First, the facts:

Title: Deep South Knitting

Author: Beth Moriarty

Published by: Planet Purl Press, 2011

Pages: 154

Type: Patterns

Chapters:

1. West Virginia
2. Kentucky
3. Virginia
4. Tennessee
5. Arkansas
6. Louisiana
7. Mississippi
8. Alabama
9. North Carolina
10. South Carolina
11. Florida
12. Georgia

The In-Depth Look:

I admit, when I think “knitting,” the first geographic area that comes to mind is not the Deep South. I mean, it gets hot down there, right? I think iced tea and mint juleps. Ice cream socials. And, you know, LIGHT clothing. I don’t usually think about what they’d need to knit.

Which just goes to show what a short-sighted Yankee I am, because obviously Southern knitters are just as talented and motivated as their northern counterparts. Even more so, perhaps, since they need more creativity in finding things to knit they can use without sweltering, while those of us who get snow (usually) for several months of the year have no trouble thinking of needed handknits.

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. … If you can’t make it down to our neck of the woods for a visit, doing a little Southern cooking of your own might just be the next best thing. I’ve included a dozen of my favorite regional recipes to give you a true ‘taste’ of the South. So put on the kettle, get comfy and plan to stay for a while.’

As to the patterns, there’s a nice variety–sweaters, scarves, fingerless gloves, pillows, skirts. An assortment of things, even a tea cozy. (And the point about needing handknits to counteract extreme air conditioning is an excellent point.)

All of them are beautifully photographed–because the pictures are beautiful. You not only get to see the knits, you get atmosphere. Truly lovely to look at.

The recipes are charming, too. There’s the almost requisite mint julep, along with sweet tea, red velvet cake, peach cobbler, cornbread, plantains, and more.

All in all, this is a lovely book. It’s pretty to look at and filled with nice things to knit and yummy things to eat. What more could you ask for, really? You should check it out!

Want to see bigger pictures? Click here.

This review copy was kindly donated by the author. Thank you!

First, the facts:

Title: Little Red in the City

Author: Ysolda Teague

Published by: Ysolda Teague, 2011

Pages: 261

Type: Patterns and Techniques

Chapters:

1. Tools for Successful Sweaters
2. Techniques
3. Patterns

The In-Depth Look:

It’s taken me longer than I’d like to review this for you, and it’s all Ysolda’s fault. She put so much good information in this book, it took me a while to read all of it.

That’s because there is a ton of good information in here.

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.”

Then, as promised, the book dives right into the “Tools for Successful Sweaters” section, which is pretty amazing. A lot of the details are things you’ve likely heard before–the importance of swatching, how to pick your yarn, how to adjust a pattern for fit, how to properly take measurements, things like that. Those are followed by very specific details about technique–cast-ons, short rows, buttonholes, and so on. All this before you even get to the patterns.

And then the patterns themselves–they are a charming variety of sweaters and vests, but they’re not simple little patterns. They go into detail of not only how to make them, but they also explain the story behind the sweaters–why they’re put together as they are, how to make changes, where to make adjustments. They explain why the recommended yarn has all the right characteristics for the sweater so that, if you want to use something else, you’ll know what to look for. There’s lots of detail in here.

Visually, this is one of the most charming knitting books I’ve seen in a while. It’s got photos and sketches and even photos with sketches IN them to make a point. There are little illustrations in the margins, and hand-written headers. Even the charts are a mix of computer-generated numbers and characters laid over a hand-drawn grid. It’s a pleasure to look at. (Kudos to the design team!)

In addition, a purchase of the paper book comes with a free PDF download (using a code hidden under a scratch-off sticker inside the back cover). Talk about making it easy to reference when you’re away from home, or easy to get a print-out of just the pattern you’re working on.

Ultimately, I love this book and only regret that it took me so long to TELL you about it.

Want to see bigger pictures? Click here.

First, the facts:

Title: Knitting with Two Colors: Techniques for Stranded Knitting and Designing Color-Patterned Garments

Authors: Meg Swansen & Amy Detjen

Published by: Schoolhouse Press, 2011

Pages: 64

Type: Technique

Chapters:

1. Introduction
2. Getting Started
3. Garment Construction
4. Designing Your Own
5. Miscellaneous

The In-Depth Look:

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.

The book is introduced, “Many of the following techniques were included in the book we produced with Joyce Williams in 2000, Sweaters from Camp. We have augmented that section with many more tips and tricks, both unique and gleaned. The contents are relevant to knitting with two colors as well as most other types of knitting. … We hope this book may help to sharpen your two-color skills so that none of the world’s color-knitting traditions will be out of reach–and that you may be inspired to be a designer.”

Now, I don’t have a copy of “Sweaters from Camp” to compare to, but I’ve read lots of instructions on color-stranding in the past, and this is definitely one of the best. From generally talking about techniques and how to hold your different yarns, it moves to specifics about how to use two colors in an actual garment. What type of ribbing to use. How to use a steek. How to fit a color pattern into a garment. How to increase/decrease inside a color pattern. How to design your own sweater.

Obviously, at 64 pages, this isn’t a book about designing. But it does tell you how to fit a color pattern into a design. This book is about what you need to know to knit with two colors, and it delivers. But it also sticks to its focus.

This book not only has a thorough index (which you know I love), but also an index to let you know the source for each swatch shown throughout the book. This is particularly handy if you fall in love with one of them–you’ll be able to track down what garment/ pattern/ book/ designer it came from. Because there are lots of swatches shown throughout. Color ones, nonetheless. (Because who likes a knitting book with all black and white photos?)

I’ve never read a book by Amy Detjen before, but I know Meg Swansen’s work from her books and from countless articles in Vogue Knitting and elsewhere. There’s genius at work here–or if not genius, the results of innumerable hours of knitting experience. I’ve been knitting for over 20 years and read a lot about knitting (as you probably know), and there are tips in this book I’ve never seen before. It’s small but mighty.

You can order this little gem from Amazon, or go directly to the source at Schoolhouse Press.

Want to see bigger pictures? Click here.

First, the facts:

Title: Nourishing Knits: 24 Projects to Gift and Entertain

Author: Kristi Schueler

Published by: Self-published e-book

Pages: 102

Type: PDF ebook of patterns and accompanying recipes

Chapters:

(Not so much chapters as a list of patterns and recipes)

The In-Depth Look:

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. She says, “It did not take long to see how to pair knits with food both in and out of the kitchen. Since college I have loved cooking and developing my own recipes. I especially enjoy sharing my efforts, both from the kitchen and the needles, with others. One of my favorite groups to entertain is of course my knitting ensemble. We gather around a food-laden table. We knit, chat, and devour. This time spent enjoying each other’s company nourishes my creativity and spirit much like the processes of knitting and cooking. Each provides different sustenance and are vital to my well being. All 24 projects in this book (both knit and cooked) can be shared. Do not feel you have to though. Treating yourself is equally nourishing.”

These are lovely patterns, too, running through the usual assortment of sweater, gloves, scarf, shawl, and so on. Most of them are accessories, and there is one child’s sweater, and one man’s sweater. The recipes that go with them also run the usual gamut of sweet, savory, main course, dessert, beverage, snack … even dog biscuits that my dog has been clamoring for.

The photography is gorgeous throughout. I mean mouth-watering gorgeous (for the knits as well as the food). The layout is convenient–lots of links between pages, for example, and the header ties each recipe to its pattern, changing for each set throughout the book. There’s a table of contents, and a separate listing for each pattern and recipe, as well as an index for the sidebars. Each comes with a hyperlink to make your PDF as interactive and easy to move around as possible.

My only real complaint? In her “Tips on Using this E-Book,” she specifically says that the ebook was designed to look as much like a real book as possible, to be viewed as two-page spreads in your PDF reader. Which is fine–and don’t get me wrong, the layout is as beautiful to look at as the photos–but on my laptop screen, trying to read through this with a two-up layout is next to impossible. The headers on each page I can read, but the italicized descriptions that go with them are just too small. Reading the e-book in the recommended way more or less means that I can’t read it at all. (And it’s not my eyes–I keep the font on my Kindle at the smallest setting. It’s just a lot to fit into a laptop screen.) Presumably if you’re reading on a larger monitor, this isn’t an issue. And, of course, all you need to do is read in a single-page layout for this not to be an issue. I just thought it odd that the author and designer would go out of their way to tell you to view it in such a way that makes it harder to read.

Now, if you’ll excuse me, I need to go look at that dog biscuit recipe again.

Want to see bigger pictures? Click here.

This review copy was kindly donated by Kristi. Thank you!

First, the facts:

Title: Spin Art: Mastering the Craft of Spinning Textured Yarn

Author: Jacey Boggs

Published by: Interweave Press, 2011

Pages: 143, PLUS a 90-minute included DVD

Type: Book plus DVD

Chapters:

SINGLES TECHNIQUES
1. Wraps
2. Corespinning
3. Bumps
4. Foreign Objects

PLIED TECHNIQUES
5. Bumps
6. Loops
7. Multi-Plies
8. Combinations

The In-Depth Look:

Knitters and spinners are often divided into two camps those who do “novelty” yarn and those who prefer “real” yarn–or as Jacey Boggs calls them, Textural and Traditional. 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. She gives good reasons why she doesn’t like to call her yarn “art” or “novelty” yarn, too–the most notable being that those yarns often don’t end up being usable, and hers are.

The author writes in the introduction, “What I really hope that the spinners I teach take away with them is that the more you learn about spinning, the better spinner you’ll be. That the old adage, “Know the rules before you break them,” doesn’t really apply. You can’t break the rules of fiber and spinning and still produce a good yarn: you have to learn the rules well enough that you can work inside their parameters to get the fiber to produce the yarn you want. Traditional spinners will gain insight, dexterity, and control when they venture to spin texturally. Textural spinners will gain insight, dexterity, and control when they endeavor to spin traditionally. Traditional and textural spinning are two sides of the same coin–two plies in the same yarn. One just happens to be bumpier than the other.”

Does that make this sound stuffy or dry? Because this book is first and foremost a thing of beauty. The photographs are amazing eye candy. Not only are there vibrant pictures of the finished yarn, but photos of the process and of single strands to make everything clear. (In fact, the photos are so lovely that Interweave is bringing out a jigsaw puzzle to go along with the book. How cool is that?)

The pictures are so lovely, in fact, that they’re going to make even traditional spinners like me want to MAKE the yarn. Not only are the yarns creative and beautiful, the spinning just looks like FUN. Lots of fun. Remember when you first learned to spin and everything was an adventure? Like that. So many nifty techniques to try, yet you want to get them right so that your yarn looks like the pictures in the book. Exactly like that.

And if you have trouble learning new spinning techniques from a book? You’re in luck, because this book comes with its own 90-minute DVD of video instruction. And as much as I love the written word, and as much as I enjoy reading instructions and translating them into action, spinning is a dynamic craft and sometimes it’s just easier to see it in action. The DVD is a delight, too. Jacey comes across as interesting, knowledgeable, and funny, with an appealing on-screen presence. I’ve even watched the DVD twice, which is rare for me, but I found it that entertaining. SEEING the spinning techniques makes the text in the book that much more meaningful.

Seriously, even if I never knit a single skein of it, I want to try spinning just about every single one of these techniques if my bobbins come out as full of beautiful yarn as Jacey’s. Gorgeous stuff.

Run right over to Amazon.com or your favorite bookstore and take a look.

Want to see bigger pictures? Click here.

This review copy was kindly donated by Interweave Press. Thank you!

First, the facts:

Title: Folk Socks: The History & Techniques of Handknitted Footwear (Updated Edition)

Author: Nancy Bush

Published by: Interweave Press, 2011

Pages: 151

Type: Sock history, techniques, and patterns

Chapters:

1. From Hide to Hose: The Origins of the Sock
2. Looped Fabrics & the Legwear of Queens: The Beginnings of Knitted Hose
3. Knitting in Great Britain: A Way of Working & A Way of Life
4. Knitting in Other European Countries: Traditions & Stocking Styles
5. Carrying on the Tradition: How to Knit a Sock
6. A Classic Sock Pattern: And Some Variations on Heel & Toe
7. The Patterns

The In-Depth Look:

This is practically THE classic sock book. First published in 1994, it explored so many areas of sock knitting that hadn’t been touched on before. The history, first of all, but also heel variations, and different ways to finish off a toe–all sorts of details. It was an eye-opener for knitters who had basically knitted the same heel-flap/gusset heel and grafted the same toe for their entire sock-knitting careers. Which is assuming that they’d knitted socks at all because, when I started knitting in 1988, there were practically no sock patterns out there–which is why it was the 21st century before I knit my first sock.

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?

Because the new version–a good 30-pages longer than the original–is a sight for spoiled eyes. It’s the same amazing book but now it’s also a beautiful little book with a more generous layout. It’s got larger pictures, more color, and generally more pizazz than my 1994 edition, which makes it a pleasure to flip through. The old edition felt a little more like a textbook. This one feels like eye candy.

The burning question, though, is … how are they different?

From the press release:

“This revised edition of Folk Socks contains the in-depth history and the step-by-step instruction from Nancy Bush that sock knitters have come to love and depend on, but is now completely updated. Discontinued yarns have been replaced with current yarns, and modifications that Nancy has learned since the book was first published have been added. Also new is a bonus section on Estonian-inspired socks.”

Without comparing my two copies word for word, I can say that they look pretty identical. The sections of history, the lists of patterns, all seem to be the same, with the one exception that the old “Greek Sock” pattern is completely replaced by the new “Estonian Crossroads” pattern and there are a couple modifications to some of the other ones. I can’t say for sure what the “modifications Nancy has learned since” are, though.

Do you need to buy the new update if you have the older edition? Probably not … but the new edition sure looks nice. I find it easier to browse through. Knitting books have evolved a lot in the last couple of decades, after all, and this is one book that deserved a nice face lift.

You can check it out here at Amazon.com.
Want to see bigger pictures? Click here.

This review copy was kindly donated by Interweave Press. Thank you!

Other posts for this author:

• Knitted Lace of Estonia

First, the facts:

Title: Textured Stitches: Knitted Sweaters & Accessories with Smart Details

Author: Connie Chang Chinchio

Published by: Interweave Press, 2011

Pages: 143

Type: Patterns

Chapters:

(No Contents so much as a list of patterns)

The In-Depth Look:

Honestly?

I can’t remember the last time I saw so many things I wanted to knit all in one book.

The author says in her introduction, “My first love was, and still is, stockinette stitch, that perfect companion to the classic, unfussy sweaters that I adore; sweaters that are equally at home in the office or on an evening out. But it wasn’t long before I discovered that the judicious addition of texture patterns–achieved by the simple combination of knit-and-purl-stitch building blocks, sometimes incorporating a few artfully placed yarnover increases and directional decreases–could make a garment truly special.”

Obviously a woman after my own heart, because I agree with every word.

The designs here ARE classic and can be dressed up or down as needed. The author says right up front how much she loves fine-gauge yarns because they’re durable, versatile, and easy to wear, and I agree with her on that as well. In this centrally-heated world of ours, I usually find myself reaching for light- to mid-weight sweaters in the winter, and there are many in here I’d love to wear.

Not all the patterns are sweaters, of course. There are also accessories like gloves, hats, shawls. They’re not all knit in fine yarns, either (if that’s something you were worried about). But they’re all lovely. I can’t think of a single pattern I wouldn’t be happy to have.

As usual with Interweave books, I like the layout and feel of this one. The photos are clear and helpful, there’s a complete index and some pages of basic instruction. The author throws in some sidebars of useful tips as well, to share some guidance on making gloves or how to read a chart.

Now, if you’ll excuse me, I feel an extraordinary need to go browsing through my stash….

Convinced you want to see it for yourself? Check it out at Amazon!

Want to see bigger pictures? Click here.

This review copy was kindly donated by Interweave Press. Thank you!

Last week I just told you about a bunch of great new knitting books, but let’s not forget spinning and crocheting, huh?

Handspun

The Complete Guide to Spinning Yarn

Spin Art (Review coming soon.)

Handspinning and Natural Dyeing

Learn to Spin

Seamless Crochet

Simply Crochet

Donna Kooler’s Encyclopedia of Crochet

Custom Crochet Sweaters

Knitting and Crochet

Color and Texture in Weaving

Wishes & Stitches

Sunrise on Cedar Key

Spells and Stitches

Threadbare

If you know of any books that are coming up that are not on the list, please drop me a comment. Though, of course, this list is not meant to be complete, so I’m sure there are plenty missing.

(And, please, if you’re thinking of buying any of these books, please consider using the links here at Knitting Scholar–I’ll get a couple dollars from Amazon.com to go toward the cost of this site. My grateful thanks go with every order!)

First, the facts:

Title: Stashbuster Knits: Tips, Tricks, and 21 Beautiful Projects for Using Your Favorite Leftover Yarn

Author: Melissa Leapman

Published by: Potter Craft, 2011

Pages: 144

Type: Patterns.

Chapters:

1. Intro: It’s Not Just a Stash, It’s a Personalized Yarn Collection
2. Intro: Waste Not, Want Not: No One Will Ever Know These Projects Were Made from Leftovers
3. Oh, So Fine!
4. Lightweight, but Still Big on Style
5. The “Worsted” Case Scenario
6. In the Thick of It

The In-Depth Look:

Most knitters have a stash–a drawer or closet (or room) filled with “extra” yarn just waiting to be used. It could be leftovers from an old project or something you picked up because it was too good to resist. Even knitters who insist that they only buy yarn for their current projects end up with a stray ball now and again that they think they might turn into a matching hat or something one day. But all too often, nothing happens. The stash just sits there.

Simply put, stash happens, and this is usually a good thing. Except … eventually you need to figure out what to do with it.

Enter Melissa Leapman, who says, “But our beloved stash somehow stirs a sense of guilt. It’s a love/hate relationship. As much as we secretly enjoy that occasional midnight “Dive Into the Reservoir of Treasure” (DIRT), we also struggle to “Whittle All Stash on Hand” (WASH). We gaze upon the piles and bags and bins and sometimes think it’s a waste. That there’s just so much potential in there, if only we could figure out what to do with it.”

What follows are not only useful tips on how to deal with your stash (how to sort it, how to store it, what to do when it really does get too big), but also a series of patterns designed to use up odd amounts of extra yarn. These run the gamut of big and small projects–sweaters, afghans, bags, scarfs … even bracelets.

The patterns are sorted according to yarn weight (always a useful starting point), and are nicely varied. Not surprisingly, they are almost all made of multiple colors (or yarns) since the idea is that they ARE using up those odds and ends from your stash. Along the way, there are “Scrap Happy” tips on what to do if you’re working from scraps instead of full skeins, or how to combine lots of different yarns into a cohesive look, as well as other hints on how you can adjust the patterns to suit your needs.

I like the patterns in this book, which considering my tastes run toward solid-ish colors with maybe some texture rather than the “let’s throw everything in and see what happens.” Too often, stash-buster projects have too much of a crazy-quilt look for me, too random, with too many colors, but that doesn’t happen here. Melissa explains quite clearly how to mix your various stash colors together so that they look like they were always meant to be together. The resulting designs therefore do exactly that–look like they were intended rather than “just happened.”

Really, isn’t that just what you want a stashbusting kind of project to be?

You should definitely take a look. Like Melissa’s other books, this doesn’t disappoint.

Want to see bigger pictures? Click here.

This review copy was kindly donated by Potter Craft. Thank you!

Other posts for this author:

• Review: Continuous Cables
• Review: Color Knitting the Easy Way
• Review: Mastering Color Knitting

Here are some new and upcoming books to get excited about, in no particular sequence. Some are out already, some still have a bit of a wait, but the list sure is inspiring!

(Honestly, I posted them as I found them instead of sorting them in any way so it’s as random as I can make it–though I’ll admit to putting a couple Christmas-themed books near the top. Also, I didn’t post any recent books that I’ve already reviewed. You can check those out in the Knitting Scholar archives.)

Mini Christmas Knits

Knits to Give

55 Christmas Balls to Knit

Knitivity

Circular Knitting Workshop

Knit Noro: Accessories

Knitting with the Color Guys

Finishing School by Deborah Newton

The Knitter’s Life List

Classic Elite Quick Knits

Principles of Knitting

Textured Stitches (Review coming soon)

Socktopus

Custom Knit Jackets

Knitting Scarves from around the World

Beyond Toes

A Handknit Romance

Folk Socks (Updated edition) (Review coming soon)

Knits for Nerds

Norwegian Mittens and Gloves

Knitting Around the World

Vogue Knitting

Ultimate Mittens

Stashbuster Knits (Review coming soon)

60 More Quick Knits

Knit Local

My Grandmother’s Knitting

Aran Knits

Knitting Pleats

Kim Hargreaves’ Vintage Designs to Knit

Gothic Knits

Deep South Knitting

If you know of any books that are coming up that are not on the list, please drop me a comment. Though, of course, this list is not meant to be complete, so I’m sure there are plenty missing.

(And, please, if you’re thinking of buying any of these books, please consider using the links here at Knitting Scholar–I’ll get a couple dollars from Amazon.com to go toward the cost of this site. My grateful thanks go with every order!)