Well, it’s Spring, which means it’s time for flowers. (Lots of very early flowers if you had a non-winter like we did.) So it’s not exactly a surprise that a book of knitted flowers would cross my desk.

Except, this isn’t just any book of knitted flowers. These are masterpieces.

Principles of Knitting is one of the holy grails of the knitting world. A book so hard to find, yet so wonderful, that collectors go charging (their credit cards) to the ends of the earth to get their hands on a copy.

Setting aside the knitting needles for a moment, let’s think about photographs, shall we? This book is aimed at all crafters. Anybody who makes anything. Knitting, quilting, woodwork, basket-weaving, embroidery … pretty much everything. Mind you, there are lots of photography books out there; books that go into much greater depth than this does. But none have quite this focus.

Congratulations to Jess and Casey and the entire Ravelry team. 2,000,000 members! That’s just … wow! Congratulations on one of the best, most inclusive community websites I have EVER seen. You guys rock.

When I had a chance to look at “Knitting with the Color Guys” at Vogue Knitting Live last month, I didn’t expect to go any further than, “Pretty, but not for me.” Except… This book isn’t about sweaters. It’s filled with cozy, wonderful, delicious knits to have around your home.

First, the facts: Title: A Handknit Romance: 22 Vintage Designs with Lovely Details Author: Jennie Atkinson Published by: Interweave Press, 2012 Pages: 136 Type: Patterns Chapters: (Not so much chapters as a list of patterns) The In-Depth Look: I love clothing with a vintage look. I think it’s one of the reasons I enjoy period [...]

Yes, “Principles of Knitting” is HERE!

The author says, “This collection features 16 of my own designs, inspired by the history, native plants, architecture and flowers (lots of flowers) that define ‘Southern’ for me. We are fortunate to have contributions from 9 other Deep South designers who have created projects inspired by their hometowns.

Ysolda says in the intro, “Through many conversations about choosing a size, substituting yarns, taking measurements and adapting shaping, the key thing that emerged was that most knitters would like to feel more in control when making garments, like they had a better ability to visualise what they wanted to create and actually end up with what they planned. Before getting to the patterns, the book goes through some things that I hope will help you get the results you want from both these patterns and any other garments that you want to knit.”

You can almost always be confident, when ordering a book from Schoolhouse Press, that you’re going to get something thorough, detailed, and full of creative, useful ideas–and this book is no exception.

Not every knitter cooks or bakes, of course, but I’ve noticed that many of us DO. Maybe we just like to nibble on yummy things as we knit, or maybe there’s some kind of home-maker impulse that goes along with creating knitwear, but there’s some kind of connection. Which is why Kristi has put together this book–12 knitting patterns paired with the perfect 12 recipes to go with them.

I’ve always fallen firmly into the Traditional camp–preferring to let the knitting showcase the stitchwork and patterns rather than trying to deal with funky, sparkly, bumpy stuff that looked good in the skein but worked up into odd and quirky projects.

But, oh, this book. It’s dedicated to the art of making textured yarn, and it is chock-full of meticulously tested techniques to enable you to spin exactly the kind of yarn you’ve dreamed of.

Nancy Bush’s “Folk Socks” was a revelation. Not only did she explore the (mostly European) history of the stocking and all its regional variations, she provided some truly beautiful traditional sock patterns. Like many books of the period, though, the original had something of a no-nonsense feel to it. There were pictures, but, well, compared to the stylish knitting books in vogue today, it doesn’t look like anything special–very plain vanilla and utilitarian.

So, when I tell you that book has been updated, does it make your heart beat a little faster?