Review: Jil Eaton’s Knitting School

The author writes in the introduction, “In times past there was always an older generation of very experienced knitters on hand to help the novices. As that is not always the case in our very busy and technologically-saturated world, this Knitting School collection is designed to teach you to knit or to encourage you to return to knitting and to help you refine your skills.”

Review: Gifted

This is one of those charming little books full of charming little projects, meant to be given as gifts.

What? You want more of a review than that?

Review: Tweed

Not a brand new book, but not really old enough to count as a “classic,” this is nevertheless a new one for my collection. I’ve had my eye on it since it was published but kept putting it off and putting it off, always telling myself that there were other books I could or should buy first. …And yet, I kept coming back to this.

Review: Comfort Knitting and Crochet Afghans

First, the facts:

Title: Comfort Knitting & Crochet Afghans: More than 50 Beautiful, Affordable Designs Featuring Berroco’s Comfort Yarn

Author: Norah Gaughan, Margery Winter, and the Berroco Design Team

Published by: Stewart, Tabori & Chang 2010

Pages: 160

Type: Afghans.

Chapters:

1. Knit
2. Crochet

Pattern Size Range: Afghans, all sizes

The In-Depth Look:

This was a rare purchase for me. The knitting books I buy are usually for making sweaters, or socks, or lace. Something to wear.

But … have you seen this book? If you want something warm and cozy to keep you warm, this is definitely the place to look.

Review: New England Knits

It’s no secret that I love New England. My grandmother was born in Maine and grew up on Martha’s Vineyard. My dog is named for Chappaquiddick, and whenever I think “vacation,” I immediately start thinking about travelling northeast along the coast. When I was in elementary school, I was actually disappointed to learn that New Jersey counted as a “Middle State” rather than a part of New England–the southern tip of Connecticut is barely 50 miles from here, it seemed almost criminal that we missed counting as New England by such a small amount.

So, it shouldn’t surprise you that I love this book.

Review: The Art of Knitted Lace

This book is filled with some really lovely lace designs by some very talented designers like Annie Modesitt, Lisa Lloyd, Berta Karapetyan, Melissa Matthay, Phoenix Bess and more. The thing you need to know, though, is that they’re not all new designs.

Review: Knitting MochiMochi

I have to be honest. This book made me smile. Chuckle. Giggle, even.

It’s just fun.

Review: Knitting Lace

To put it simply, this book is a masterpiece, and that’s not a word I bandy about loosely. Recently reprinted by Schoolhouse Press, this is the story of Susanna Lewis’ classic recreation of a 19th century lace sampler for the Brooklyn Museum.

Review: Think Outside the Sox

What happens when a well-known knitting magazine has a contest for creative sock patterns?

Well, in this case, you get 296 entries to be pared down by judges Cat Bordhi, Lucy Neatby, and Sandi Rosner. Then, after awarding prizes, you put the 61 best into a book and send it out into the world.

Review: Northern Knits

I know there are strong knitting traditions all over the world, all with their distinct trends and cultural inputs, but when I think about knitted sweaters, I admit that I think of northern Europe before any other region. Fair Isle. The Aran and Shetland islands. Scandinavia. Those are the places I look to first for inspiration and ideas.

Apparently I’m not the only one, because Lucinda Guy’s new book does the exact same thing.