Teddy Bears

This is mostly for Theresa who was asking about this book in her post today.  It's a mini-review of  Teddy Bears by Debbie Bliss which includes 25 designs for knitted bears.

The bears are all knit with Rowan dk weight yarns from what I could tell, but I suppose you could size them up or down depending on whatever yarn you had.  Many of the actual bears look similar, although there is a garter stitch bear thrown in and a couple of colorwork bears too.  Many of the bears have little outfits, some quite elaborate!   

I haven't knit any of these up yet, so I can't vouch for the accuracy of the patterns or the ease of following them, but the bears are super cute and so are the outfits.  In fact, when I pulled out the book to write this up, Maddie asked if I'd knit her some of them.  I haven't looked at this book in a while, but Theresa's post today has gotten me thinking.  Bears and handspun may just be a great match!

Handknit Holidays

I've been meaning to review Melaine Falick's Handknit Holidays for awhile now and with the holidays right around the corner, I couldn't wait any longer.

The first thing that struck me about this book is how pretty it is. I don't know about you, but I love looking through my knitting books. Gazing at the pictures -- dreaming about all the future project possibilities! And this book makes me happy when I look through it. There are lots of big, beautiful photographs that show off the projects very nicely. In fact, most projects include several photos -- a big plus in my opinion!

Okay, so the pictures are pretty, but what about the projects themselves? Well, there are about 50 projects altogether and I would say that of that 50, there are more than a dozen that I want to knit! Now that's a good percentage. And I would venture to guess that there are projects that would interest almost every knitter. Everything from gloves and scarves to pillows, tree skirts and socks. There are big projects and quick little things which would make excellent, tasteful gifts.

I was really impressed with the number of designer's who contributed to this book:

• From Jo Sharp there is a pattern for some absolutely gorgeous pillows. I'm also in love with her Holly Leg Warmers.
• Leigh Radford , of Alterknits fame, has some cute little ornaments -- which would also make cute gift toppers, I think!
• Veronik Avery's Lace Photo Mats look quick and classy and would be excellent for making a framed picture into an extra special gift. I'm also quite taken with her Winter Solstice Table Runners. And I think my first knit from this book might be her Sugarplum Pullover!
• Iris Schreier, of Modular Knits fame, has contributed a couple nice scarf patterns.
• Norah Gaughan's Crisscross Shrug is not my thing, but I do find the design very unique and interesting.
• Annie Modesitt's Wire Menorah/Votive Sleeves which are knit with wire strung with beads would make fun quick gifts.

There are also a few items from some designers I'm not that familiar with that really stood out. Cindy Taylor's Over-the-knee-socks have a fabulous motif running up the back! I may never knit these, but I love looking at them. Then there is Priscilla Gibson-Roberts Swedish Heart-Warmer Shawl. The colorwork and rich colors are really eye-catching! There is Jolene Treace's River Forest Gansey -- a wonderful cabled sweater perfect for the boy or man in your life. And finally, I have to mention Suzanne Atkinson's Evergreen and Christmas Rose Gift Bags -- great little stranded bags.

I really can't do this book justice with words, the number and variety of patterns is incredible and the photography makes them all the more desirable. I want to make so many things in here! So really, check out Handknit Holidays, I don't think you will be disappointed!

Scarf Style

Today I want to talk about my favorite book of 2004 -- Scarf Style from Interweave Press. Now you may be thinking -- scarves?!? Who needs another book of scarf patterns? -- but I have to tell you that this book completely won me over the first time I paged through it. Here's why. . .

First of all there are the number and diversity of patterns. This book pretty much has it all! Lace, intarsia, stranded, cabled, textured, beaded. . . you get the idea. There are even some crochet patterns thrown in for the non-knitters or those of us who want to try our hand at a something new.

In addition to the variety of patterns, the book is easy on the eyes. Ther pictures are big and beautiful and there are additional small photos highlighting diferent aspects of each project. The patterns are easy to read (even with my less than perfect eyesight) and free of errors -- at least the three patterns I've tried. Charts are provided for the patterns that include lace, cables and colorwork and they are also large enough to be easy to read.

One final thing that I liked about this book was the "design notebook" in the back that gives you tips to help you to create your own scarves. That's a nice addition that I really hadn't seen in other scarf books.

There are a lot of patterns in this book that I have made or plan to make, which makes it just about the most used knitting pattern book that I own. I've started the "Backyard Leaves" scarf by Annie Modesitt, which is a beautiful lace pattern. I completed a version of the "Misty Garden" scarf by Jo Sharp, knit with Angel instead of the recommended yarn. And last night I started the infamous "Ruffles" scarf which is a fun little project. Once again I'm substituting -- this time some lovely Brooks Farm Harmony.

This brings me to my final point. Who doesn't have a few balls, hanks or skeins of yarn picked up here and there laying about in their stash? Scarves are the perfect solution for getting all these smaller bits of yarn used and loved! And with this book, there is enough variety that you will surely be able to match that lovely, lonely skein or two with an equally lovely pattern.

Cool Socks, Warm Feet

This book, one of my favorite sock knitting books, is likely to be the kind of book you either love or hate. Whether you like it or not will largely depend on two things: 1) whether you like to work with double pointed needles (or at least feel comfortable converting instructions for double points to your own style) and 2) what you expect from a pattern book. If you hate double points, or are looking for a large compendium of sock patterns, then this book may not be right for you. If you don't have a problem embracing tiny sticks and are more interested in sock construction options, step right up! This book is going to open up a whole new sock world for you.

The whole premise of this book is really to put self-patterning sock yarn to good and interesting use. At least, that was the reason I bought it. I have a large stash of self-patterning yarn and I was looking for some ways to use it creatively. When I got the book, I was initially a little disappointed. There are really only 6 patterns in the whole book. And then I noticed that all the instructions provided, were provided for making socks on 4 double points. At the time, as a devout socks on one or two circulars adherent, I found this somewhat offputting. But then I started to look through her patterns and read through her incredibly detailed and well annotated instructions. This is really where the book shines.

This book goes beyond providing patterns into the realm of really trying to help the reader understand sock construction. The reason that there are only 6 patterns is more to do with the fact that Lucy Neatby seems to see these as basic patterns as jumping off points for your own creativity. It's a way for you to learn about different types of cuffs, heels and toes. A playground for learning new techniques with a few examples of what goes well together and how you can put the different pieces together into an well formed and fitted sock. The patterns are really just a set of guides to encourage you to mix and match pieces and to be a little more adventurous with sock knitting techniques. If it wasn't for her introduction of a garter stitch version of a short-row heel, I don't think I would have ever wanted to have a short-row heel in a sock. Her instructions helped me get past the problems I'd been encountering before and her helpful comments made sure that I ended up with a very polished result.

Beyond the patterns, there is also a fairly large collection of technical information. Want to know how to do a tubular cast-on for a sock? It's in there. Curious about how a three needle bind off for a toe works? You can find that too -- along with information for custom shaping socks for hard to fit feet and how to become friends with your double points, and the pros and cons of different needle types for sock knitting. In fact, this book covers an incredible amount of ground when it comes to sock knitting tips and tricks. Unfortunately, while her descriptions are detailed, not every technique is equally well illustrated by pictures. If you need diagrams to really understand how to do something, this book might be best accompanied by a good visual reference.

I've spent a lot of time trying to come up with a good answer to the question "Is this a good book for beginning sock knitters?" Even after a lot of pondering, the best answer I can come up with is "yes and no". I didn't come to this book until I had quite a few pairs of socks under my belt. I was looking to spice up my basic sock knitting pattern and skills, and this book gave me that extra kick that I needed. It's a great reference book, even if you already know a lot about socks. It's also spiral bound, light and compact. You can tell by the wear and abuse on this book that it comes with me everywhere. That said, the incredibly detailed patterns and loads of helpful hints mean that as a beginner, it's almost like having an experienced sock knitter next to you all the time, offering you helpful suggestions and pointing out places where you can customize your knitting for your own needs. This can be invigorating or overwhelming -- it just depends on your learning style.

The focus on using double pointed needles may also be difficult for some. I know that I really had a hard time with knitting socks on double points -- until I got a copy of this book and got too lazy to want to translate the instructions to work well with two circulars. I started with a pair of toe up socks, determined to make those double points my friends. Amazingly enough, one simple suggestion (from the book) made all the difference in the world -- use 4 needles instead of three to make your circle. It worked like a charm and there's not a bit of laddering to be seen in my socks. Now I almost can't imagine not using double pointed needles for socks.

In short, this is a great technique reference for the experienced sock knitter and a great place to start for the new sock knitter who isn't afraid to look at a lot of possibilities. The very first sock pattern in the book is pretty much the standard sock pattern that most people start with, just with a lot more explaination about the component parts than you're likely to find via Anne Norling or some other pattern company. Lucy Neatby's writing style is friendly and inviting, without being overly wordy or self-promoting, so the book is easy to read and refer to. This book would be another of my picks to take with me if I were trapped on a desert island because it is so packed full of good information. It's not exhaustive, but it will get you a pretty long way to really understanding sock construction. And for me, that's really what sets this book apart. It's not about giving you patterns for knitting socks, it's about giving you an understanding about what parts make up a sock and why those parts are constructed the way they are. When you know how something works, you can start to shape it for your own needs, come up with your own exciting variations. In the end, this little book is about empowering you to be a creative knitter and to think out of your sock box.