No-Bull Book Review: Knitting for Peace

I have to confess that I wasn't quite sure what "knitting for peace" was before reading Knitting for Peace, by Betty Christiansen (Stewart Tabori & Chang). Was it making afghans with intarsia peace symbols? Knitting protest signs with slogans added in duplicate stitch? Was it simply a serene state of mind?

No, no and no. The knitting in Knitting for Peace is what most knitters I know call "charity knitting" -- knitting for groups that distribute the items to people who are in need of them. I suppose some people aren't crazy about the phrase "charity knitting," since "charity" seems to have developed a not-entirely-nice context, a ring of condescension or "let them eat cake Red Heart." Whatever the reason, this book chooses to call it "knitting for peace."

Now I know that there are knitters out there who just don't like the whole "knitting for charity/peace" movement. Some of them resist the notion that anyone who knits or crochets has some kind of moral obligation to craft for others, particular others they don't know. (Do stamp collectors have groups where they, um, donate stamps to charity? Do scrappers make homeless people albums so they can remember all the warm fuzzy times in the shelter?) Some don't mind the idea of knitting for charitable organizations but they dislike talking about it, feeling that good works are best done quietly and anonymously. Still others question the utility of such groups; "I'd be more inclined to knit for a charity," one knitter told me, "if I was sure the recipients really wanted the stuff they were given."* But obviously there are many other knitters who enjoy the fellowship that these groups provide, who get motivated by sharing patterns and talking with others and playing "show and tell" with finished items. So recognizing that people in the first three categories might not be interested in the subject matter of this book, and recognizing that people in the last category will, let's talk turkey.

My first impression of Knitting for Peace was how the size (about 8 1/2 inches square) and the feel of the binding reminded me of a photo album or journal. Probably this was deliberately done to evoke a rosy, intimate glow. The second thing I noticed -- and this is a very tough one to overcome -- is that from a typeface standpoint, Knitting for Peace is one of the most difficult knitting books I've ever tried to read. The print is, to put it bluntly, microscopic.



Check out that footnote: I defy anyone except Superman to read that sucker without a magnifying glass or the zoom function on their monitor. It makes the words on the penny look big.

Unfortunately, two stylistic choices make reading the teeny text even more challenging: the ink isn't black but rather a lighter shade of gray, and many of the pages are not white but are colored. (Heavens, do I mean "pages of color"?) I have decent vision and don't regularly wear glasses, but I struggled to read this book in the evening, sitting right next to a good reading lamp. This is a real shame, because I think a lot of readers are going to find the optometric strain an insurmountable challenge to this book.

On to content.

The first chapter of the book, called "Peace and War," is devoted to wartime knitting, beginning with an historical overview of American knitters contributing to various war efforts. The author then highlights several organizations whose knitting mission is loosely themed around war: organizations that provide knitted socks for soldiers stationed overseas, a woman who uses tiny knit sweaters to create an installation piece memorializing the number of American casualties in Iraq, even a group which stages knit-ins to protest globalization. The chapter ends with a pattern for a felted messenger bag; though it's a perfectly serviceable pattern, it seems a bit out of place since there isn't any logical connection between knitting a bag for oneself and knitting for peace (at least not that I could discern).

The second chapter is called "Knitting on Earth," and looks at organizations that try to benefit needy or impoverished citizens across the world. It was an interesting choice to include two knitting-related businesses, Peace Fleece and Lantern Moon, due to their outreach-oriented business philosophies. (Peace Fleece sells yarn that is made by blending American wool with Russian wool, as well buttons and knitting needles produced by overseas artisans. Lantern Moon seeks to provide economic opportunities for Vietnamese women and their families by selling handmade needles, baskets and other accessories.) In addition, organizations like Afghans for Afghans, which provides warm clothing for Afghani citizens, and RwandaKnits, which seeks to create economic opportunities for African women by teaching them knitting skills, are profiled. Patterns for an Afghans for Afghans approved vest and a pair of socks made from Peace Fleece are included, as well as contact information and requirements for these organizations.

"Peace at Home" profiles such diverse organizations as prison-knitting programs, knitting chemo caps, knitting for native american elders, prayer shawl ministries, knitting snuggles for shelter animals and knitting for the homeless. Appropriate patterns, e.g., a prayer shawl, an afghan, a chemo cap, are included.

The next chapter is "Peace for Kids" -- highlighting, you guessed it, organizations that benefit children, such as preemie knitting and Caps for Kids. You can see where this is going, I'm sure.

The last chapter is "Knit for Peace," and provides some tips for finding charitable knitting groups either via Internet or locally. A basic mitten pattern and rolled-brim cap pattern are provided in this chapter. And I am pleased to say that there is no how-to-knit section in this book (at last!).

This is a perfectly nice book, and it is devoted to a topic that is near and dear to many (but not all) knitter's hearts. It is very much designed to whet the knitter's appetite for charity knitting and to provide some basic tips for how to get started. That's fine as far as it goes. You wouldn't buy this book for the patterns (and I mean no disrespect to the author); the patterns presented are extremely basic and a quick internet search would yield you free versions (in some cases, identical versions) of them. While the historical background of charity knitting is interesting and nicely written, reading No Idle Hands and a few on-line or magazine articles about charity knitting would net you most of the same information. And when it comes to specifications for the charities themselves, a conscientious charity knitter would want to check the organization's website anyway, to make sure that (s)he is following the most up-to-date requirements for the group, in case needs change. Perhaps the best result of the book is that some worthwhile organizations will get some publicity and some donations to further their work. Is that enough to convince you to buy the book? You'll have to decide.



*A propos of this, I can tell you that some charitable groups who collect knitted and crocheted items are regularly given items that do not comply with their specified guidelines, like scores of lacy pink hats for (mostly male) soldiers, or lightweight cotton caps that won't help in an extremely cold climate where all-wool items are requested. To add insult to injury, the donors sometimes say things like "Well, beggars can't be choosers," or "they should be happy with anything we give them." Real charitable, huh?

Memorandum

To: Dubya
From: A Concerned Citizen

Dear Mr. President:

I know you aren't a big one for book larnin', but as someone who is, and who's been trained professionally in the legal system -- not to mention my prestigious poly sci degree, har, har -- I feel compelled to write to you to share my perspective.

You see, I've been watching your recent comments about your "terrorism" programs, and as an attorney, I've grown deeply concerned about some of the rules you are asking -- no, badgering -- Congress to enact. You are stubbornly insisting that Congress enact legislation that would allow our government to do things that, quite frankly, I find shocking and disturbing: allow US interrogators to coerce information from defendants (is that a nice way to say "torture"?) and use coerced confessions in prosecutions, and try defendants without allowing them or their lawyers to see what the evidence is against them.

There are so many reasons why this is wrong, but to give you a sense for how truly appalling this is, imagine one day you are sleeping in the Lincoln Bedroom and federal marshals wake you up and carry you to jail. You are held indefinitely and not given a chance to go to court to learn what you're being accused of. (Drunken driving? Treason? Cocaine possession? Lying under oath?) You are subject to torture and coercion by interrogators. In response to this torture, you confess to anything and everything, including things you didn't do and know nothing about. You are then taken to court and tried on mystery charges, and found guilty -- and sentenced to death or the rest of your life in prison -- without even knowing what proof the government has against you.

Scary, innit?

But just as troubling to me is how you are handling these terrorism "initiatives." You just don't seem to understand the way our government works, the division of powers among the three branches of government and their respective duties. You see, Mr. President, your job is as the Executive. You aren't empowered to make laws or to interpret them: merely to carry them out, and, I might add, you swore on the Bible, the book you claim is Holy, that you would "to the best of my ability, preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States." That pesky Constitution that limits your powers to carrying out the laws, not enacting them or giving them legal interpretation.

That means it's the job of Congress to make the laws, not you. Did you get that? Congress doesn't have to answer to you; in fact, the whole notion of separation of powers means that the Constitution vests in Congress the right to thumb their nose at you if a majority of them thinks that's right.

It's the job of judges, the federal judiciary, to interpret the laws, not you. Got it? You can't sign a law into effect, doodling in the margins or plugging in some bullshit preamble that says "I don't care what you say; this is how I'm going to interpret this law." Not your job.

So when I hear you bullying Congress to pass the laws that you say you need, threatening them with dire consequences -- "we're saving lives," you say, as if anyone, anywhere in this country wants to see fellow citizens die at the hands of terrorists -- I get really ticked off. Congress doesn't have to do what you say, and in fact it's their job not to. I believe it's their sacred duty not to, when the legislation you request would blatantly violate our Constitution. Not to mention some of the international treaties that we've signed.

(By the way, I'm getting awfully sick of the "people will die if you don't do exactly what I tell you" business. For your information, people have already died -- thousands of them -- to establish the Constitution and Bill of Rights (including the right to a trial without secret evidence). It's called the Revolutionary War. I guess you were drunk absent that day in school. Plus, with your track record -- nonexistent WMDs, misleading claims that Iraq was involved in 9/11, Abu Ghraib, an Iraq in civil war and Afghanistan on the verge of slipping away, Iran and North Korea nuking up -- you'll have to forgive me if I don't feel like trusting you.)

Please don't dismiss what I say as partisan, or "liberal" or "Democrat." There are plenty of Republicans who are equally concerned about these issues, who think any benefit we might get from your plan isn't worth the cost to our Constitution and our values.

I guess that's all for now. Thanks for listening. I'm sure you'll be hearing from me again.

Tell it to the hand

Sometimes I wonder if I've crossed that invisible line between hobby and madness. To wit,



the faux Depression Glass hand. I scored it on Ebay for about $5, figuring it'd be swell to display mittens or gloves at the shop. Does anyone remember the "Odd Couple" episode where Felix tries to redecorate the apartment? He comes home with black leather chairs shaped like hands that look very much like this objet d'crap. T.'s reaction was to repeatedly ask me "You are taking that into the shop the next time you go, aren't you?"

And just in case you wondered, it displays gloves, mittens and gauntlets quite nicely, thank you.

Hop-along

The Hop-along is going full force, and I'm gratified and excited to see all the wonderful things that people are making with Black Bunny yarns and roving. For those who haven't checked out the Bunny Hop website, this



is my Hop-along project, a cabled vest for N. in superwash DK (available only thru Rosie's). It's a great yarn, with a nice tight twist, showing stitch definition well. It is quite yummy to knit with. I'm a sucker for a yarn with good crisp stitch definition.


Post-surgical Report

G. is feeling better and better; her eyes continue to look a little bloodshot but she is pretty much back to her normal self. She was quite a little trooper and I'm sure if I had eye surgery on Friday, I'd still be laying in bed expecting people to bring me ice cream while I pressed cool compresses to my clammy forehead.

G. got a very lovely package in the mail Saturday from reader and knitter extraordinaire Mindy, who sent these



adorable socks (knit in Black Bunny yarn!!) for G. They are a perfect fit. Included in the package was chocolate for Mommy (which also was a perfect fit.)

G. feels so well, in fact, that she is accompanying brother N. to the first day of nursery school.

Have A Nosh(i)

In the meantime, if you are a pointy-headed freak like me, you might be interested in The Noshi Knitting Monograph series. I just ordered Lisa Myers' article on stockinette stitch; other monographs should be coming soon. If you feel the desire to read or write something about knitting that may be a "personal manifesto ... [or] myopic, meditative digression" -- Noshi wants you. Details for purchasing monographs and contributing on the website.

A very special birthday is coming up

The black bunny himself, Charcoal, will be celebrating his first birthday a week from Wednesday. In honor of this superlative bun-bun's birth,



I will be giving away a free Black Bunny tote bag. Anyone who purchases an item from my Etsy shop beginning now until midnight, September 27th, will get their name entered in a random drawing for the bag.

Resting comfortably.

G. is snuggled up on the couch, her Nana in attendance, and is doing fine. She was very brave and the surgery went quickly and routinely. She hasn't even needed tylenol yet, and except for slightly bloodshot eyes, it's difficult to tell she had anything done. Thanks again for your support and good wishes. Full post coming this weekend.

Quickie

Adowable pet stowy awert: Tom taught Charcoal a new trick. When you put your head down by his pen and say "Gimme a kiss," he will come over and lick your nose. (Charcoal, not Tom.) It just doesn't get any cuter than that.

In the meantime, G.'s surgery is tomorrow at 11 a.m., so you probably won't hear from me until the weekend. Thank you for all your good thoughts.

In Memoriam

Sometimes, even someone who loves to opine as much as I do can't find the right words. I watched on TV as the Twin Towers fell on a gloriously sunny day five years ago. I fretted about my husband's cousin, who works at the Pentagon, and I got goosebumps along with the rest of the world when I realized what had happened in the sky above a desolate field in rural Pennsylvania. There simply aren't words to express the grief, the anger, the shock of that terrible day. And I was lucky enough not to lose a close one or to experience first-hand any of the devastation.

I read in the paper last week that President Bush is asking Congress to pass legislation which would provide that terror suspects can be tried based on secret evidence -- evidence that the defendant and his counsel would be prohibited from seeing. I was going to write an indignant post, lamenting that we could even think of behaving in such a manner, citing the Constitution and the principles of justice and due process entrenched in our government structure. I was going to point to all the repressive regimes -- ironically, like Sadam Hussein's -- that tried people for their lives in secret courts with secret evidence. I vacillated, wondering if it would be tacky to do so on the eve of the anniversary of 9/11.

As I thought about it, I realized, however, that in our heartache and confusion and bitterness, in our quest to find some kind of justice, to seek some kind of resolution (however illusory), we dishonor the memory of those who died when we abandon our core values. Clinging to our ideals, our notions of justice and fair play, treating the scum of the world better than they treat us, and yes, observing the spirit and letter of our Constitution and Bill of Rights -- these are right and just ways to honor the memories of those innocent souls who were lost on that day.

Remember. Mourn. And fight to make sure those 3,000 lives were not sacrificed in vain.

Publishing trends

Recently, someone sent me a link to an article in Publisher's Weekly about knitting books. Titled "The End of the Yarn," the article questions whether the trend of publishing knitting books has legs:

In the hobbies and crafts category, knitting began to take hold about six years ago; no one knows why. But in a post-9/11 world, the activity has continued to increase in popularity. Publishers, of course, have responded with books and more books. But now comes the challenging part. Is knitting on the verge of becoming a widely established American hobby (like, say, gardening) or is it headed for the fate of philately*?

The article notes that while knitting books are still being published, and many are focusing on younger knitters, knitting-book sales have already peaked. Publishers, afraid that the new knitters and younger knitters will lose interest and move on to another fad, or that this segment of the market is already saturated with books, are now looking to a broader audience. Apparently, one way to address this change in the market is to target books for intermediate, rather than beginner, knitters. Or as one editor quipped: "You can knit only so many beer cozies and then it's time to move on."

Another interesting development noted in the article is the "cult of personality" that has attached to knitting. Publisher's Weekly credits this to Stitch N Bitch, Deb Stoller's extraordinarily popular book, noting that she is photographed on the cover, and pointing out that subsequent knitting books continued to feature a particular writer and her personality (citing, among others, the Yarn Harlot). The article concludes that the reasons people have taken up knitting are complex, and so it's difficult to predict exactly how that will impact the market. (Don't you love these "conclusions"? It's like those studies showing that people who take taxicabs frequently are less likely to own a car, or that children in dysfunctional homes are more at risk. Duh.)

I found it interesting that this article appeared right around the time that you, gentle readers, were yourselves raising some of the very same points in the comments to my blog. Yes, you are Faith Popcorns, all of you, and I think it bears pointing out that the little snitfest that just concluded in the comments section ultimately raised some interesting issues about knitting books, issues which were touched upon in the above article. To wit:

• the sheer quantity of new knitting books that are being released. Is it too much? Is the knitter getting simultaneously overwhelmed (by numbers) and underwhelmed (by quality)? Or does the increased quantity create more variety, more of a chance that someone, no matter what their taste or skill level, will find a new book to get excited about?
• Others bemoaned the focus on young knitters, or what the market apparently perceives as young or new knitters. Think about it: how many books either directly -- "young," "girl/girls/grrlz" -- or indirectly -- "funky," "hip," "fun" -- market themselves to a younger generation? And let's not even mention the dreaded (and, as Lisa Myers likes to point out, insulting) phrase "it's not your grandmother's knitting." Is the market focusing on new knitters at the expense of those with more experience or advanced skills? Is the market neglecting knitters older than, say, age 30? In this regard, note that there is a book being released this fall that is aiming for an older demographic: Never Too Old To Knit: Beautiful Basics for Baby Boomers (the same cover photo of which appears, oddly, on another Amazon listing titled -- I kid you not -- AARP Beginner's Guide to Knitting).
• Still others lamented the speed and/or simplicity factor, ostensibly marketing books to beginners, but resulting in a dreadful same-iness, both in titles ("quick," "easy," "fast," "simple") and in projects (scarves, rolled-brim caps, anything made of quadrilaterals sewn together). I know that a book which features more complex patterns or focuses on a particular skill (e.g., felting, fair isle, cables) is more appealing to me, but I'm an experienced knitter and I enjoy doing my own thing with projects. Not everyone is or does.

Trisha Malcolm, Vogue Knitting's editor, is quoted in the article saying that VK is trying to focus less on patterns, which can go out of style and look dated quickly, and more toward books like the Vogue Stitchionary series, which catalogue stitch patterns. This is great for adventurous knitters and those who like to design their own items, but there's also a population of knitters who enjoy following patterns that someone else has figured out. There's a great deal of trial and error in designing, and these knitters would rather let someone else do the trying and erring. I can relate: sometimes I just feel like following a pattern and letting my brain take a breather.

I have no grand answers for you about the future of publishing knitting books. I love books, though, and I love knitting, so it stands to reason that I love knitting books -- or at least, good knitting books. And if for every couple of "Quik 'N' Dummed Down Knitting for Funki Hipster Chix" book that is released, there is one really good, innovative book, well, then, that's a balance I can live with.

Discuss.

But behave yourselves, please.


* Also known as stamp collecting.

Food for thought

A dear friend sent me an email after reading my earlier blog post. She very kindly and tactfully suggested that I think about whether to continue posting photos of my kids, especially the older one, and their names. One concern is the creeps in the world; the other, however, involves the possibility that my kids, especially the eldest, might be subject to teasing should his classmates somehow stumble upon references to him on the internet. I have thought about this, and I think she is right. So from here on out, I'll start referring to my kids simply by their first initials, and I'll drastically minimize the photos of my eldest, and, to a lesser extent since they're younger, my youngest two. I love my kids more than anything, and that includes being more respectful of their privacy. I consider myself chastened.

And thanks to the friend -- she knows who she is...

Moving on

Before I move on, I must again ask that you respect my wishes when it comes to the comments. I've had to delete 2 comments (plus 1 that was a duplicate) in which I felt the vicious (yes, vicious) tone and the singling out of another commenter crossed the line. I also deleted some comments that kept going on and on about the subject after I declared it closed. Those were my calls and if you are unhappy with that, then as I've already suggested, go bitch and moan about it elsewhere.

But not in my comments.

Let's get back to yarn. Today: a fall preview of Nashua Handknits.

Nashua Handknits

Nashua Handknits has been an exciting company to watch. Only two years old, Nashua is run by Linda Pratt (who, among other things, is a former LYS owner) and is part of Westminster Fibers, the distributor of Rowan and Jaeger. We've had the Creative Focus Worsted at Rosie's since it came out, and it's a very popular, soft and well-priced wool/alpaca blend that comes in lots of good colors. Here's what to look for this fall from Nashua:

New yarns for Fall 2006:

• Creative Focus Kid Mohair is 75% kid mohair/20% wool/5% nylon, and MSRP is $8.95 per 50g/93 yd skein. Looks like an equivalent for Classic Elite's La Gran, but with a less extensive palette (about 26 colors).
  
• Creative Focus Superwash is a worsted weight superwash wool in about 38 or so colors; each 100g/218-yd skein retails for ten bucks. (I have a sample skein of this but haven't cracked it yet; feels pretty nice and will compete with Cascade 220 Superwash and the like.)
  
• Creative Focus Brushed Alpaca is 100% alpaca, 50g/192 yds and retails for $8.95, in 11 colors. A box of this just arrived at Rosie's and I can't decide what I think of it yet. Some of the colors are lovely and they all have a sort of hazy look to them. It's not fluffy like a fun fur, but it's got texture and a halo. It's lighter than I would have guessed.
  
• Creative Focus Ribbon is an all-nylon ribbon in 13 colors, well-priced at ten bucks a 50g/147-yd skein.
  
• Ivy is 50% alpaca/45% merino/5% Estellina (I'm sorry, I don't know what that is -- some kind of nylon or lycra? or shiny?) and again, hits the 8.95 price point for 50g/110 yds, 11 colors.
  
• Vignette is 100% superwash wool, 50g/93 yds and $8.95 a ball, and looks to be variegated colors.
  

One of Nashua's particular strengths is its stable of designers: they get top-notch folks like Kristin Nicholas as regulars and other "guest designers" whose names you'll recognize if you pore over knitting magazines the way I do. Having excellent pattern support makes a lot of sense for a yarn manufacturer, because it gets people excited about using the yarns and it takes the angst out of yarn substitution for timid customers. Nashua is releasing six new pattern books to accompany their yarns --

• North American Collection #3, which is the flagship collection; here's a classic Kristin Nicholas colorwork design from it:
  

and here's a cool felted bag from Melissa Mitchell, who is giving Nicky Epstein a run for her money as the Queen of Felted Bags:

• Ski has a winter theme, featuring thicker sweaters, a Norwegian style colorwork sweater, some yoke sweaters, and winter accessories;
• Study has a school-ish theme, with 2 kids sweaters; the rest are women's, and I suppose are supposed to be shooting for a younger crowd, like this close-fitting, cropped vest:
  
  
  
  ;
• Holiday, as the name suggests, includes more dressy, festive numbers;
• Stripes is devoted to the self-striping yarns; mostly women's sweaters with a throw or two and a wrap; and
• Mohair, mainly sweaters for women with a girl's sweater and a handbag, using the Kid Mohair.

Arriving soon at a LYS near you.

Kid Update

Tuesday was the first day of third grade for J. and all went well.

Several of you have asked about G.'s surgery. It's scheduled for a week from today. I'll keep you updated, so send G. good thoughts.

Enough already.

The subject of Naughty Needles is hereby closed. We've heard from both sides, I've said all I have to say on the subject, and I'm getting sick of it. I have a delete comments button, and I'm not afraid to use it. When the book comes out, I'll review it if I can find a copy in the library or bookshop. If you want to talk about it more, go do it somewhere else. You guys are harshing my mellow.

Further to yesterday's post & sweater update

In my last post, I described a batch of new knitting-related books coming this fall and winter from PotterCraft. One of the books, "Naughty Needles," stirred up a tiny brouhaha in the comments. The book is described by the publisher as "half instruction book, half peep show" and features a cheesecake photo on the cover. I think it is perfectly legitimate -- and not ad hominem -- to discuss some of the implications of this book, namely: is it necessary, or desirable, to use sex to sell a knitting book? is it necessary, or desirable, to use a cheesecake, 50s movie star pose on the cover of a knitting book? who is the target audience: real knitters or the men in their lives who might want to view the "peep show"? what is the sensibility and viewpoint of the author, given that she blogs as "Disgruntled Housewife" and how might that affect the content of the book? Is there anything truly "naughty" about the patterns in it, or is this just a publicity ploy to get attention and sell books? In fairness, some of these issues -- but not all -- can't be resolved until the book is actually out there to be seen. There are also legitimate feminist issues raised by this (ooh, I said the "f" word), like the longtime debate between hard-core feminists, who don't think it is possible to empower oneself by adopting patriarchical constructs of female beauty and/or sexiness, and a newer generation of feminists who believe that it's possible to take back their sexuality in whatever form they choose. Given that this is primarily a knitting blog, I would refer anyone interested in this latter debate to look at I Blame the Patriarchy and other blogs that cover this issue better than I ever could.

A lot of knitters don't live near a great LYS that carries a wide selection of knitting books. Many don't even have a chain bookstore nearby that carries lots of craft books. So they're forced to buy books on-line, sight unseen. Sad, innit? I'm really spoiled by the fact that Rosie's carries an excellent selection of knitting books so one can browse through them before one purchases. But for less fortunate readers, the more information that a person can find about a book before buying it, sight unseen, the more likely they are to be pleased with the book, rather than have to return it to an on-line seller. This is one reason why I like to review books on my blog. I encourage real discussions about books rather than sunshine-and-hearts "don't say anything negative" discussions because I find real and fair discussions of the merits of a book helpful and interesting. I hope you do, too.

Tie-Dyed Sweater

Aided by the able tie-dyer James, I finished Grace's cotton sweater and we proceeded to tie-dye it. I think it came out quite nicely:



Today I shall sew a button on the shoulder (what can I say? my kids have big pumpkin heads) and then hope that Grace will wear it. The yarn is Inca Cotton and I can't say enough about how much I enjoyed knitting with it. Sometimes cottons feel harsh in the knitting, or the lack of spring hurts my hands, but this stuff is extremely soft and pleasant to work with. It would make wonderful baby items and I definitely would use it again.

Happy Labor Day to all my American and Canadian (thanks, Mamaloo) readers!

Fall book preview: PotterCraft

PotterCraft is a relatively new imprint, with its first crop of books having appeared earlier this year. Editor Rosy Ngo has been trying to create a strong rival to Interweave and Stewart Tabori & Chang, with high production values and a strong sense of style. (See, Rosy? Even though you totally blew me off, I don't hold a grudge. So feel free to email me and we'll talk about a handpainted yarns book.) Here's what you can look forward to this fall:

Cables Untangled, by Melissa Leapman: Subtitled "An Exploration of Cable Knitting," this book promises 30 patterns for sweaters and accessories, plus a collection of 100 cable patterns.



[I apologize for the slightly lopsided photos.] The book also states that it features many clear photographs, charts for the cables, and tips for designing your own cabled patterns. (Regular readers will recall that this is the book I waited in a long line for at TNNA, only to be told that they ran out. But if Melissa Leapman is reading, feel free to email me and I'll send you my address.)

Home Knits, by Suss Cousins: The ubiquitous Suss releases her third book, containing 30 projects for the home.



This book is aimed to be "a home design book" as well as a "knitting guide," looking to help the knitter "create a beautiful, relaxed environment in the home." The palette is subdued and the focus is on texture.

NatureBabies, by Tara Jon Manning: The knitter who brought you "mindful knitting" offers a collection of knitting, sewing and felting projects, all featuring organic and natural fibers and yarns.



Projects are designed to be both environmentally sound and safe for young children.

Amazing Crochet Lace, by Doris Chan: Chan provides 20 designs, which "update[] traditional lace patterns into wearable art by applying favorite motifs to create chic crocheted attire." Chunkier yarns are used instead of fine ones (sorry, Kath) and patterns are designed from the top down, to minimize finishing and piecing together.



The Natural Knitter: How to Choose, Use and Knit Natural Fibers from Alpaca to Yak, by Barbara Albright: The late Barbara Albright's last book contains designs showcasing natural fibers, including cashmere, alpaca, yak (!) and others.



The book promises to provide an explanation of types of fibers, explores plant-based dyeing and focuses on products which are "nontoxic and earthfriendly."

Naughty Needles: Sexy, Saucy Knits for the Bedroom and Beyond, by Nikol Lohr:



This book is described as "half instruction book, half peep show." 'Nuff said.

Look for them this fall at a LYS or bookshop near you.
Or not, as the case may be.

Bookworm report: August

1. My Latest Grievance, by Elinor Lipman. Charming, light, fun read. I'm a big fan of Elinor Lipman. This one may not be her best (although it's good) but it's light-years ahead of most of the dreck that passes for "women's fiction" nowadays.

2. The End of Iraq, by Peter W. Galbraith. Blistering critique of US performance in the invasion of Iraq. Doesn't revisit the question of whether we were justified in invading (although the chilling discussions of Hussein's human rights violations indicate the author believes there was at least a case for invading) but focuses instead on how lack of preparation and willful ignorance has created the on-going mess over there. It's a shame Dubya doesn't read it. Oh yeah, he, uh, takes the entire month of August off. Well, hey, it's not like he's got an important job, right?

3. The Lost Painting, by Jonathan Harr. Art history meets detective story in this quick-reading nonfiction book about the search for a lost Caravaggio masterpiece. Enjoyable. Recommended by my pal Pat, who liked it so much, that when she lost her copy on vacation, she bought the book-on-tape to listen to in the car so she could find out how it ended.

4. Blood from a Stone, by Donna Leon. The latest installment in the Guido Brunetti mystery series, which takes place in Venice. Literate mysteries set against a gorgeous and complex backdrop.

One of the best gifts I've received. Ever.

Every once in a while, someone surprises you with a gift. These



were handknit by my dear friend Ed. Ed and I work together on Saturdays at Rosie's and we have so much fun (along with the third stooge, Tina) that sometimes I feel almost guilty about being paid. (Almost, Lisa.)

Anyway, one day, Ed and I had a rather strange conversation in which he tried to elicit my shoe size. His face dropped when I said "9 wide." Finally, he confessed that he was making me a pair of socks. These lovely ones.



I was touched beyond words.

As Lisa Myers says, "No one knits for the knitter." But Ed did. And I will always cherish these socks, not simply because they are beautifully made, by hand, and fit my feet so well, but because they came from Ed.

Various and sundry

Much to my delight, the Black Bunny Hopalong is in full swing. Visit the official Hopalong blog and post about your project (even if you haven't cast on yet - part of the fun is watching things develop) and add yourself to our Frappr map. (If the map doesn't work, please let me know -- I had to fiddle around to get it to load and I've never done it before.)

I just finished dyeing 2 skeins for myself to play with:



Details on the Hopalong blog -- as soon as I get my stir-crazy kids aired out somehow.

A huge shout-out to Wendy and Christina, for thinking up the idea and doing so much to get the project going. I really appreciate it. If you are looking for a podcast to listen to, check out Knitty D and the City. Occasionally you may even hear the dulcet tones of my heinous Philly accent on there.

Excellent New Pattern Source

My pal Courtney, who is a Rosie's staff member and extremely talented knitter, crocheter and designer, just began her own line of patterns, called Smith Island Pattern Factory. You can visit her blog and purchase the patterns there; they're also available from Rosie's. Her adorable pattern for a vintage-styled baby jacket knit in Koigu, called "Beatrix,"



is flying out the door at Rosie's (along with our new shipment of Koigu....) and I've already purchased a great men's sock pattern that I might knit up with some BBF yarn. I wish I was one of those people who only needed to sleep three hours a night. There's so much I want to do and not nearly enough hours in the day.

Excellent New Yarn Source

Loyal reader Barb Brown, who is also a regular at Joe and Marilyn's blogs, has begun her own enterprise, called Wild Geese Fibres. Barb is another amazing knitter, and she is offering some unusual breed fibers in various weights. I've seen some samples and they are lovely.

Louet Spinning Wheel for Sale

And last in the category of shameless commerce, my friend Mary is looking to sell her used but in excellent condition spinning wheel. Sadly, I have lost both the Post-It note on which she wrote what kind of wheel it is (although I believe it's a Louet) and the JPEG she sent me of it. However, she takes excellent care of her wheels (she has several; hence the need to divest herself of one) and is a kick-ass spinner and knitter. She lives in the Philly area. If you would like more info, please email her at MtheSpinnerATverizonDOTnet.

No-Bull Book Review: The Yarn Girls' Guide to Knits for Older Kids

I have long felt that there was a gap in knitting patterns for older kids. After my vigorous and unsuccessful attempts to get a publisher to believe me and accept a book proposal from me, I have felt like the lone voice, crying out in the wilderness for patterns for bigger-sized kids -- patterns that do not feature sickly-sweet intarsia motifs or time-consuming fair isle or all-over cabling or which require hundreds of dollars' worth of expensive, nonsuperwash yarn.

Relief, of sorts, has come with The Yarn Girls' Guide to Knits for Older Kids, by Julie Carles & Jordana Jacobs. (Please keep in mind the "of sorts.")

The subtitle of the book is "quick-to-knit patterns for four- to ten-year-olds," and that is exactly what the book provides. Nothing terribly fancy or challenging -- but rather quick-knitting patterns in larger sizes with fairly straightforward styling.

Contentwise, the first 40 pages or so are devoted to the ubiquitous "how to knit" stuff. This seems to me to be a waste of valuable book space: the same authors having already published a beginner's guide and a follow-up to the beginner's guide, do we really need another rehash of how to cast on? Timid book editors constantly assume that someone who's never picked up the needles before is going to start with this book. They are wrong. Better to omit the elementary stuff and add more patterns, or chop a few bucks off the price.

The patterns are organized in small sections; most have three patterns in each section, for a total of about 30 designs. Sections include Basic Pullovers, Beyond Basic Pullovers, Basic Cardigans, Beyond Basic Cardigans, V-Necks, Hats, Scarves, Just for the Girls, and Blankets & Pillows. As with prior books, each pattern is prefaced by a perky vignette describing a well-heeled Manhattan customer of the authors' knitting shop and how the pattern was designed to meet his/her needs. You may find them charming or you may occasionally retch.

The patterns themselves are quite basic. We're talking drop shoulders, simple necklines, no shaping -- which doesn't matter nearly as much for kids as it does for adults, and certainly will make the knitting go faster. There is a slight feeling of saminess to some of the patterns;





for example, in the Basic Cardigans section, two of the three patterns are very similar -- plain stockinette cardigans with contrasting buttonbands, collar and cuff -- except written for slightly different gauges. Likewise, all three hats in the hat section are all very simple round hats; the scarves are so simple that more advanced knitters will surely find patterns for them unnecessary. Basic may be just fine for you: sometimes it's nice to follow a pattern and not have to think about it. However, if you are handy at designing your own items, particularly if you have sweater designing software, you'll want to look carefully at the book to see if it's worth spending your money on.

Gauges for the patterns tend to be on the chunky side: 2 to 3 stitches an inch for a lot of the designs. Decide whether your kids like thick, chunky sweaters (if you live in a warm climate, think long and hard) before picking the book up or you'll be sorry. Style is, again, basic: lots of colorblocks and stripes, minimal cabling and intarsia. These designs probably won't look dated for a while and they are certainly un-dorky enough for most kids to wear without fear of mockery by their peers.

As with any chunkier yarn, if you use the recommended yarns, you'll pay dearly for the speed with which the designs knit up: for example, the Camping Out sweater, a basic design, requires 3 balls of Classic Elite Tigress for the larger sizes, at $34 a pop, with a total yarn cost of $102; the Waste Not, Want Not requires 15 balls of Bliss Cashmerino Aran for a total of about $135;



and the Supersize Me sweater, above, knit in doubled Koigu (which isn't chunky and so won't go as fast as a 2 to the inch yarn), will run you $144 for the 10-year-old's size. If this fits into your budget, swell. If not, you better be comfortable with yarn substitution. (I'm thinking a lot of these designs are going to end up being knitted in Encore and the like.) It also bears pointing out that many of the yarns used are NOT machine washable, which may be a deal-breaker for some people.

The production values of the book are high, as is usual with PotterCraft. I like the bright photos that show the garments clearly; each design (except the chapter for girls) is shown on both a girl and a boy, in different colors; schematics with measurements are given. I haven't yet made anything from the book, so I can't speak to the accuracy or clarity of the pattern-writing.

Join the Hop-along!

Big news: Rosie's customers and all-around Renaissance ladies Christina (a.k.a. "Knitty D") and Wendy (they knit, they blog, they podcast) have done me the great honor of beginning a Black Bunny Hop-along. Kind of like a Knit-along, only instead of everyone knitting the same thing, you can knit whatever you want -- in Black Bunny yarn. Isn't that hilarious? I'm still figuring out what I'm going to knit. I'm offering a free ladies' T-shirt and tote bag, both with the Black Bunny logo, as prizes (and some yarn will find its way into the prizes, too). More details will be forthcoming, as Wendy and Christina finalize the details and set up a blog. I'll keep you updated.

In the meantime, I've been ogling the mittens on display as part of the Bitchin' Mittens event. Holy crap! What a wide variety of stuff, and the level of creativity is amazing. Don't stop scrolling 'til you hit the Dorothy Parker mittens. (Now I'm mulling a knitted throw pillow that says "What fresh hell is this?" for my living room.) Set up by Dave D. of Cabin Cove, dyer and blogger and knitter -- and knitalong organizer -- extraordinaire.

Finished...

While on vacation, I knit the lion's share of a quickie sleeveless sweater for Grace in undyed cotton. (Of course when I tried it on her, we had some head fitting through the hole logistical issues....but we're working on that.) Next step is to -- brace yourself -- tie dye it. Photos when it's done.

Started...

Oh, yeah, I need a new project like I need a hole in the head. But I decided that I am going to knit some sweaters for myself this year. Starting very humbly, with some Rowan Soft Tweed, a.k.a. the dryer lint yarn, from Rosie's. I've got a Knitting Pure and Simple pattern that I may try. This ought to be one of those mindless, ongoing projects to pull out when I'm too tired for complex things. (In other words, most days.)

So in case you're counting, ongoing projects include 6-ply socks I started on vacation, other bootie and baby cap for Tom's coworker's baby, Hopalong project, numerous swatches for possible designs in various states of unfinishedness, and, um, well, I'll just stop there.

And while I'm being ridiculous, I am about to do some reorganizing of the old stash. Mostly to consolidate and weed out some stuff I don't think I'll ever use (my problem is optimism: I truly believe that some day I'll get to using it all...). The husband, usually delightfully mellow about knitting-related things, has been -- sharp intake of breath -- nagging me about making more closet space. (Doesn't he have his priorities straight?) So while I do this, I've decided to make a list of the quantities and gauges of what I have, to make it easier for me to match up a pattern with yarn. I'll let you know how it goes, once I start, and if I find it helpful or not.

Coming soon: another No-Bull Book Review^TM, and more Hopalong details...

Knitting books I shan't be purchasing, part 2

"Not Tonight, Darling, I'm Knitting," by Betty Hosegood. (Hose-good? Heh, heh, heh.)

More sleeve talk

Okay, moppets, I'm sorry this one took so long to produce, but let's continue chatting about sleeves. Blogger is refusing to upload photos right now, so I'm going to add images later.

First, some reader comments in response to the first sleeve installment: Jove mentions that The Girl From Auntie wrote a tutorial on sleeves, from a designer's perspective, on Knitty. I hadn't seen this, but it's -- as usual for anything done by Jenna -- thorough and well-done. It may be more information than some of you need at this point if you don't plan on designing your own sweaters, but very helpful if you do want to design and don't have math anxiety.

Guido from Boston and Ted (from Canada) both ask how the drop shoulder vs. set-in sleeve distinction applies to men. Okay, let's look at a guy's body. (Oh no. Not that.)

[illustration 1]

Men generally have broader shoulders and chests than women and generally they have more muscular upper arms than women. (I said "generally"!) Unlike a woman's torso, which tends to taper in and then widen for the hips, men taper in more gradually and don't tend to start curving back out again (beer bellies aside).

In theory, the drop shoulder style should fit men better than it fits women, because the boxier shape would more closely match a guy's broader shoulders & chest and thicker upper arms. Better alignment with the natural line of the shoulders and arms means less excess fabric and therefore less pooching of said excess fabric. If you are, then, lucky enough to be built like David, and have broad shoulders, you can probably wear a drop shoulder sweater and look just fine in it, with minimal excess fabric at the shoulders and chest.

As Ted points out, however, not every man is built like Ah-nold Schwartezenegger. If you're a guy whose shoulders aren't exceedingly broad or rippling with muscle, then you will want to consider set-in sleeves. You will probably need to set the sleeves in less than a woman would, i.e., bind off fewer stitches and maybe decrease fewer stitches as you go up the armhole, because you will need to eliminate less fabric, to dip in less, than a woman would.

Remember this

My best suggestion when trying to tweak items to fit your particular body -- whether you are male or female -- is to find a sweater that fits you well and take a good analytical look at it, using a tape measure. Figure out if it has drop shoulders or set-in sleeves (or some other kind -- don't worry, I'll try to hit them all in the next few posts) and figure out how many inches the sleeves are set-in, along with a general idea of the slope of the armholes as they go up. Then try to replicate that when you knit your next sweater. You can just lay out the existing sweater like a template, and put your piece over it (taking into account seam allowances and so forth).

Raglans

Today, let's talk raglans. I am a personal fan of raglans because I like the way they fit me, but women with large boobs or muscular shoulders generally don't like them as much. The raglan is styled like the old-fashioned baseball jersey: the sleeve piece extends all the way up to the neckline, making a diagonal slash from armpit up to that little bony piece that sticks out on either side of your neck (scapula?).

[illustration 2]

To accommodate that, the front and back of the sweater are decreased pretty dramatically up the front, making a shape like the roof of a house.

[illustration 3]

Raglans do a good job of cutting out excess sleeve fabric because instead of rectangles attached to rectangles, you are angling the body and the sleeves of the sweater. I also like them because they tend to let the sweater drape along your natural shoulder line. Raglans should be a good style for most men, too, since men don't mind if their shoulders look broad. (Of course, men with large breasts should steer clear of raglans as well.)

Can there be more sleeve talk? You betcha. Plus a Black Bunny Hop-A-Long....

More vacay pix

One of the wonderful things about Cape May is its sense of history. The Victorian architecture is lovingly preserved, and you see gingerbread trim and colorful paint jobs nearly everywhere.



I tried to take a few shots



but, sadly, I'm no Franklin. The residents clearly are all gardeners and even small yards were filled with perennials, crape myrtle trees and other blooming plants.

We visited the Cape May Lighthouse



and Tom and James climbed to the top,



while I entertained the twins below. Well, sort of; you can see from Grace's expression how she was enjoying it all.



Our house had a row of birdhouses



along the fence, and we were very close to some of the protected land that is designed to provide a safe haven for birds to nest without being disturbed. The number of butterflies -- I recognized monarchs, but not any others -- was breathtaking.

James flew a kite on the beach



with his dad's help



At one point, the wind, which was quite strong (our beach umbrella blew over and conked me on the head), took the kite out of James' hand and blew it toward the ocean. James started yelling, and a woman who surely was a marathon runner or decathlon athlete took off down the beach after it, even diving in the waves to try to retrieve it. Alas, it was already blown out to sea. James cried and I suggested we walk down the shore to see if we could spot it being washed in by the tide. Lo and behold, some very kind kayakers rowed out to the kite, rolled it up and let the waves carry them ashore, handing us the kite. Such a sweet gesture of kindness that meant the world to us.

Wonder of wonders, look at the print I noticed on the living room wall:



It was a good omen.