by Jillian Moreno, Amy R Singer, Keri
Comeau, Petra Bockus, Carla Kohoyda-Inglis,
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.
Cool Knitters Finish in Style: Make
your stitches smile! by Lucy Neatby Paper version [incl.
shipping]:
$28.45CAD
Downloadable PDF:
$15.00CAD
Good
finishing isn’t well understood, precisely because
it tends to get short shrift in books. A much-needed addition
to the literature, Lucy’s book covers all the techniques,
tip and tricks you need to take your project “from
homemade to handmade”. Her advice is clear and clear-headed,
practical and realistic.
Charming sketches and diagrams make it all very
easy to understand and learn, and help guide even the newest
of knitters. The book contains lots of swatch-based exercises – and
ends with a full baby cardigan pattern – to let you practice
and explore the various techniques so you can get confident
before you start messing with your own projects.
As always, Lucy goes deep while making even the most advanced topics approachable.
She covers all key seaming methods, grafting, weaving in ends, and blocking
in all its forms. She discusses short-row shoulder shaping in detail – explaining
both the benefits and how to adapt an existing pattern. There’s a
very detailed breakdown of how to approach that most challenging of seams:
setting in a sleeve. She fills in many of the details left out of patterns
that help make the finishing task easier: appropriate cast-ons and cast-offs,
selvages, and placement of increases and decreases. In each case, she not
only discusses the how but also the why, so that knitters understand the
rationale for a given technique, and then can also generalize and expand
their knowledge to tackle other types of finishing challenges.
The section on picking up stitches for edgings is alone worth the price
of the book; and then there are terrific chapters on steeking and fixing
mistakes.
Being a practical sort, Lucy shares tips for making the finishing process
easier and more rewarding, and makes an effort to help you understand where
shortcuts can be taken, and where you need to take extra care. She also
debunks a lot of knitting myths – spoiler alert: knots aren’t
necessarily evil!
Even the most experienced knitters and confident
finishers will learn something from this book.
Entree to Entrelac: The Definitive
Guide from a Biased Knitter by Gwen Bortner
XRX Books
$19.95
I will admit, when I was first passed this book, I glanced
through it and didn't really give it
a second thought. Then, I opened it and
started to pay attention to it, and by the end of my cup
of coffee, I was raving about it to my husband. This is a
fabulous book!
The design of this
book is brilliant. If you are familiar with the technique,
then it can be used merely as a pattern guide. However,
this book really shines when you look deeper then the individual
patterns. The patterns are presented in a way that allows
the novice entrelac knitter to begin with the first pattern
in the book and then learn new skills while building on
the previously introduced skills in a clear linear fashion.
Each pattern includes
written and illustrated directions that make
them easy to follow. The techniques sections
in both the front and the back of the book
are packed with invaluable information for
the entrelac newbie and the experienced knitter
alike. Gwen's love of entrelac is apparent
on every page and it is hard not to feel
her excitement for the technique flowing
out of the book and into the reader's hand.
If you have ever been tempted to pick up
an entrelac project, or you are a die-hard
entrelac enthusiast, this book will be a
wonderful addition to your library.
Quick Nordic Knits: 50 Socks, Hats
and Mittens by Ann-Mari
Nilsson
Trafalgar Square Books
$16.95, hardcover over spiral
Really, all I need to say about this book is IKEA + knitting
and you’d be off to the store, right? Designer Ann-Mari
Nilsson is a designer for IKEA and every
accessory design in this book mirrors that
traditional-is-modern + bright colors style
that has made the Swedish company an international
darling.
The hats especially are must-knit-now wonderful. The designs are about
half colorwork, mostly stripes, checks and lice patterns with just a few
charts. All the patterns are unisex in style and colors shown, if not quite
unisex in sizing. All are quickish to knit and there’s plenty of
winter cold still ahead.
The Shetland Trader by Gudrun Johnson
$22.95
SR= 28-48"
I was swept away by this book. The combination
of Gudrun Johnson’s designs and Jared
Flood ‘s photography is intoxicating.
There are ten patterns of varying time and
concentration needs, each a delight. There
are details to make each interesting, designed
and plotted by a designer who has a love of
knitting and is not just cranking out patterns.
These are the types of patterns as a spinning
knitter that I wouldn’t
hesitate to use my handspun, or spin for, they tread that fine line stylistically
of wear everyday and never go out of style.
I have three patterns marinating with yarn already, the Norrie hat – perfectly
slouchy, the Shalder sweater –how the yoke and pockets mirror each
other is wonderful, and the Hömin shawl – a confection of a
shawl.
After you fall in love with this book you will be as pleased
as I am to notice two little words on the cover: “Book
One”. Yay!
JM
Stuff Sacks by Tom Bihn Small:
4.5" tall, 5" diameter,
$13
Medium: 6.25" in diameter and 6" tall,
$15
Tall: 6.25" in diameter and 11" tall
, $18
Available in red [shown], yellow and blue.
Every single product that Tom Bihn
produces in his Washington-state factory
is amazingly well-thought out and rugged
and these Stuff Sacks are no exception.
The fabric is thick and sturdy, the inside
seams are double stitched flat for zero snagging.
There is a yarn guide inside with a gate
(like a carabiner) so you can remove your
yarn any time; there is a clip outside that
attaches perfectly to the o-rings inside
the Swift and Little Swift bags. The drawstring
cinches the bag closed and a barrel lock
makes sure it stays that way. The bags come
in 3 colors and three sizes.
But for me
the most brilliant, transcendent thing for
a project sack is the option of a clear
bottom for the bag. Sure it adds a
little weight and takes away from the full scrunchability
of the bag, but you can see which project
is in the bag without opening it. I have
several projects going at a time (really?
you don’t say?) and I can never remember
which project is in which bag.
Also the large size yarn sack
holds a spindle and fiber -- just saying.
Mastering Color Knitting: Simple Instructions
for Stranded, Intarsia, and Double Knitting by Melissa Leapman
Potter Craft
$22.99
Building on her previous book, Color Knitting the Easy
Way, Melissa adds more tangy techniques to include
color in your knitting. In the first book, she taught
how using one color at a time could be more than just stripes
with simple stitch patterns.
This time she takes off into advanced knitting
territory, combining more than one color per row using stranded
Fair Isle, intarsia and double knitting. The first chapter
of the book is a brief recap of her previous book including
color knitting fundamentals and color theory and then you’re
off learning the new techniques. There are fantastic illustrations
of difficult to describe techniques like how to hold multiple
strands of yarn at the same time, how to crochet a secure
edging for steeks (a technique I have to try!), casting on
for double knitting and more. There is an astonishing number
of original charts and stitch patterns in each of the three
sections so that you can design your own color projects.
Being
an experienced designer, Melissa is able
to pass on many helpful tips on how to
successfully design your own unique stitch
patterns. In case you want to just
pick up some yarn and start a project,
each section has 4 patterns. There’s
something to make for everyone on your
gift list including small projects that
allow you to get your feet wet. This book
is guaranteed to get a new knitter off
to a successful color knitting start but
also contains everything an experienced
knitter needs to tackle that next step,
designing knitwear.
Heel: foot cream for
feet worthy of hand-knit socks by SOAK
$10.00
Available in cucumber, spearmint or scentless
For this review, we decided to try something
new. I invited the customers of my LYS, The
Purple Purl, to drop in and test the
product and tell me what they thought of
it. No one was compensated for their participation,
though we did give surprise door prizes after
the testing was complete. What follows are
actual quotes from our participants, with
each quote coming from a single person. Notes
in italics are from me.
- "I like the spearmint. It's cool and I
think in the summer, it's going to feel good
too."
- "It's a little greasy, and I like that. It
feels more like a lotion than a cream. It could
go in a pump."
This prompted a discussion about the
thickness of the product and whether it
would spill out of the jar. So I took one
of the jars and held it upside down and
even shook it a little, and the product stayed
put. A short debate ensued about jars vs pumps,
and one participant mentioned that, with a
jar, you can get out every last drop. We all
agreed on that point.
- "I tried the unscented because scents get
to me, and there really is no smell."
- "It feels like a lotion but it is a cream,
and that is wonderful because it doesn't feel
heavy like a cream. And I don't think it's
greasy. It doesn't leave any residue. I have
typed right after I've applied it and no residue
on the keys, and I love it. And I love the
spearmint scent."
- From our only male participant: "I
smelled the spearmint and I really didn't like
it. The cucumber, I liked the smell, and the
unscented -- I did find it had a slight scent
to it -- but I like both of those. They're
not really perfume-y smelling. A guy could
get away with it. I didn't find it greasy at
all, in fact, I'm knitting with it right away
afterwards and
it's not affecting me in any way."
- "It's a lovely consistency and it disappeared
into my hands right away."
After the event, I brought home the Scentless
to try myself. My nose is notoriously fussy
and can't tolerate most commercial scents.
In this case, I really could detect almost
no scent at all, and even the base ingredients
seemed to be nearly odorless to me. Having
tried a lot of unscented products, this is
rather miraculous...most smell -- at the very
least -- noticeably like chemicals.
I applied it to my freshly washed feet and
it felt nice. Of course, as a result, my
hands got the treatment too, and they feel
well moisturized. I'm pretty lax about moisturizing
parts of me until they hurt, so I'm not used
to this hydrated feeling, but I am typing
this 2 minutes after applying the stuff and
my fingers aren't slipping on the keys. Definitely
not greasy -- almost like the moisture is
sealed in to my skin now. Very nice.
I love yarns blended with silk, tencel or bamboo – lovely drape,
lovely shine, but a lot of the time they are slippery. I hate when I wind
a ball and it falls apart when I’m knitting. I’ve trapped them
in Ziplocs before, leaving a tiny opening, or tearing a small hole for
the yarn to thread through, but inevitably the bags come open or the hole
tears larger and the yarn becomes an irritating heap in my knitting bag
or the floor. I test drove a Chic.a yarn keeper with a couple of different
yarns – 100%
silk and a merino bamboo yarn.
The Yarn Keeper is a small(ish) round zipper-topped, flat bottomed pouch,
with a hole in the lid to thread your yarn through. Your yarn cake or ball
has plenty of room to unwind, but not enough room to tangle. These Yarn
Keepers have smooth, smooth seams, neither of my yarns snagged, and the
same goes for the grommet in the lid – smooth and snag free. The
lids are clear so if you can peek at your yarn to see how much is left.
The Yarn Keeper is made of brightly colored oilcloth, which is fabulous,
fun and practical. The fabric adds a stiffness to the case which keeps
it upright when you knit and also prevents the Keeper from scrunching,
helping to prevent the sides of the Keeper from pushing strands of yarn
off of your ball or skein and tangling.
It was nice to knit and not to worry about my yarn tangling or
escaping from my bag!
Vintage Fashion: Knitwear: Collecting and Wearing
Designer Classics by Marnie Fogg
Lark Books
$35, hardcover
This is a treasure of a book that will have you simultaneously reaching
for a designing sketchbook and running out to your local thrift store.
Spanning
the years from 1900-1990, this book covers vintage knitwear in a detail
like no other I’ve seen. Each decade is discussed in terms of influences,
key designers, fabrics and fibers and finished with a spread of key looks
of the decade. The information is wonderfully researched but written in
a more readable style than you might expect. Of course, the photos are
the true stars of the book.
The cover photo only hints at what’s
inside. There are informal snapshots, formally modeled photos, ads for
knitwear and many, many detail photos. This is a ‘turn off the phone,
grab a beverage and snuggled into the couch’ book – you won’t
put it down once you open it.
Red Collection by Mandy Powers Paper version: $20 + shipping Downloadable PDF: $20 Both versions: $23 + shipping
What a charming little book! The twelve patterns, six hats
with matching mittens, will allow knitters of any level to
create ways to keep your head and hands warm in the cold
months. The Drifty set is offered in a single colour variation
allowing the novice knitter, (or experienced knitter in need
of a fast gift,) a great starting point, while the stranded
colour work in the Holly Jean set will appeal to the more
experienced or adventurous knitter.
Each pattern is written in with clear,
easy to follow instructions and the accompany photos do a
wonderful job showcasing the finished items. The book also
includes an opening section with information on gauge and
colour choice.
Mandy
seems to know that the reader really wants
to skip ahead to the knitting part so these
areas a short, well written, and include
some great tips. They are worth the 5 minutes
it will take to read them. The special techniques
section in the back of the book is presented
nicely. With the pictorial instructions included,
even the most intimidating technique will
be manageable with a little patience. When
I started knitting, the directions on how
to properly block items would have come in
very handy. If you do come across a copy
of this little book, take a few minutes and
look through it. You will be pleasantly surprised.
Knitting in the Details: Charming Designs to
Knit and Embellish by Louisa Harding
Interweave Press
$22.95
SR= 32-47"
A little bit extra often makes something you knit truly an expression of
yourself. In her latest book, Lousia Harding talks and teaches about just
those little extras.
Using beading, embroidery and appliqué she
take a quick to knit plain accessory or sweater and transforms it into
something unique. There are 24 base patterns including sweaters, hats,
wraps and fingerless mitts brought to life with beads, ribbon, feathers
and buttons. You may follow her patterns or just use her advice to create
knitwear with timeless romance and femininity.
MiPattern Saver by Slipped
Stitch Studios
$35.00
Assorted fabrics and colors available in letter-size or A4
This product, when it arrived in the review mailbox, got
instantly put into use. It's brilliant.
I'm quite sloppy with my patterns and they end up all over
the house, used as coasters on the coffee table, and eventually
eaten, nibble by nibble, by our house rabbits. By simply
putting the pattern into this cleverly designed sleeve, I
no longer am tempted to use it as absorbent material or rabbit
food. It now goes where my knitting project goes and is found
in a second in my knitting bag when someone asks the inevitable
question: "What are you making?"
What you have here is a well-made decorative outer case
that folds in half and snaps shut. On the back half is a
full-width zipper to hold notions and other flattish things.
Open it up, and the whole right side of the clear matte-finish
plastic is open and allows you to easily slide your pattern
in or out. A place-keeping magnet strip is available in the
same shop to help you hold your place in complex patterns.
But
wait, there's more! The snap that holds the case closed also
turns this simple device into an easel [see right] so you
can stand your pattern up in front of you as you work. Simple
and brilliant. And the fabric patterns range from kitsch
to country to almost anything else. The shop is glad to make
one up in a fabric you choose.
I'm not letting the rabbits anywhere near this gadget. I
rather love it.
The Knitter’s Guide
to Hand-Dyed and Variegated Yarn by Lorna Miser
Watson-Guptill
$21.99
This is a pretty book with a very specialized focus. Whether
you dye your own yarn or are one of those people who like
to experiment with colour and yarns more jubilant then recommended
in your patterns, this book will help you in estimating the
effects your variegated yarn will have on the final appearance
of your project and reduce your risk of having that glorious
hand-painted yarn you bought in a market stall in New Zealand
turn into a travesty of ache and regret that you hide in
the back of your closet to avoid the shame.
In her first section, Lorna -- the founder of Lorna's Laces Yarn -- explores
the different types of commercial and hand-dyed yarn and gives tips on
how to make your yarn choice to avoid pooling. Big, beautiful pictures
make it easy to dive into and brief explanations dose you with concentrated
wisdom. With each pattern, elaboration is made on the yarn choice and how
to achieve the desired effects.
This book does
not include any information on how to dye
yarn but those who do enjoy the dyeing process may find the
insights within helpful for envisioning what their yarn wants
to be.
Colorwork Creations: Woodland Inspired Hats,
Mittens and Gloves by Susan Anderson-Freed
Krause Publications
$24.99
An alternate subtitle for this book could be The birds
and beasties frolic among traditional 2 color knitting. This book
is fantastic. The color patterns have more than a touch of tradition, but
are pulled out of ‘the same
old thing’ rut by bold, palm-sized birds and beasts. The knitting
patterns are good and basic. The hat, mittens and glove sections
start out with a plain pattern, no colorwork involved, so a knitter can
a) get an idea of the base pattern under the color work or b) do their
own patterning and color or c) knit a plain accessory.
Don’t be blinded by the cunning creatures -- there is something wonderful
to learn in this book. The mittens and gloves are all knitted top-down!
It’s a skill that I’ve wanted to add to my knitting bag o’ tricks,
but never wanted to figure out myself, and here it is written out in the
easiest-to-follow directions. My short/long handed and fingered gift recipients
thank you.
Glove Knitting by Nanette Blanchard Paper version: $15.99
Downloadable PD: $8.99
Glove knitting is a great find for the adventurous
knitter who wants to design and create their own gloves.
This very detailed technical guide provides the knitter with
multiple styles of thumb and finger creation types as well
as the pro and cons for each style. Each style is clearly
defined and includes a “best used when” explanation.
There are two patterns are included in the booklet. Both
involve stranded colourwork. The first design is a good introductory
style colourwork glove, while the second would be better
suited to an experienced knitter.
If you are ready to take the plunge and
knit “off the grid”, then this booklet is an
excellent resource to add to your collection.
The Knitter's Companion Deluxe Edition
w/DVD [Deluxe Edition] by Vicki Square
Interweave Press
$24.95 [hardcover over spiral binding]
This book is incredibly comprehensive and could easily be considered
as essential to any knitter’s traveling kit as needles
and yarn. It’s small, light, and outlines a vast quantity
of any stitch, seam, detail or other challenge you may encounter
as a beginner to more advanced knitter. The diagrams are very
easy to understand and take you through each process completely.
I was especially impressed by the full description of knitting
terms and the many charts for calculating gauge, project yarn
requirements and conversions.
Taking this
book yarn shopping would be like taking a knitter friend who’s
fabulously knowledgeable and eager to answer your every query.
If you’re like me and written instructions sometimes confound
you, or if you just like the more personal
touch, there are two DVDs included that have
the contents of the book presented to you in hosted instructional
videos. So simple and yet so brilliant. These DVDs were easy
to navigate and separated into categories matching each section
in the book for quick and easy access. Especially useful in this
format are the demos of seaming variations and basics like how
to wind a ball of yarn by hand.
I’m very happy to have this book. I think I will also have
to get one for most of my knitter friends and family.
Entrelac: The Essential Guide
to Interlace Knitting by Rosemary Drysdale
Potter Craft
$24.95, hardcover
SR=34-50"
Judging by the big response to the pattern Motley in
our last issue, entrelac is a knitting technique
that is hot once again, especially if it
has a twist.
Whether you are just trying entrelac or are
looking for some unique takes on the technique
this book is perfect for you. This book starts with a full
color, step by step photographic tutorial on how-to do entrelac,
including entrelac in the round.
Then the book moves into a mind-stretching 65-stitch pattern
dictionary with lace, texture and colorwork
incorporated into entrelac. Want to get started
on a project right away? There are 20 accessory
patterns using entrelac stitches. Be sure
to check out the Edwardian Cardigan. Ready
to go your own way? This entrelac adventure finishes with detailed
chapter on designing with entrelac.
This is the type of knitting book that grows
with your knitting skill and comfort level;
I wish more authors took this approach.
This is a great swift. It’s reasonably compact, comes
with storage bags and is blindingly easy
to use. When it came, I gave it the ‘try to use without
reading the instructions test’ and it passed with flying
colors.
The first thing I noticed was how much care
was put into packaging the swift. It comes
with two storage bags – one for the big parts and
one for the smaller parts, something that’s not necessary but fantastic
to have. The wood is well sanded I didn’t have a single snag. This
swift sits flat on a table or the floor and even comes with a skid mat
to prevent it from sliding while you wind. It will wind skeins from 18”-
80” long and length increments are marked on the swift’s arms.
Because it uses a peg system to hold skeins for winding, you may customize
the length by moving just some of the pegs. I wound several skeins while
testing this swift and was surprised at how many weren’t standard
lengths. This model of swift also comes with a yardage counter. It works
smoothly, counting up with every revolution in either direction.
The counter has a lock, so you can be sure to record your yardage before
it gets zeroed out or spun with wild abandon by pets, children or partners.
For knitters, the counter is great for skeins that have lost their labels,
equally dividing skeins, and figuring the yardages of leftover yarn from
a project. Spinners might just do a happy dance when they wind from their
bobbins to the swift, skeining and measuring their yarn simultaneously.
Stitch 'n Bitch Superstar Knitting:
Go Beyond the Basics by Debbie Stoller
Workman Publishing Company
$17.95
THANK YOU for another fabulous Stich’n Bitch book! Subtitled “Go
Beyond the Basics”, this collection focuses on those more
decadent projects we can’t wait to sink our teeth into.
Lace, Intarsia, Fair Isle, Steeking and many
other details are all explained thoroughly and with the author’s
usual flair.
What I loved most about this book were the forty-one patterns
included within. Despite the advanced techniques
explored that might leave the less experienced knitter intimidated,
the patterns are gorgeous enough to tempt you into a little
adventure.
I’ve
been passing over a lot of knitting books
because they were too similar to ones I already
have, but this latest Stitch ’n Bitch
had me instantly inspired and sorting my
stash to figure how many projects I could
start immediately. In addition, there is
a large section on designing your own sweater
pattern that breaks the process down in a
series of easy steps and had me looking for
a pencil and paper.
This is not a book for beginners, but I would highly recommend it to everyone
else.
I love bags. Seriously, I’m not a girly-girl when
it comes to anything else, but I do love a great bag and
Jordana Paige has hit another one out of the park with the
L.J. Kaelms. This bag is a little like a mullet in that
it’s business on one side and party on the other.
The interior is divided into two sections. I can put my
wallet, work ID badge, cell phone, and keys on one side
(with plenty of room left) and keep my knitting project
separate on the other side. The depth of the bag is impressive
for holding not only a sleeve I happened to be working on,
but yarn and needles for the ubiquitous socks in progress.
I was not disappointed by the shoulder straps – they
fit like a glove worn over my shoulder, but
weren’t
too long to allow the bag to drag on the
ground when I carry it in my hand. The one
disappointment I suffered was that the internal
zippered pouch that divides the two sections
wasn’t
wide enough for me to fit my iPad in it.
It fits fine inside the bag, but it would
have been nice to zip it in for extra security.
My
mother-in-law was at my house when it arrived and I took it
out of the box. We both “oohed” and “aahed” over
the buttery vegan snakeskin and then I opened
it up to show her the inside. I pointed out the features that
every Paige bag is known for – the removable zippered
pouch, the circlets to keep yarn from tangling, the row of
pockets for tools/needles, and the feet on the bottom of the
bag. I talked about how great it would be to have my knitting
at my fingertips all the time in such a great package. My
mother-in-law looked a little indignant and said, “You
know, knitters aren’t
the only people who can appreciate a well made
bag with lots of pockets!” I couldn’t agree more!
CK-I
HUGlight
by mylight
$14.95
2-pack for $25.95/free shipping available
here
available in assorted colors
My new best friend was
a gift from someone I met at a recent fiber
retreat -- a fellow gadget ho™ and
kindred spirit.
We both love functional, cool stuff.
This new best friend
is the HUGlight. Yeah, there's an infomercial
for it. Yeah, they sell it at places like
Co$tco. Don't care.
Anyone over 40 knows
that your eyesight is very often the first
thing to change, and usually not for the
better. Having good lighting makes doing
everything easier and more enjoyable. Knitting
is no exception.
Immediately after receiving
the light, I hung it around my neck and
turned it on. It's comfortable to wear,
surprisingly so. The lights are activated
by a simple push switch on each end of
the unit. And unlike headlights, these
don't blind the people around you. Left
to hang, they naturally point to where
your hands are. But they're also very adjustable,
and you can tweak the position to suit
you.
They're lightweight,
and I now keep mine in my knitting bag
at all times. Even with lights on in the
living room where I knit, having my HUGlight
on means I don't have to struggle to see
my work. As a bonus, I'm making fewer errors...or
at least noticing them more quickly.
This company also makes
a smaller light in cute colors, but I'm
sticking with the big brother. The little
one looks less comfortable to wear, and
not as well built. I'm very happy with
my HUGlight!
A Knitter’s Home
Companion by Michelle Edwards
Stewart, Tabori and Chang
$17.95
This is a cozy book filled with essays about knitting interspersed
with quick patterns, recipes and recommendations
of books that feature knitting in some way
that aren’t knitting books.
The author,
Michelle Edwards, is the voice of the Lion
Brand Yarn Company e-newsletter. She knows
knitting and she knows knitters. Through her
essays about her own knitting experiences she
holds a mirror up to, if not all, then many,
knitters. It always feels familiar and familial
to read about knitting.
Utterly charming, this
book reminds us of the idea that knitting is
a place to come home to.
Like
Alice down the rabbit hole, this publication
lets you chase anything that looks intriguing.
First off, I really don’t like calling
this an emag – it’s
not really a magazine. When I think
of a magazine, I think of many patterns
and not so many articles. Magazines and
books can be exciting and inspirational,
but they are static. This experience is
the opposite of that. It's complex and
rich. When I read fiber-related books and
magazines I often want to see how a technique
is done or hear a designer in their own
not-edited-to-words-on-a-page-voice; this
publication lets you do exactly that. The
first issue lets you travel to Peru to
take a mini class with Kathryn Alexander,
hear an interview with the elusive Pricilla
Gibson-Roberts, and peek into the Black
Sheep Gathering and the Madrona Fiber Arts Retreat.
The Kathryn Alexander offering
is a great example of the depth of SpinKnit.
It starts with a mini table of contents
outlining all of the articles and multimedia
contained in the section about Kathryn and energized
yarn. The first article is about Kathryn’s work
with energized yarns and it contains a
video interview with Kathryn about her a-ha moment with
energized yarns. There is nothing like watching and hearing
an artist talk about their work – it’s
electric and inspiring. There is a slide
show of her work with energized singles,
most pieces you wouldn’t
see unless you were taking a class with her. And yes, there is a zoom function
on the images so you can see up close how sinuous those energized stitches
are when knit together.
The second article is about working with energized yarn, spinning it, knitting
it, dyeing it. There is a video with Kathryn talking about the basics of
energized yarn: how to make it, how it
works and behaves; and a video of Kathryn discussing the shift and movement
in energized yarns when knitting entrelac.
The article series finishes with a PDF pattern for a pair of spectacular
socks knit with millspun energized singles. There is an accompanying article
about dyeing your socks, and the mill where Kathryn has her millspun yarns
made.
To me
the whole experience of SpinKnit was entertaining
and informative without being pedantic. Would
I buy every copy at $14.97 each? I'm not
sure. But I was inspired by this publication.
I’ve
come back to this issue several times after
my initial flip through and am eagerly
awaiting the experience of issue number
2.
JM
Looking
for fiber reviews?
They're on their
own page, right
here!
Originally published 10 years ago and
long out of print. For many natural dyers this
has been the go-to book on the methods and color
mixing for natural dyeing. There is a huge
amount of information packed on each page of
the dye plant section with 70 plants explored. If
you’re
curious about natural dyeing this is the book to
start with.
This is still the perfect book for a spinner
at that moment when you are comfortable making
a consistent yarn and instantly want to learn
more about everything.
What’s
new in this edition? Color through most; the
spinning wheel section is updated to include
many of the wonderful wheels that have come out since this
book’s first publication
and updated patterns.
Learn how to do some of the things the characters
in your favorite childhood books did -- from
cooking to just simply a spider weave her
web. Jane charms as always.
Formerly only available in denim blue or breast-cancer-research-supporting
pink,
the workhorse Denise Interchangeable
Needle set now offers spare cable sets in 5
new colors!
Left to right: yellow, lavender,
spring green, teal and white.
Extend the usefulness of your set with spare cables!
Buy
now from 
Buy
now from
