How old does a book have to be before it becomes a classic?
Well, let’s hope six years is enough, because this one deserves to be. I’m not the only one to think so, either, since the publisher has recently come out with a paperback version of the book–a relative rarity in knitting books which are usually published in one format, and that’s it.
Do you like knitted lace? Does knitting lace make your heart beat faster? Do you drool over Wedding ring shawls?
This may well be the book for you.
Here’s what the author has to say:
“Nature’s Wrapture incorporates fascinating aspects of nature–color, contours, textures, and patterns–with classic and updated shapes that flatter all body types, resulting in a real sense of inspired style. From the elegant and sublime to the practical, this collection has broad appeal not only for the knitter but also for the wearer.”
I’ve practically lived and breathed this book for the last couple of weeks and finally realized I had to write a review of this book to tell you why.
I had decided to tear out an aran I knitted in 2006 and reuse the yarn, and I spent so much time looking for the right pattern when I decided that I should just design my own … and this was the book I immediately reached for.
Why? This book tells you simply everything you need to know to put together an Aran sweater.
First, the facts:
Title: Sock Club: Join the Knitting Adventure
Author: Charlene Schurch & Bet Parrott
Published by: Martingale & Company, 2009
Pages: 80
Type: Women’s Socks
Chapters:
A list of patterns, grouped by the method for changing size:
Changing elements within a repeat
Changing spacing between pattern elements
Changing the number of background stitches around [...]
Ranging from the simple (“Warshcloths”) to the sublime (those Log Cabin afghans), this book absolutely lives up to its subtitle of “The Curious Knitters’ Guide: Stories, Patterns, Advice, Opinions, Questions, Answers, Jokes and Pictures. Created for Knitters Everywhere who Share the Give’em Hell Spirit of Just Picking up the Needles and Making Stuff.”
The main part of this book is taken up by the mittens. Lots of mittens. Glorious mittens. Bright, colorful, creative, they make you wish for snow kind of mittens. 42 patterns for the mittens themselves, along with charts for the cuffs so you can mix-and-match, and an assortment of edges so you can finish your mittens however you like.
Most knitters know that knitting is relaxing. (When things are going right, that is.) Sometimes, though, you need a little extra nudge to make it as soothing as it can be.
Such a fun book, filled with creative sock patterns. Each pattern in the book is inspired by various legends and fairy tales. Selkies, Mermaids. Tolkein’s elves. Alchemists. Atlantis.
Clearly, these are no ordinary socks.
The book begins, “Most of us knit for babies today because we want to, not because we have to. We knit for them, as our grandmothers did, for the love of it. We knit because nothing else can give us the same soothing texture and emotion as a garment created by hand. While we sit and knit, our hopes and dreams are wrapped in every stitch. Few things are more scrumptious than the cozy warmth of a new baby swaddled in a lovingly handknit blanket.”