Soft. Fluffy. Melt-in-your-mouth. Luscious.

Well, no, you won’t want to actually eat it, but this yarn is so soft and lofty, it’s like meringue, whipped cream, marshmallow fluff. You almost don’t expect your knitted stitches to be there when you come back to them on the next row because everything is so heavenly soft you wouldn’t be surprised if it fluffed itself into a poof of fiber in your hands.

“Holistic Knitting: The knitting world can’t be explained by its component parts alone. Rather, the whole of the knitting world–more than simply the sum of its parts–has an existence all its own.”

This is a collection of 19 perfectly wearable sweaters, ranging from vests to short-sleeved to long sleeved, all of which have practically no seams whatsoever.

Was it really worth buying a new copy just because it was bigger, with color pictures, and a new forward from Stephanie Pearl-McPhee, and the February Lady sweater pattern?

Oddly enough, I still don’t have an answer to that question. I’ve been too busy rereading this book and grinning. It’s like visiting with an old, dear friend who is sporting a new haircut and a stylish outfit but is exactly the same person you played with in grade school.

And the list goes on! Here are some more books due out a little later in the year: AUGUST Wendy Knits Lace: Essential Techniques and Patterns for Irresistible Everyday Laceby Wendy D. Johnson Contemporary Irish Knits by Carol Feller The Gentle Art of Knitting: 40 Projects Inspired by Everyday Beauty by Jane Brocket Knitting Socks [...]

Most sock books are either filled with patterns with not a whole lot of time spent on technique, or they’re full of guidance but with blah patterns. Of course, some do hit the balance between pattern and technique. Some are fairly exhaustive, in fact, and you may already have them on your shelves.

But … they’re not THIS book, by Ann Budd, a genius in our time.

Here are some recent and upcoming books you might be interested in: EARLIER Knitting with Peruvian Yarns: 25 Soft Sweaters and Accessories in Alpaca, Llama, Merino and Silk by Jane Ellison Sweater Design in Plain English, Second Edition by Maggie Righetti More Knitting in the Sun: 32 Patterns to Knit for Kids by Kristi Porter [...]

Check out my interview at Jessalu! Well, strictly speaking, not MY interview because it wasn’t an interview of me. It’s a guest-post of me doing an interview of Melissa Morgan-Oakes’s new book (which I reviewed this morning). You should check it out–not only because of the wonderful interview (cough), but because you have a chance [...]

The latest in the “Teach Yourself Visually” series, which focuses on circular knitting. That is, knitting in the round, where you spiral your way up a tube of fabric–whether it is a sock, a mitten, a hat, a sleeve, or a sweater–rather than knitting separate pieces and sewing them together.

Title: EntreKnits: Knitting Takes Shape Published by: Interweave Press, 2011 Type: E-Magazine From the publisher: EntreKnits explores unique tips and techniques for entrelac, mitered, and modular knitting with fun patterns, innovative and educational tutorials, inspirational videos, and up-close image galleries. EntreKnits features 6 patterns, from a quick-to-knit bracelet to practice your skills, to an elaborate [...]

If you’re at all interested in natural fibers, you’re going to want this book. You’re going to find yourself poring over the pictures and fondling the pages, just like you finger your yarn and your spinning fibers. And you’ll never look at a label that says “100% wool” in the same way again.

The author says the book is inspired by Barbara G. Walker’s “Knitting from the Top.” (A book which I highly recommend, by the way.) She begins by saying, “A copy sat on my shelf for several years before I actually had the patience to read it and begin to understand what a gem it is.” “I was instantly intrigued by the questions Walker posed: Why create a bunch of pieces only to have to sew them together afterwards? Why not create an item as one continuous piece and save yourself a mountain of finishing? And why not start at the top and be able to slip the item on over your head at any stage and adjust the length and fit accordingly? The overall message was an empowering one: measure yourself, dive in, look at your work, think as you go, and take control of your knitting.”

How many times can I tell you that a book is sweet and nice and good and filled with heart-warming little stories and patterns? You’re going to stop believing me–they can’t all be that good, can they?