that these needles are an extravagance, but now having knit with them, I understand why they cost what they do and feel they're worth it. If you have the opportunity to try a friend's pair, or sample them at an upcoming fiber event, do.

AS

Twist & Knit: A Dozen Knitted Patterns for Handspun, Hand-dyed and One-of-a-kind Yarns
by Miriam L. Felton
Cooperative Press
$20.00

Do you have yarns that you are saving for something special? And yarns that you are saving because you are sure there isn’t enough to make something perfect? This perfectly beautiful book solves those problems for you. Twist & Knit is written to use every bit of your yarns, without running out, making beautiful lace accessories. Most of the 12 patterns in the book are knit and shown in a handspun yarn and a commercial equivalent.

The author designed the book herself, so she uses the amount of space she deems right for all portions of the book. For example, she uses 16 pages to explain and show a variety of excellent cast-ons and bind-offs specifically for lace. It’s excellent and allowed me to see exactly where I’d been going wrong with my provisional cast-on for years, and taught me at least two cast ons I’d never used. 

Satin Hands fragrance-free pampering set
by Mary Kay
$34.00US | $51.00CDN

I first encountered this magical set of products at my LYS where the shop owner was a fan. After my first treatment, I was hooked.

This product formerly comprised 4 separate steps. It's now been streamlined [and improved, if you ask me] into 3 steps, each one you rub into every crevice of your hands, including your cuticles. Step one is the softening cream. It feels like a super thick, slightly gooey balm. Next up is the hand scrub which also includes a cleanser. Rub and scrub, then rinse off and your hands are already 100% nicer than when you started. Then finish with the hand cream. You won't be able to stop touching your own hands for hours. My sample was fragrance-free, which my fussy nose appreciated very much. I did notice a gentle hint of something that smelled like melon, but it's not from any added fragrance, and I liked it. If you like scents, there's a peach-scented version available.

Knitting with anything is made better when your hands are smooth and free of catchy bits of skin [ew. sorry]. As a knitter and spinner of silk, I especially love this product set.

AS

Successful Lace Knitting: Celebrating the Work of Dorothy Reade
by Donna Druchunas
Martingale & Co
$29.99
SR=31-54"

Dorothy who? Read this book and you'll know who Dorothy Reade was. She was a pioneer in the creation of charts for lace. She was a contemporary of Elizabeth Zimmermann and Barbara Walker, and worked with both of them. It turns out that those of us who love to knit lace owe Dorothy Reade a great deal. The frontmatter of this book is full of information about this formerly little-discussed knitting heroine, including her words of wisdom and examples of her work.

The remainder of the book is full of Reade-inspired lace knitting patterns, incorporated into shawls [of course!], sweaters [the cover sweater by Marnie MacLean is my favorite], and accessories.

Fascinating reading.

AS

Beam N Read 6-led hands-free light [model BNR LED 6]
by ASF Lightware Solutions
requires 4 AA batteries [not included]
$26.95

I recently went on a road trip with 4 other knitters in a van. Knowing there would be knitting during the trip, I packed the sample Beam N Read I'd been sent to review. It didn't take long till the sun went down and we needed light to be able to continue to see our work.

I passed the light first to Cari, who spent a little while adjusting the neck strap until the light hit just the right spot for her. She liked it up much higher than shown in the pictures to the left. As soon as she put it to use, she loved the Beam N Read. She was able to clearly see her needles and stitches so that she could unpick some errors she'd made. The driver couldn't see the light it was giving off, so it wasn't distracting. We all thought that was a good thing. Cari proclaimed very clearly that she loved the Beam N Read and would absolutely buy one.

For Julia, she didn't like the light as a craft light. She found she did like it when she tried to read her book in the very back of the van, and continued to read for a long while.

One thing we all noticed: if any of us had been wearing [our usual standby, the camping headlamp], we'd get an eyeful of bright light when they faced us and would have to turn away. With the Beam N Read, the light is held on the chest, aiming down at what we're working on or reading, so we could chat and look at each other comfortably. We liked this a lot.

Me? I think it's a very handy tool. It's a little klunky and old school in appearance, but its functionality makes up for that. The whole unit is about the size of your hand, so it will fit easily in a knitting bag. The largest part of the unit is a black plastic rectangle that holds the batteries. A rounded section is hinged at the front, and that's where the LEDs reside. You can manually switch on the lights, or flip up that rounded section, and the lights go on automatically. The neck strap is simple but functional, and adjusts to the length you wish. So not so much an elegant design, but a very functional one.

Get Spun: The Step-by-Step Guide to Spinning Art Yarns
by Symeon North
Interweave Press
$22.95

A great introduction to spinning art yarns. Not for beginning spinners, but spinners beginning with art yarns. This book emphasizes trying and playing and knowing your spins and materials before embarking on art yarns.

Get Spun has the basics on tools, dyeing fiber [including plant fibers], making batts and a spinning basic yarn refresher.

The types of spinning covered are carded and uncarded, locks, core, coil, add-ins using beads and cocoons – but the theory can be used for anything, plying, and unspinnables – fabric and plastic bags.

Buy now from Melissa

JM

New in paperback: Intertwined
by Lexi Boeger
Quarry Books
$19.99

The bible of art yarn spinning.

New in paperback: Made from Scratch:
Discovering the Pleasures of a Handmade Life
by Jenna Woginrich
Storey Publishing
$12.95
A charming read about modern homesteading.

Compilation: The Art of Knitted Lace: With Complete Lace How-to and Dozens of Patterns
Potter Craft
$22.99

This book is a compilation of lace patterns from several recent Potter Craft books: A Fine Fleece by Lisa Lloyd, It Girl Knits by Phoenix Bess, Knits Three Ways by Melissa Matthay, The Knitter’s Book of Yarn by Clara Parkes, Romantic Hand Knits by Annie Modesitt and Runway Knits by Berta Karapetyan. The 36 patterns are well chosen and make a nice collection of lace.

The book features an original chapter on lace basics by Kristen Omadahl that does a great job of taking the intimidating out of lace knitting, and even has directions for designing an original shawl.

Reissue: Knit Socks:
17 Classic Patterns for Cozy Feet
by Betsy Lee McCarthy
Storey Publishing
$12.95

Originally published in 2004, you might remember it -- the book was shaped like a sock. This update has at least 50% new material. Many of the sock patterns have been reworked and shown in several variations, several new patterns have been added. A most welcome addition is a chart that shows alternate sock weights and patterns stitch counts allowing knitters to customize the socks in the book to their particular stash and feet.

And yes, she’s the same Betsy McCarthy that was interviewed about knitting by Jane Pauley for her “Your Life Calling” series.

Martha Stewart's Encyclopedia of Sewing and Fabric Crafts: Basic Techniques for Sewing, Applique, Embroidery, Quilting, Dyeing, and Printing, plus 150 Inspired Projects from A to Z
by Martha Stewart
Potter Craft
$35, hardcover

Martha the Great sews.

Stitch-opedia:
The Only Embroidery Reference You'll Ever Need
by Helen Winthorpe Kendrick
St. Martin’s Griffin
$24.99, hardcover over spiral binding

A fantastic collection of stitches
that can be used on knitted and felted projects.

BeeBoop button
by PaperRockIt
$1.00

for $4.00 more,
can be converted into a necklace.

Ruby storage box
Dimensions: 13” H x 13” W x 13” D
by Lexie Barnes
on sale for $25.00

Nearly indestructible storage cube, tricked out in gorgeous Lexie Barnes fabric.

Lavishea Lotion Bar
2.5 oz. Lotion Bar
$11.95

15 scents and unscented
Lotion bar made of shea butter and soy feels silky and smooth and makes your hands the same way.

large bear pet hat
by xmoonbloom
$32

always wanted to walk a bear on a leash?
this is the safest way to go.

kerr votive lantern
by pigeon toe ceramics
$30

cast in porcelain from a vintage canning jar

XL Button and Buckle
by Moving Mud
Button 3.75" across, $20-$30
Buckle 3.5" across, $32

The perfect pairing for your x-tra chunky knits this fall.