The Knitter’s Life List: To Do – To Know – To Explore – To Make A Review

The Knitters Life List.

The Knitter’s Life List: To Do – To Know – To Explore – To Make

Gwen W. Steege

Storey Publishing, 2011

The Knitter’s Life List is a unique knitting book.  It is not a book of patterns or a book about knitting skills or techniques.  It is a book about the craft of knitting and all that it encompasses.  It is a book of lists, articles, biographies of designers and important knitters, technique notes, and observations about knitting.  The book is divided into chapters which are based on topics and broad subject areas such as yarns, sweaters, socks, fiber etc.  In each chapter you will find articles, photos, stories, and the lists.  The book is filled with short well written articles about the history of knitting, the role of knitting in society and fun entertaining pop culture facts about yarn and knitting but it is so much more than a compilation of articles.  The lists and articles are designed to motivate and inspire you as a knitter to take your craft to the next level.  It encourages you to learn more, push your self and be brave enough to try new things.  The book is meant to be an inspirational starting point for knitters of all levels.  A beginner can get excited about knitting and learn new skills while an experienced knitter can use the lists to delve deeper into techniques and move their craft to the next level.  I can see a book like this being popular with knitting groups or with people hoping to connect to other knitters of all levels.  I also think that the lists in this book are great for people who are feeling a little unenthusiastic about knitting.  Face it we all go into a knitting slump sometimes.  This book will get you excited to try something and sometimes that is all you need to get motivated again.

The lists are into sections such as meet, discover, do/try, and learn, go, experience, extra credit and a place to create my lists.  The items on the lists vary depending on the chapter but encourage one to take the subject to a different level.  You are encouraged to learn more, try new things and think about knitting in a new way.  These lists are fun and will get you excited about your craft.  They are not designed to be a check list of things you need to do to be a master knitter.  Your creativity, curiosity, or your competitiveness can be sparked by the lists or you can get a sense of accomplishment by what you already know.  The book itself is lovely.  It is full color and chock full of beautiful photos.  It has a casual modern layout style that makes it easy to flip through or to browse as a coffee table book.  I liked the historical information, especially sections about traditional styles of knitting and the depth of information about different fibers.  The historical photos are fun to look at.  Overall I found the book to be interesting and fun to read.  I kept picking it up and reading sections and drooling over the photos.  The only things I thought it lacked as book about knitting as a culture was that it had very little about Ravelry which is such a big component of the knitting community these days.  As a librarian I have to say I loved the reading lists at the end.  It was a nice touch.  I liked the book and think you will too.  Gwen W. Steege has a love of knitting that shows in her enthusiasm and in the depth of her knowledge.  Well done.

So if you are looking to be inspired, want to move your craft to the next level or want to learn more about fiber, techniques, or the history of knitting this book would be perfect for you.  I think this book would make a great gift for a knitter of any skill level. 

To make things even better Storey publishing has generously offered to give one book away to any reader of this review.  All you need to do is leave me a comment and at the end of the month one reader will be selected to get a brand new copy of the book!  Also Storey is having a contest called the Knitter’s Life List Sweepstakes.  Check out www.storey.com for details.

Vintage Crochet for your Home - A book review

The cover of the book.

Vintage Crochet for your Home: Best Loved Patterns for Afghans, Rugs and More.

From the  Coats & Clark Company  2010

Coats & Clark are celebrating the 75th Anniversary of the Red Heart Yarn line this year by releasing this new book. The book has an interesting concept. It takes vintage patterns designed and published by the company from 1920-1959 and redesigns them for the modern crocheters. The patterns are written using modern terms and crocheted using readily available yarns from the Red Heart line in modern fresh colors. The book fully takes advantage of the resurgence of interest in the mid-century modern aesthetic and the rising trend of vintage modern styling. Crafters are very interested in vintage patterns but are often put off on using the patterns because of the way they are written the lack of charts and the difficulty in finding or even understanding the yarn weights in older patterns. This book takes a nice selection of vintage patterns for the home and transforms them into fresh and modern patterns with a vintage flair.

Love these mitered clothes and the hooks

The book consists of four main chapters with over 30 patterns, a brief history of the company and a how to crochet basics information section. The patterns are broken into three sections Beginner (1 pattern), Easy (24 patterns) and Intermediate (5 patterns) so the patterns are attainable for nearly everyone. The patterns are well written and have a good layout and all the patterns include colored charts which make it easy to follow along when working the projects. The book is filled with great colored photos of all the projects and in some cases has the original photos from the pattern along side the new redesigned project.

Chapter 1 Kitchen Aids consists of dishcloths, potholders, and shopping bags. I love the mitered dishcloths and think they would be adorable in any kitchen or as a house warming gift. Retro dishcloths are so hot right now and these cloths have a 50ish vibe that would be great in any style kitchen. I know that the mitered dishcloth is a mini trend on Ravelry and this will let crocheters in on the trend. The color combinations are endless and this pattern makes good use of variegated cottons which can become overwhelming in a full project. The potholders and the shopping bags are also very nice all are small projects that would make great gifts.

Covered bottle caps the variations are endless.

Chapter 2 Entertaining Tables has a selection of placemats, doilies, and a hot pad. The placemats are lovely but I am fascinated by the Pineapple Hot Plate mat. This pattern takes metal bottle caps crochets them into a cover and then the covered caps are sewn into the shape of a pineapple which is then used as a hot pad. How clever is that? The pattern is interesting but what I love how the technique can be applied to other projects. I am imagining plastic water bottle caps sewn into circles for table runners, rugs, and coasters. It really is a clever idea and I can see it being used as an eco friendly project repurposing all kinds of lids and caps and different kinds of yarns.

Chapter 3 Bed & Bath Décor has rugs, edgings and an appliqué. What is it with crochet books that they always add some type of crochet edging? I think they are a bit fussy on bath towels but could be nice on other things. I guess I just am not the decorative towel kinda gal! I love the water lily appliqués but see them on other things than towels. I think they would look cool on a bag or a rug. The rugs are nice. I like the circular rug which uses a puff stitch. I can see how the choice of yarn and colors could suit this rug to any décor from modern to traditional.

Love the pillows and the styling

Chapter 4 Cozy Rooms is the longest chapter with them most patterns. It has the afghan patterns (with matching pillows) this section has the best styling of afghans I have seen in a while. I love the mid century feel of the styling. I guess Coats has had over 75 years of experience making afghans look appealing. I also like the modern and vintage photos which show you how modern color choices and yarns can reinvent a classic design. My favorite is the Checkmate Afghan & Pillow. It is a nice take on the buffalo plaid trend that is very popular right now. It has a 50’s bachelor vibe which is also popular right now. My college age son would love this afghan for his dorm. I like the use of a solid and a variegated yarn. It makes it look more complex than it really is. I also like the Tweedy Square pattern. It uses 2 skeins of Red Heart Super Saver which makes it economical as a housewarming gift. With the color choices and the variety of buttons you can find the pillow has endless variations.

Overall I like the book. The styling is lovely, the color photos well done and the variety of patterns is nice for a home book. I like the fact that the patterns are things people would want to use in their house no magnets or cozies (ok just one cup cozy but it matches the placemat and it’s actually more of a coaster with a lip) I like it when vintage doesn’t pander to kitsch, not that I don’t love kitsch. The only thing I didn’t like about the book is that some of the styling on the placemats obscured the project. Not a major problem since the instructions and charts are clear and some projects have multiple photos. Oh wouldn’t it be nice if Coats did a vintage home knitting book as a companion? Check out this book and of course decide for yourself I personally found it to be a nice well done book with great patterns and an interesting premise.

Vintage Crochet For Your Home: Best-Loved Patterns for Afghans, Rugs and More for sale on Amazon.com.

Squirrel friend where you been?

Ok I should be ashamed of myself.  I feel like I should be brought up before the yarn council for dereliction of duty.  I can not believe that I haven't posted a blog post since June!  This summer has been super crazy and I have to admit that sending Nate off to college really looped me more than I thought it would.  I have been busy knitting and reading but I haven't had the heart to do much else.  Let's never speak of this again.

What have I been doing with all my free time?  Knitting and reading.  I am working steadily on my Top 100 list I swear.  I took a mid summer break to read Stieg Larsson's Millennium Trilogy Bundle: The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, The Girl Who Played with Fire, The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest which are all
awesome.  I also watched the movie in Swedish (how classy)  I also caught up on the

 Bones book series by Kathy Reich and the Dexter series including the newest book Dexter Is Delicious
(not for the faint of heart I must say but wow what a page turner)  I love the series but the books are my favorite!
I have been knitting but not like crazy.  I finished a few small projects and did a shawl
for a swap.  Right now I am avoiding starting my christmas knitting and working sporatically on the Bountiful Bohus from More Big Girl Knits in a nice blue color.  I broke my Boye Needlemaster size 7 on it and had to get a new needle.  I went with a fixed circular this time and it is working fine.  I don't know what it is about cardigans in the round that make my needles go pop.  I can't decide if it is a combo of weight and the number of stitches or both!

I promise to post more regularly.  I have some awesome projects, hot book reviews and some fun cat photos to share if you stick with me!  Here is a sneak preview:

Tasha snuggling with the Oscillope Shawl

Luna with the Oscillope Shawl

I call Luna the squirrel friend.  I heard a little girl on the bus say to her sister "Squirrel Friend you're nuts"  I thought it was super funny so now Jazzy and say it all the time!

Mr. Funky's Super Crochet Wonderful Book Review.

 Mr. Funky's Super Crochet Wonderful

By Narumi Ogawa
Illustrated by Dylan Haley
Published by: North Light Books, 2007
Website http://misterfunky.com/index.html

Mr. Funky’s Super Crochet Wonderful is a pretty cute crochet pattern book. It has patterns for both amigurmi animals and small fashion accessories. The book has full patterns with charts for nine animals with variations and sixteen patterns for accessories. Some have multiple parts such as a hat and scarf set. The patterns are fun and easy to follow and allows for an endless variations. Switching up ears, tails, clothes, and eyes can lead to a numerous different types of animals. For example the book has a pattern for a cat that could be a dog, a bear or even a person with some mods. I especially like the bear bottle cover. The pattern is written for a plastic water bottle but can easily be made to fit a baby bottle, or a thin tall reusable plastic or metal bottle.


I like the simple shape of the animals and the uncomplicated construction. I think the design of the animals is accessible to younger crafter who want to make amigurmi but may be nervous about some of the other more articulated styles found on the internet or in other books. It is a good staring point for making animals.

The accessories are basic accessories made more fashion forward with the use of creative yarns. The book has hats, scarves, a bag, some pins and a pair of mittens. All are good basic shaped patterns that can be customized with unique yarn choices or add ons. I think the mitten pattern is especially nice and can be customized in endless ways. I don’t often see crocheted mittens. This book could be a good resource for basic go to patterns in a variety of yarn sizes.

I liked this book it is so cute. It has adorable illustrations, the color and layout of the book is young and fresh and geared towards modern crocheters without being cloying. The pattern style is fresh, easy to follow and well laid out. I think it would be great for younger crocheters who have mastered the basics of the craft. The illustrator has taken the photographs of the finished projects and drew backgrounds and accessories around the photos. Also the accessories are modeled by animals instead of people so cute. My niece thought it was the” cutest ever.’

None of the patterns are overly complex so I would rate it an intermediate level book. However be warned the book doesn’t have a how to crochet section so you should know how to crochet before you start. I also like the fact that it has both charts and written instructions. The charts are big and easy to read and come with a symbol guide. It does have a tip section at the back with some basic assembly information. I learned a tip from the book, use a one size smaller hook to do your decreases. This makes a smaller gap and keeps the stuffing from popping out! Nifty.

I was disappointed to see that it did not have a basic stitch guide in it but it is not a deal breaker. I also found that some of the patterns such as the mittens had illustrations drawn on top of the project photos. The mittens had snow drawn on the tips of the mittens and thumb, very distracting since that is something you want to see when you are working on the project. Even though the animal models are super cute I wonder about the fit of the hats on real people I guess that is what Ravelry is for.

Overall this is a very fun book with good patterns. I am planning on making the Bunny in a Dress pattern and the On the go Water bottle cozy for Christmas gifts so look for those in the future. I would recommend this book for teens and fashion forward crocheters looking for something fun and fast to work on.

Meet Natasha

Luna has a sister !  Meet Natasha.

So the boss thought that Luna needed a sister.  He thought she seemed lonely.  So we went to the Bucks County SPCA last Sunday to see if we could find a male 1yr fixed cat to be a companion for Luna.  As soon as we got in room this little show off started to put on the charm and won the heart of the boss and the decision was made.

Luna had a hard time on Sunday but progress was made on Monday.  I was able to broker a tentative peace agreement using half a bag of kitty crackers and a blanket covered with the scent of the new kitten.  Now I  see signs of them getting closer.  Less hissing and more physical contact.  I saw Luna lick the kitten's face this morning.  Of course when she saw me watching she hissed and ran away.

Natasha or Tasha is full of energy and so curious.  She already destroyed two of our plants and has staked a claim in Luna's favorite sleeping space.  She has the boss wrapped around her cute mitten paws.

Summer Breezes make me feel fine.

This photo is how I broke my camera. 
Apparently pugs don't like to wear cowls!

 I am really going to try to be more regular with my posting. I don’t know why I wait and wait to post anymore half the time I have a blog post written and ready to go. Something happens to me when I sit down to my computer after work, ok what happens is Facebook. I spend way too much time on Facebook stalking my family and playing Café World. Ok I admit it so let’s just move on; unless of course you are on Facebook and play Café World then we need to talk about being neighbors!

This week I am still working my way through the FO pile. I was given a wonderful cowl pattern from Hanna over at Ever Green Knits. It is called the Manzanita Cowl. It has everything I love about knitting lace. The pattern is semi open and has bobbles how can you go wrong with that? You really can’t the pattern is well written and complex enough to be interesting. It fits well and has a nice slouch without being too floppy. I really like my cowls to be more like neck warmers and less like eighties cowl sweaters and hang over and down. I used Red Heart Eco-Ways in the Cinnabar color. I had two skeins left over from my Ditto. The cowl used less than a half of skein so you could get two out of one skein making it great for gift giving. The only thing I would change in the next one is that I would do the bobbles on both ends I just like the finished feeling of the end with the bobbles. Right now one end has a plain edge that rolls a little. I know why Hanna did that and it makes perfect sense but I get itchy when things don’t match.

I had this idea that Luna needed a mat to sleep on, she didn't!

Work continues on Citron. I just finished a section of the ruching that was over 600 stitches! Realistically I am not going to go much bigger on this one it is getting too boring. I will finish this band and go with only 7 bands and then the ruffle. I don’t have a time issue but I can only do so much lace weight purling and my wooden needles are starting to get dull and having trouble on some of the purl side rows. Yuck. I am also working on the body of my top down cardigan which is going fast on size 8 needles definitely perfect for movie watching knitting. I am searching for the perfect knitting project for my Red Heart Summer Swap partner. If she is
reading this I haven’t found the perfect pattern yet but I am having fun searching. I really need to do a stash inventory. I have been working almost exclusively from the stash and my little cheat sheet is out of date so I don’t know what I have in there anymore I doubt I have any sweater’s worth of yarn stashed away anymore but who knows what a little digging will uncover!

The cowl is lovely.  It is soft and squishy and very warm.

I found a great new podcast that I want to share. It is called The Savvy Girls and is by two sisters Melanie and Deborah. I love the repertoire these two sisters have with each other. The podcast is funny and intelligent. I recommend it. I was listening to one of the back episodes on the bus and I actually laughed out loud!

Links

Manzanita Cowl (rav link)

Savvy Girls

Facebook (friend me)

Tight as Owls

You can see how light and airy the shawl is.

 I read the title in my book today and thought it sounded funny, two soliders were on leave in France during WWI and they went out drinking and got “tight as owls” I think it is the best way to describe being drunk that I have heard in a long time.

I am not getting as tight as an owl because I am working on the additional rows of the Citron. I am on repeat six which has 294 stitches after the first increase row. I am still on my first ball of yarn. I was hoping to do seven repeats and a longer ruffles but I just might die of boredom before then. I also haven’t finished Luna’s kitty blanket and during a moment of weakness I cast on for a top down raglan using the yarn my mom brought me back from Ireland. I am still working on the yoke of that one but I have to strand two colors in a striping pattern to make sure I have enough yarn which makes things go slower since they are constantly getting tangled or attacked by rogue cats. I am so trying to be good and only use stash yarn but I have to say I am hitting rock bottom. I was actually thinking of what to make from a lone skein of homespun someone gave to me a few years ago.

I love the haze of the yarn and the subtle ruffling.

A while back I bought two bags of Lion Brand Midnight Mohair at the JC Penney outlet. Each bag had (4) balls of yarn in it. I love the color and thought it would be similar to the pink mohair blend I made my Shetland Triangle out of but it’s not. It is at two strand blend and not quite as soft as the pink stuff. So I was looking around for something to make with the yarn and found a pattern called the Storm Cloud Shawelette by Hanna Breetz from Ever Green Knits. She also designed the Manzanita cowl which I also knit recently.

My blue color way called Glacier Bay reminded me of cloudy skies so I cast on. The Shawelette is pretty neat. It is a half circle with a drop garter stitch pattern. It works up super fast and looks amazing. It really showcases the yarn. The only problem and it is solely mine own is that I didn’t have quite enough yarn. I was so sure I had enough to cast off on my ruffle but I didn’t. I was too lazy to rip back and put hundreds of stitches back on to cast off that I started to scavenge every scrap of yarn I had to cast off. I wove in all the ends and clip the yarn. I split it in half and put it together but no luck I still needed yarn for about four more inches of binding. I checked my entire stash, all my scraps and tried to find something that matched no luck. I finally found blue colored mohair that matched sort of and used that for the last few inches. It doesn’t match exactly but I don’t mind. I love the way this shawl wraps around and stay put and the ruffle is super girly. I still have one more bag of the yarn and so I can make a second if want to.

A healthy sized half circle shawl.

Reading will be pretty slow for the next few months. I am working on John Dos Passo’s U.S.A which is a trilogy. I reserved it for the summer but found it so interesting I started reading it early. I am also still working on Nostromo by Joseph Conrad and Appointment in Samarra by John O’Hara. I have been working on a project list for the summer. I want to get in some sewing time and I have about 30 squares sewn that I want to put together to make a few sit upons for the summer. We go to festivals and spend time in the park and having small pads for sitting on is so much easier than big blankets.

We are getting ready for Nate’s graduation and party and I am starting to realize that sending a kid off to college is a full time endeavor. We have forms to fill out, physicals, tests, shopping lists, and driving lessons to keep him busy for the next three months. The boss has been teaching Luna to fetch a piece of crumpled up paper. She thinks it a ball. Luke my 4 year old nephew says that Luna is a “dog with cat parts”. Hilarious!

Links
Storm Cloud Shawelette by Hanna (Ever Green Knits) This pattern is free and awesome!