The Museum of Kitschy Stitches: A Gallery of Notorious Knits
by Stitchy McYarnpants
Quirk Books
$15.95, hardcover

Every knitter needs this book. It should sit on your shelf with Elizabeth Zimmermann, Barbara Walker and Stephanie Pearl-McPhee. If you ever get the urge to knit a jumpsuit or use foot-long fringe you can pull down this book a see how knits can go wrong, hilariously wrong.

JM

My non-knitting husband, usually immune to the huge piles of knitting books that fill our house, picked up this one and started paging through it and laughing. High praise indeed.

AS

Moving Mud Glass Buttons and Closures
$4.00-$30.00

JM

Knitting Memories: Reflections on the Knitter's Life
by Lela Nargi, editor
Voyageur Press
$16.95, hardcover

JM

Olivia
by Catrun Creations
custom-built, starting at $80.00 CAD

The Olivia Bag from Catrun Creations is incredibly evocative. Everywhere I go people compliment the bag and comment on how it reminds them of their grandmother (or mother)'s old sewing bag. People ask me whose bag it used to be. I always feel a little sheepish when I tell them it's new.

This bag is now my default carry-all. It easily fits two sock projects and all of my associated paraphernalia. There are five deep pockets on the inside (four small ones, plus one that runs the length of the bag and has a snap closure). Catherine McLean does an excellent job with her bags. The construction is rock solid: stitching is neat, tidy and sturdy, the hand-made wooden handles are nice to hold and the fabric is a lovely tapestry weight both inside and out.

For me the size of this Olivia Bag is a bit awkward. I'm one of those people that will fill up any available space with *stuff*. This bag is just big enough that I can take more things with me than I ought to; but not quite big enough for a large project on straight needles. When you order yours be sure to get a bag that is at least 3" (8cm) longer than your longest set of needles.

EJH

Vogue Knitting Stitchionaries
Volume One: Knit & Purl
Volume Two: Cables
Volume Three: Color
By the editors of Vogue Knitting
Sixth&Spring Books
$29.95 each, hardcover

This new stitch dictionary series is on my stranded on a desert island list for knitting books. I think they give the Barbara Walker books stiff competition.

Maybe not in sheer number of stitch patterns, though they come in at a more than fabulous over 200 patterns per book, but in clarity, readability and dreamabilty. The books are beautifully put together and easy to read and follow.

All the stitch pattern samples are knit in smooth wool and are photographed in color and at a larger size than I've seen in any stitch book and printed on slick white paper so they pop off of the page. Cable patterns are given in both line by line and chart form.

It is a joy to flip through these books and dream about what's next. And for the record, for me that's neither Jack or Sawyer, but Sayid.

JM

Available at Amazon

Knit Klips
by Kelly Klip Inc.
5-pack: $6.95 USD, 10-pack: $13.90, 15-pack: $20.85

I haven't knit anything that required seaming together in ages [I've been on a shawl/wrap kick], so these little wonders sat unreviewed for more than a year. What a waste! They are absolutely brilliant!

They're the simplest of devices, yet unequalled for seaming. A strong spring-loaded clip is attached to a smooth [non-snagging!] post that goes through your knitted work to hold it in place for seaming. Very cool for laying two right sides together and making sure they behave till you've finished with the needle and yarn.

But even cooler? Try them for mattress stitching [see pic at left]. Things stay where you put them, you can see what you're doing clearly, without obstruction, and seaming becomes, dare I say it, fun! Buy the big packs. You'll want tons of these babies. Knit Klips are an essential, affordable tool that every knitter should have in their accessory case.

AS

available at Books, Yarn & More

Available at Amazon

Domiknitrix: Whip Your Knitting into Shape
by Jennifer Stafford
North Lights Press
$19.99 USD
SR:28" - 44"

Before you discount Domiknitrix because it might look like a gimmicky knitting book, give it a good once over.

There is good how-to information (beyond knit and purl) increasing, decreasing, color knitting, and putting in zippers and pockets, all with crystal-clear close-up photography. The patterns are pretty tasty too, especially once out of the beginner projects. The women's garments have interesting construction and shaping that makes for shapely fit. And really you can't help but giggle imagining whipping your knitting into submission.

JM

Curvaceous Cables Collection: How to Shape a Cable's Inner and Outer Edges
by Dawn Brocco
Dawn Brocco Knitwear Design
$16.95 USD

The ideas in this book will haunt you. The premise and skills taught are about freeing cables, opening them up, and lightening them. By eliminating most interior and exterior stitches Dawn Brocco has devised a way to shape cables so you can have an edge cable that curves around air, not reverse stockinette, or a braid that is held together only where it crosses, with no interior anchor stitches. She teaches the skill through a series of 6 small patterns with increasing complexity.

JM

Superstar
[shown in Neptune print]
by Lexie Barnes
$140.00 USD

It's no secret that I love me the knitting bags, and that Lexie Barnes makes my very favorite: the Lady B. Meet my new travelling companion.

Like the Lady B, the Superstar is strongly constructed, made of laminated fabric [watch for Lexie's new original fabric designs in December like the Viona, shown bottom left], accessorized with strong-yet-attractive adjustable length seatbelt straps, a non-slip shoulder cushion, two water bottle pouches [one on either side of the bag] and a nifty magnetic closure that's much stronger than you'd expect. The back has a wide but slim pocket, perfectly sized for a magazine or knitting pattern.

Inside, pockets, pockets, pockets...oh, and more pockets. The inner back pocket runs the width and height of the bag and holds an entire Denise needle kit. Really. An amazing knitting bag to travel with. Go check out her new offerings.

AS

Available at Amazon

Available at Amazon

Available at Persnickety Design

Knitter
by Persnickety Designs
$80.00 USD
7"x 18" x 4"

This is a bag that begs attention, and it deserves it. Made by hand in the US from all-vegan materials [leather alternative, aka vinyl], fully lined with cute as hell prints, full of deep pockets [6, actually] and closes with a snap. The straps are made of seatbelt material, so they're strong. Especially good for small projects on straight needles or even for a spindle and roving. A trick to help keep your yarn inside the bag: put the ball under the closed snap and run the yarn over it and out.

Helll, it's cute enough to use it as a purse. I sure have.

AS

Available at Amazon

Available at Amazon

Arctic Lace: Knitting Projects and Stories Inspired by Alaska's Native Knitters
by Donna Druchunas
Nomad Press
$26.95 USD
SR: 42" - 49"

A comprehensive book that clarifies the history and mystery behind qiviut, tells the story of the Oomingmak Musk Ox Producer's Co-op, gives a knitting and designing your own lace project tutorial and presents 11 lace projects. It has that instantly engaging tone of an author who honors and obsesses over her subject. I was so sucked in to reading this book that it went everywhere with me until I was finished. The lace projects and tutorial are easy to follow and have that almost indescribable quality of "let's try this together" that makes learning new knitting skills a breeze.

I would also like to tip my reading glasses at the publisher of this book who made charts and directions big enough to read.

JM

This book should really be called Inspired Knitting or something that hints at the depth and breadth of elements that Lisa Shobhana Mason calls up in her designs. She knits and teaches knitting as an intuitive process, following what speaks to you, and finding unique ways to incorporate ideas. All of her designs are stylish and charming, but her intuition really sings in her sweater designs -- they are artistic yet wearable. They inspire knitters to take an extra step outside.

JM

Knitting Color: Knitting Inspiration from Around the World
by Brandon Mably
Sixth&Spring Books
$24.95 USD hardcover
SR: 38" - 72"

Inspired by his travels around the globe, this book reveals the process Mably uses to take a visual inspiration to a garment design, and showcases 20 new garment designs.

For knitters ready to do their own color design, the book has a useful 3-stage color workshop based on his "Color in Design" class.

JM

Romantic Home Sewing
by Christina Strutt
Potter Craft, $24.95

the bucket bag you've wanted to sew...
the pattern's in here!