Rhinebeck Redux (or how to chuck a punkin')

Rhinebeck is, above all other things, a sheep show. That means plenty of sheep shots:




This year's featured breed was the Blue-Faced Leicester, one of the first breeds I become familiar with when I first became obsessed with knitting. I think it was Berroco that used to make a 100% Blue-Faced Leicester wool yarn, back in the day... But I must confess that I took indiscriminate sheep shots and can't remember which particular breeds I was photographing at any given time.





There. Dolores, eat your heart out, hon!

If you think that Rhinebeck is just about fried food or gorging on yarn, remember that this is an important place for farmers and breeders to visit. They purchase stock for breeding, sell fleece and other products they produce, and I'm sure there's a lot of networking and learning about new stuff in the agricultural industry. We tend to forget that this is a livelihood for farmers and breeders, and not just a nice weekend in the country.

In keeping with the serious nature of the event, I felt a burning desire to attend the Llama Leaping event. I was not disappointed. It was like the game of limbo, only in reverse: they set up a pole and the llamas jumped it, each round raising the pole a little higher.



The llamas, being no dummies, quickly got irritated, so as their handlers led them up to the ever-higher pole, they started balking. Which led to all sorts of hijinks as the handlers tried to entice them to jump and the emcee cajoled them over the loudspeaker with cries of "Pretty please!"

This llama dressed up for the occasion



and I must say, it was the most attractive use of fun fur that I've ever seen.

After the Leapin' Llamas, I made a beeline for the piece de resistance of sheep show events: Punkin' Chuckin'.



Or is it Punkin' Chunkin'?

This cracked me up. Basically, a bunch of folks spend the year figuring out ways to build contraptions, like this catapult-ish structure,



to hurl pumpkins as far in the air as they can. Our favorite was called "Lord Gourd." You can see the devastation this wrought on the poor pumpkins



when the hurling went well. (Do you think they have a chaplain to give the pumpkins Last Rites?) I heard that they also do a human-powered version similar to the shotput, where people throw the pumpkins, but alas, I wasn't able to stay for the whole event. Plus I forgot to bring my gourd hard hat:

As if this senseless slaughter of innocent, peace-loving squash was not enough, there was also the sacrificial mutilation of the pumpkins.

Equally distressing was this bizarre fox, who, inexplicably, had 9-1-1 on his belt buckle.

Next post: the artistic side of the show...

We interrupt these warm-n-fuzzy Rhinebeck reflections

to bring to your attention something that the always-insightful, ever-clever Girl from Auntie found: this group of T-shirts being sold on CafePress by the folks litigating with Debbie Stoller over who owns the name Stitch'N'Bitch.

You may recall that there is a lawsuit pending in which a New York sewing store claims that it owns the trademark, while Debbie Stoller says "nuh-uh." A lot of knitters who attend groups that called themselves SnB were ticked off when Yahoo made them remove that portion of their group's name at the sewing store's demand.

Do you think the women's names on these T-shirts are a huge, odds-defying coincidence? (I.e., There is "Debbie" and of course we all know Debbie Stoller, "Jenna" which also happens to be the first name of the Girl from Auntie who has blogged about this vigorously, "Vicky" and there just so happens to be Vicky Howell who blogged about irritating she found the sewing store's attempts ....)

And once again, if you were the lawyer(s) representing the sewing store, wouldn't you tell your clients to knock it off? I sure would on the theory that this is only going to infuriate a large segment of the crafting community (thus adversely affecting their target market, because isn't this really about selling shit to crafters?) while possibly throwing a large wrench into any settlement negotiations.

But hey, what do I know?

Thanks to The Girl from Auntie for tipping me off to this via her blog.

More on Rhinebeck: The people I lerve

I never quite know how to describe spending time at a fiber festival. I come home with my brain humming from all I've experienced. It seemed to me that this year's festival may have been slightly less crowded than last year, but there were more male knitters (a very good thing) and definitely a developing sense of community among knitters that showed itself at the festival. In addition to Blogger Bingo, which as I said last year, is a brilliant way for people to break the ice with each other and form real-world connections derived from internet ones, there were tons of people walking around with Ravelry buttons, which provided another way for people to connect. For me, this year was definitely about the people -- seeing many of the knitters with whom I've developed friendships (and meeting some in person for the first time) and getting to spend some time with them surrounded by the accoutrements of the craft we so love.

So today's virtual Rhinebeck tour is devoted to the people.

I left Saturday morning, and picked up Jim (Traveling Companion No. 1 -- an amazing knitter with an encyclopaedic knowledge of film, and he's single, fellas....) at 5 a.m. sharp, then Laura (Traveling Companion No. 2 -- she's also coauthor on the book and an incredibly talented designer/knitter/photographer) by 5:15 a.m. This is what it looked like when we stopped for gas about 45 minutes later, somewhere in New Jersey:

We made great time (isn't there a Seinfeld about that?) although the paparazzi managed to grab this incriminating photo of Laura and Jim leaving a Dunkin' Donuts in the wee hours:

We were able to check into our hotel and leave our bags (i.e., more room for fiber in car) and still make it to the festival just about when it opened.

Jim and Laura are about the best traveling companions one could ask for. They are extremely well-mannered and do all sorts of considerate things like navigate, open cans of diet soda for the driver so she doesn't crash the car, chip in for gas, bring tasty snacks, and provide interesting and frequently hilarious conversation so the driver doesn't fall asleep. Plus, they have great dirt provide acerbic running social commentary on the nature of the human condition as reflected by people of our common acquaintance.

First stop was seeing Dr. Mel and David.

If you Mel's blog, you'll know he made this kilt for himself



and if you read the comments to Mel's blog, you'll know that I threatened to bring along one of those supermarket grabbers so's I could confirm once and for all what, if anything, he was wearing (or not) under the kilt. (It's a matter of journalistic integrity, you see.) (Plus Rabbitch made me do it.)


Boxers. Damn. I have to say that after seeing Mel, and another really attractive man with killer socks, wearing kilts, I have a renewed admiration for men who have good legs, know they have good legs, and aren't afraid to show the world their legs. Such men are hot indeed.

Also at Mel's booth was Mar, and she was wearing her famed Campanula sweater, which was perfect for the warm weather with its short sleeves and lacy pattern. (Sadly, it was a bit too warm for anything wool.)

I really like this photograph of her, because to me, it captures both her crusty exterior (note mischievous twinkle in eyes) and her soft interior. She's a big cream puff, that Mar.

I also saw Fredda, who was knitting this lovely scarf in Black Bunny Fibers sock yarn:




This is Joe's Koigu Cross-Stitch pattern, which is available for download at Fredda's cool site, The Knitting Vault. It looks wonderful in a single colorway of Black Bunny (the sample in the pattern itself calls for two colors of Koigu, I think, but one colorway of BBF does just fine, IMHO).

I also got hugs from several of my favorite male knitters, like Joe and Ted, in this photo, along with Ted's lovely (and adorable) friend David (far left)



and Lars showed up, although sadly I did not manage to get a photo of his handsome Canadian visage. For Lars, who used his periscope-like sneaky camera to take pictures of hairy males and their asses, I took this photo:

An ass trifecta. (I'm always thinking of you, my friend.)

I was thrilled to see Véronik again, and apparently, I haven't frightened her into a restraining order yet, for she seemed quite happy to pal around with me at the festival. We had a mini-Stitches reunion with lovely Mindy

and I got to see Kathy and Selma all too briefly. I somehow missed my pal hyphenated Carol, which made me sad. I know I met a lot of other folks (like Blogless Former Antitrust Lawyer Democrat Lady from Texas, who made my day by telling me she reads my blog) and I don't want to bore you all by just listing the names. I'm too lazy to link everyone, but most of the folks I just mentioned are in my sidebar.

Okay, I've got to go for now, but I've got plenty more photos to share this week. Suffice it to say that a good time was had by all. (Except poor Kristin Nicholas, who had to listen to some crazy lady complain about errors in a pattern KRISTEN DIDN'T EVEN DESIGN!)

Rheinbech [sic]* Report

As my friend and traveling companion Jim so aptly noted, "It's a holy day of obligation for knitters." Or maybe it's the Holy Grail for Knitters: Rhinebeck.

I remember hearing the name invoked by other knitters and being sort of blase about it. I'd gone to Maryland Sheep & Wool, I'd been going to Stitches, so what was the big deal about one more fiber festival?

But there is something about Rhinebeck.

I suspected it was the crisp fall weather (the thing I hate about Maryland S&W is that it's usually hot and summer-like) but this weekend was pretty warm and sunny, and it was still something special. Maybe it's a slightly different mix of vendors -- more farms and less novelty yarn -- or maybe it's a slightly different mix of attendees -- more intense knitters? more spinners? -- but whatever the reason, there is something about Rhinebeck.

Maybe it's the barfing pumpkins.

Full report tomorrow...

*My oldest kid sent me the cutest email asking how I liked "Rheinbech." Pretty good spelling guess for a 9 year-old.

Quickie update

Don't miss yesterday's book review if you haven't checked the blog in a few days, but I had to mention that the Knitting Curmudgeon has an article about Kristin in the next Interweave Knits magazine. It's a great profile so look for it.

I've had a crazy week -- N. developed walking pneumonia, poor kid. I think he has turned the corner and he had a much better night last night, so if he continues to improve, I'll be at Rhinebeck on Saturday and early Sunday. I will be exhausted and probably a bit dazed, but I'll try to remember to wear a blogger bingo icon somewhere, maybe pinned to my shirt that says "I [heart] VéVé."

No-Bull Book Review: Kristin Knits, by Kristin Nicholas

It’s a real pleasure to see a new book from Kristin Nicholas. In case you've never heard of her (bwah, ha, ha), Kristin is a knitting designer and artist who lives in the hills of western Massachusetts. She has had numerous designs in all the major knitting magazines; has worked with yarn companies like Classic Elite and Nashua Handknits; has written several knitting books, including Knitting the New Classics: 60 Exquisite Sweaters from Classic Elite Yarns; and designed those colorful mugs with knitting-themed motifs that you may have seen. (They sold in a heartbeat when they were in stock at Rosie’s.) Kristin is one of those people who seems to be talented at everything she turns her hand to; she’s done wonderful work in embroidery (check out Colorful Stitchery: 65 Hot Embroidery Projects to Personalize Your Home, for example), painting, sewing and ceramics as well as knitting. When someone with her distinctive eye for color puts out a knitting book, it’s a happy day for us knit-heads.

Kristin Knits is hot off the press from Storey Publishing. It’s a lovely book, hardcover, about 208 pages, and just bursting with color. The dust jacket features a montage of close-ups from the various designs; the cover of the book itself is a motif from one of the projects; and nearly every page has some photograph or motif or even a heading that incorporates color. The pages are sturdy and the book is laid out nicely, with clear type and enough white space on the page to balance all the color. MSRP is $24.95; it hasn’t been officially released on the on-line outlets yet, although you can pre-order it for $ 16.47 by following the link above. The book was at Stitches East last weekend, and Kristen was doing some book-signing there. (She’s as charming in real life as you might imagine from her work.)

The focus of the book, as you may have already surmised, is color. In the preface, Kristen notes: “What I hope to help you learn on the pages of this book is how to combine colors in a creative way to make a piece of knitwear that is more a piece of color art than anything else.” To that end, she begins with a few pages discussing color as it relates to knitting, including some ideas for stimulating one’s own color sense. I actually wish she had written a bit more about the subject (wouldn't you love to Vulcan-mind-meld her? I would.) but it’s a good introduction and motivator to get you playing around with color and observing different uses of color in daily life.

On to the patterns. There are five pattern sections, organized by type of garment: first scarves and an afghan; then hats; then socks; next, gloves and mittens; and finally, sweaters. The pattern section is followed by about fifteen pages of how-to information aimed at helping with the particular skills required for working with color in knitting: fair isle, embellishment (including duplicate stitch, embroidery and pompoms), mitered corners, and so on. Some helpful technical information that the experienced knitter won’t need but the newer knitter might is also included in this section, such as how to sew in a zipper, how to graft, turning a sock heel and a few more. This section seems to me to strike a good compromise between avoiding thirty pages of how-to-knit instruction, while including some specific techniques that are incorporated in the book’s patterns.

The first chapter is called “Sensational Scarves and One Afghan.” Although the first four scarves are pretty basic from a structure standpoint (garter stitch knit vertically), what makes them interesting is the way Nicholas uses them as a jumping-off point for exploring color. The first pattern gives the knitter three different options for adding polka dots to the solid-colored scarf: pompoms, bobbles and embroidered dots. The second and third scarves use stripes, embroidery, stranded knitting and other embellishments to add color and the fourth has a mitered edging all the way around in contrasting colors, along with tassels and an embroidered motif. The last scarf has a colorwork motif running vertically through the center, with stripes and tassels. These scarves are definitely meant to inspire the knitter to play with color, rather than to make a cookie-cutter copy of them, and they are simple enough so that even a knitter who isn’t entirely confident selecting color can play around with comfort. (Knit the lengthways scarf in a solid color and then you can easily lay strands of contrast-color yarn across it to see what colors work for you.) The last pattern is a striking afghan in six colors, with a Navajo-inspired motif, bold stripes and a fringed edge. Interestingly, the afghan is worked in the round and cut open, with stitches raveled to create the fringe.

The second chapter is hats. Again, the structure of the hats is secondary to the colors. You’ll find stripes, contrast edging, tassels and pompoms, embroidery and stripes, lots of options to give you plenty of practice in using and enjoying color. The most challenging pattern is the Kaleidoscope cap, which includes bobble edging, a multicolored garter-stitch brim and a charted diamond motif on the crown.

It occurs to me while looking at these hats, which would be perfect for using odds and ends of leftover yarn (eating up the stash while playing with color: that’s my kind of multitasking) that they would be wonderful choices if you enjoy contributing knitted hats to any of the charity knitting projects that look for colorful headgear (Afghans for Afghans, Warm Up America, Dulaan Project, the Ship’s Project, and so on). You’d have so much fun making them, you’d whip a bunch out without even knowing it.

The remaining chapters are laid out on similar lines. The sock chapter contains “boot toppers” (tubes that are worn at the top edge of boots to add color and keep the legs warm, as well as socks (all knitted from the top-down on double-points, in a worsted-weight yarn) – all of which continue the emphasis on playing with color rather than exploring, say, texture or structure.


Likewise, the handgear in the fourth chapter (fingerless gloves, mittens and gloves) are very similar in construction and feel, differing primarily in the ways in which the color is used.


I like these Nordic-inspired mittens.

The sweater chapter contains 3 pullovers, each knit in pieces and seamed, drop shoulders, with turtlenecks, but which use various motifs and embellishment (one of which is shown near the top of the review). There’s also a yoked turtleneck knit in the round from the neck down, and last, a wild cardigan with tons of colorwork and patterning.

To sum up, we’ve got 27 patterns, mostly for women (although some would work as unisex patterns with other color choices and/or embellishment) and a few child’s patterns, broken down as follows:

• 5 scarves


• 1 afghan


• 5 hats


• 1 pair of "boot toppers"


• 5 pair of socks


• 3 pair of mittens


• 1 pair of fingerless gloves


• 1 pair of gloves


• 4 pullovers and


• 1 cardigan
  

Color charts are included for the patterning where appropriate, and there are some schematics, although schematics are not included for every project. (I suspect this is because some of the projects are very similar to each other in structure, making them seem duplicative.) Sizing is one-size-fits-all for the scarves, boot toppers and afghan; small/medium/large for the hats and socks; what is essentially XS/S/M/L for the hats (small would fit a child, while the large would fit an average man’s head). The sweaters generally come in four sizes, with the smallest ranging from around 34 to 38 inches finished chest and the largest ranging from 49 to 54 inches finished chest. The child’s sweater runs S/M/L/XL, with finished chest sizes of 26.5/28.5/30/32 inches. The patterns are written in a sort of chart style, rather than laid out all in text, which should be make them easier for newbies to follow, although they aren’t terribly complex.

As someone who is spending an increasing amount of time working with color, I really enjoyed this book. It is beautifully presented and full of bright colors, interesting embellishment and great ideas for playing with design elements. It’s not so much a book for those interested in garment construction or technique but rather a wonderful tool for developing one’s own sense of color and for overcoming any reluctance a knitter may have about her ability to work with vivid color. You could sit down with this book and some yarns from your stash pile, and end up producing half a dozen lovely, fun holiday gifts while gaining confidence and experience with colorwork. For that reason alone, it’s well worth the price.

What a weekend.

I am physically exhausted, but my mind is bursting with ideas. I got back from Stitches Sunday night (with a nasty cold, no less) and am still processing all that I saw and did. It was the first year in several that I didn't work at the show, and I must say, I really enjoyed being freed from the booth. I was able to play and I needed that.

I was a bit nervous about acting as Véronik's handler for the weekend, but suffice it to say that we got along like a house on fire. (She brought me a bag full of Canadian chocolate bars unavailable in the U.S.! How considerate is that?!) If you think I had a total crush on her before, well, you ain't seen nothin' yet. [And after hearing about her fabulous actor husband all weekend (he looks a little like Liam Neeson, only younger and way hotter), I think I have a crush on him, too.] Apparently the rest of the world shares my affection for Véronik. After the first few people recognized her and gushed, I began the official Véronik Gush-o-Meter:





Every time someone complimented her on her designs, I Kacha-kacha'd.

Charcoal -- who had never met a Canadian before -- was on his best behavior. He apologized for the fact that our president is an evil moron; he refrained from making any disparaging remarks about hockey; he did not hold Véronik personally responsible for Céline Dion simply by virtue of her nationality; and he showered Véronik with bunny kisses (which he's never done to anyone outside the family before). A superlative rabbit, indeed.

My overall impression of Stitches East -- and I've been attending pretty steadily for the past ten years -- is that this year there were fewer vendors and fewer attendees. Not that the X-Men give a rat's ass what I think, but they really need to consider moving the location again. I enjoyed Baltimore but from what I heard people talking about, the traffic (there always seems to be a Ravens game the day Stitches lets out) and the lack of parking (would it kill them to put up some more signs?) have deterred some folks from coming. I also noticed that a lot of vendors north of Baltimore didn't have booths. Even Philadelphia, which is a mere 2 hrs or so away, only sent one yarn shop, and places from New York City and further north weren't well-represented. I'm biased, of course, but I'd love to see the show return to Philadelphia, at the Center City Convention Center. Downtown Philadelphia has changed a lot and there is more than there ever was in the way of hotel space, restaurants, and a clean, revitalized downtown. It has much better access via train, too, and it is very easy to come from New York, D.C. or Baltimore to Philly for the day by train and return the same day.

My shopping was, on the whole, rather restrained. My big splurge was some garment design software that I was overdue to have invested in. I got some Socks That Rock yarn, and I scored a bag of Jaeger Extra-Fine Merino in a raspberry pink that would be perfect for G. for $35, which felt almost like stealing. (Bless you, Webs.) I met lots of nice folks and saw a bunch of people that I'd met at yarn conventions before, too, so that was really fun. I especially enjoyed seeing my pals at Westminster Fibers, and bought about twelve of the Nashua pattern leaflets that I had somehow missed. (Note to L.P.: did you steal this one from a Viagra ad?)

when the time is right, will you be ready....
(to cast on?)

And when I got home, there was a new station wagon in the driveway. I kid you not. While I was at Stitches East, my husband got a new car.* Um, I have to go now: there's a knitting machine I suddenly feel no guilt about purchasing.

*Okay, the lease was up so we had no choice, but work with me, people.

Le sigh.

Vé-Vé me manque.

Plotzing at Stitches

I am sitting in my hotel room, sipping freshly-made coffee out of a Dolores van Hoofen mug (Mindy rocks!), about to eat a kick-ass donut from the wilds of Virginia, chock full of Quebecois curses ("Tabernacle!") and knitting industry gossip, and ready to continue knitting my garish Elvis socks

while leafing through the Stitches East program to decide where I will start my shopping today.

Life is good.

Very, very good.

P.S. Don't forget: Vé-Vé will be signing her book at the Rosie's booth at 2:00 today so stop by and say "Bong-joor!"

See you at Stitches?

Okay, I'm going to have to go put on a Depends because I'm so excited I may pee myself: tomorrow I'm driving down to Baltimore with a famous knitting designer in my car: Véronik Avery, herself. (We are like BFF, you know?) (Which means she's a BFF of BBF?) (Perhaps I'm getting a little TOO excited.)

If NikiVéronik survives her first meeting with Charcoal, as well as the trip down with her starstruck number one fan, she will be signing her fabulous book, Knitting Classic Style: 35 Modern Designs Inspired by Fashion's Archives, on Saturday at 2:00 at the Rosie's Yarn Cellar booth. So stop by, pick up your copy of her book, and say hi to us. Roni Véronik has her Sharpie all ready. That Vé-Vé Véronik! She doesn't realize that I'm terrified she will find me underwhelming in real life, as opposed to in my blog. [Note to self: Don't scare way cool designer through premature use of nicknames. Wait until she is in car on highway and can't get away.]

Now that we have all the neuroses out on the table, let's remind you that if you're going to be at Stitches on Friday, the silver-maned fox Kaffe Fassett will be signing HIS new book, Kaffe Knits Again: 24 Original Designs Updated for Today's Knitters at Rosie's booth at 10:30 on Friday, and rumor has it that the devilishly handsome Brandon Mably will also be floating around somewhere some time.

Stop, you say, that's too much excitement for Baltimore to handle! No, wait, there's even more: I'm bringing with me a fresh batch of Black Bunny yarn and roving: superwash sock, laceweight merino and assorted rovings. Maybe some wool/nylon, too. It'll be on sale at the Rosie's booth.

Of course, Rosie's will uphold the fine tradition of bringing a boatload of Koigu -- and this year, the new Schaefer sock yarn called "Heather," Reynolds Soft Sea Wool and Whiskey, and Shetland kits that go with some cool stranded thing that Eunny is making. (But then again, isn't Eunny always making some cool stranded thing?!)

Are the X-Men ready for the Quebecois-American invasion that will be arriving in a green Ford tomorrow morning?

I think not.

Polish yer pointy-toed cowboy boots, Rick, and we'll see you in Baltymore.

A public service for fellow knitting designers

Having trouble writing those pesky pattern descriptions that appear at the beginning of your designs? Avail yourself of the Go Knit In Your Hat Pattern Description Generator. Just select one of the choices for each blank, and presto! Your introduction is written, ready for inclusion in the knitting magazine or book of your choice. No need to thank me; it's what I do.

Pattern Description Generator (circle one choice for each blank):

Inspired by __________________________,

1. my extensive collection of vintage knitting patterns
2. a day among the flowers in my country garden
3. the delicate strains of a Bach cello concerto
4. a tattered scrap of my daughter's childhood security blanket
5. the colors and textures I see at my local flea market

this ______________________

1. sweater
2. sock
3. hat
4. shawl
5. accessory

features __________________________________________.

1. flowing lines and a comfortable fit
2. a sleek, body-hugging fit
3. a roomy but not oversized fit
4. versatile, one-size-fits-most sizing.

It’s perfect for wearing _______________________________.

1. on that special first date with someone new
2. while sipping cocoa by the fireplace with a purring cat on your lap
3. around town whilst doing Saturday errands
4. to the office, and then out for drinks afterward
5. to lift your spirits on a dreary, rainy day

Knit in a ________________________________

1. cozy, toasty-warm
2. slinky, shiny
3. nubby-textured
4. cool and breathable
5. fuzzy and snuggly
6. easy, breezy

yarn made of

1. wool
2. cotton
3. silk
4. linen
5. bamboo
6. a versatile blend

you’ll find _______________________________

1. it knits up in a jiffy!
2. it a challenging knit but well worth the extra effort!
3. an excellent first garment for a newbie knitter!
4. it’s as fun to wear as it is to knit!

If only doing multiple sizing were so easy!

Update: The merino/tencel sock yarn looks great (so does the superwash merino). There may still be a skein or two left...

No-Bull Book Review: Knitting for Him, by Martin Storey and Wendy Baker

Knitting for guys is always a challenge, and for a variety of reasons. First of all, there’s the fun factor: it seems like most of the stuff Tom wants me to knit for him is really plain, and I have to be in exactly the right frame of mind to begin a guy-sized sweater in a neutral color in stockinette stitch. (Believe me, that frame of mind comes around all too rarely.) Yet the patterns with some interest, be it stitchwork or colorwork or a less neutral color or yarn, often are a little too much for his taste. The second factor seems to be that relatively few men design handknitting patterns. Now don’t jump to take offense. It’s just that the kind of patterns that women think men will like aren’t always the same patterns that Tom wants me to knit for him.


Enter Knitting for Him: 27 Classic Projects to Keep Him Warm, by Martin Storey (Taunton 2007) (MSRP $24.95; available for $16.47 by clicking the link at the time of this writing) (oh how I love thy designs, Martin) and Wendy Baker. In their introduction, they put their finger on exactly this dilemma:

When we were asked to design a collection of hand knits for men for Rowan,we realized that most men prefer garments that are comfortable, above all, andprefer colors that are not too “gaudy.” However, in the main, it will be their womenfolk who will knit the patterns in this book, and knitters like interesting stitch and color combinations to work with.

And better yet, they manage to solve the dilemma by stylishly bridging the gap between what men want to wear and what knitters want to knit.



Okay, you know the drill: let’s start with the basics. Knitting for Him is a paperback, 136 pages, full color, with those fold-out inside covers that I like – they don’t get bent as easily as those without the fold-in. The book is packed with luscious photography of hot dudes artfully taken by John Heseltine. There are 27 projects, mainly sweaters, along with a pair of mittens, three scarves, a beanie, and a pair of socks. The sweaters include vests, pullovers and cardigans/jackets.






I like the book's no-nonsense approach: it simply presents these gorgeous patterns, followed by a very brief section of background information (e.g. notes on sizing, how to use the charts, fair isle techniques and abbreviations). No how-to-knit section eating up precious pages. I especially want to give kudos to Rowan/Taunton for including a page with detailed information about each yarn used, including fiber content, stitch and row gauge, and yardage. If money were not an issue, there’d be no reason why you wouldn’t want to use the gorgeous Rowan and RYC yarns specified in the book (e.g. Scottish Tweed, Wool-Cotton, Cashsoft Aran), but including that information is especially helpful if you’ll need to make substitutions. (And given that even great yarns get discontinued by the makers, this information may be helpful in a few years if, God forbid, any of these yarns are no longer produced.) It's nice not to have to do a separate search to find the yarn requirements.




The breakdown of patterns is as follows:

• 2 vests
• 2 cardigans
• 6 jackets (not sure exactly what the distinction is, except that the jackets seem to be heavier, perhaps for outside wear?)
• 8 pullovers
• 3 gansey-style pullovers
• 3 scarves
• 1 pair of mittens and 1 pair of socks

Which brings me to another point: I'm really, really glad that Storey and Baker didn't include silly items like I-pod covers or condom cozies or whatever else passes for whimsical accessories these days. Nope, they keep it straightforward and to-the-point: sweaters, lots of sweaters, with a handful of accessories. Well done.

Another way to look at the patterns is by knitting technique or style -- and Storey/Baker manage to cover the territory thoroughly. The projects break down as follows:

• Cablework: 7 projects
• Stranded colorwork: 4 projects plus cuffs of socks
• Texture (knit/purl stitch patterns): 3 projects
• Intarsia: 3 projects
• Nonstranded, nonintarsia colorwork (e.g. slipped stitches, stripes): 5 projects\Predominantly stockinette st: 4 projects (2 of which have bands in contrasting colors)
  

You can see that this presents the knitter with a nice variety of techniques and difficulty levels. Even a relatively inexperienced knitter wouldn’t have trouble with the stockinette projects, while the cablework and colorwork provide more challenging projects for those who are up for them. Hurrah for Rowan for giving us these lovely, not-dumbed-down patterns.

Looking at yarn gauge, you’ll see that the majority of the designs (16) are knit in versatile DK-weight yarns; 2 in fingering weight; 7 in aran weight; and 2 in chunky weight yarns. Again, a nice variety that should enable those in different climates and with different tastes in yarns to find something they’ll like.

Last, looking at sleeve styles, you’ll find 3 raglan style, 2 drop shoulder, 5 modified drop shoulder, and an impressive 9 using set-in sleeves (some have shallower sleeve caps than others but I've lumped all the ones with caps together). Another hurrah for recognizing that men don’t always want drop shouldered sweaters, even if they have nice broad shoulders and muscular chests. And mad props to the designers for the sheer number of choices with set-in sleeves, which you don’t necessarily find in a men’s pattern book.

Sizing for the sweaters is generous: the sizes go by two-inch increments from 40 through 48 inches actual chest size, with the finished garment sizes going from around 48 or so inches to 56 or so inches (lots of ease and lots of choices). All the accessories are one size fits most.

From a sensibility standpoint, this is classic Rowan style: beautiful shots of the green countryside and misty ocean views, handsome men, a lovely palette, high-quality natural fiber yarns, a nice mix of artsy shots, close-ups of garment details, and larger views that show the entire garment. The paper is high quality, too. There are schematics for all the garments, and plenty of charts (the charts are black-and-white, unlike the charts in the Rowan magazine).



Well, either the knitting books are getting way better, or I’m getting way less cranky in my old age, because this is yet another book I absolutely love. I am going to have Tom pick out his favorites and add them to my Ravelry queue. In the meantime, let’s reward Rowan and Taunton for giving the discerning knitter what (s)he wants in a men’s pattern book, and add this title to your bookshelf. If there’s a man you’d love to knit for, or if you're a male knitter looking to knit some beautiful sweaters for yourself, you won’t be sorry.

I really, really hate that.

Some chick posted a comment to yesterday's post that had nothing to do with my blog, or my bunny (more's the pity), but was just a solicitation for some knitting calendar that she is apparently trying to publicize. Now according to her message, the calendar that she mentions doesn't pay you anything for the privilege of using your design, except to give you a copy of the calendar. Although if my memory serves me, the company that publishes said calendar does indeed make profits from the sale of said calendar. I think that's cheesy. (People have complained about various on-line websites for not paying their contributors, but I give credit to start-up businesses like Knitty.com that began paying honorariums to their contributors once the websites began taking in ad revenue.)

I have a button on my sidebar that says "Contact me" and links to my email address, so why the heck didn't she actually email me so that I'd have the option of deciding whether I wanted to post her solicitation, instead of hijacking my blog comments? I mean, you'd think someone who bills herself as a provider of web design services would know that this sort of thing makes curmudgeonly knitbloggers cranky. Wouldn't you?

So anyway, since Susan and I are on such close terms that she feels comfortable advertising her projects in my blog comments, I popped over to Susan's blog and posted an ad for my Etsy site in her comments.

Which, by the way, reminds me that there are still a few hanks of yarn left over there, including a kick-ass batch of rose-colored 100% silk...

Coming next post: a review of Martin Storey's new knitting book for men...

A timely reminder

Charcoal









wishes to remind you that it's Fire Prevention Month. At our house, Elvis handily drew our Evacuation Plan so that we might study it in the event of a "fire event" (as I'm sure they call them now).




Everybody got that?





Charcoal also reminds you to check the batteries in your smoke detector.

We don't want your house to turn into a lump of you-know-what...

Guest Blogger: Donna Druchunas, author of Ethnic Knitting Discovery

Today, GKIYH is happy to welcome Donna Druchunas (whose last name I very badly want to misspell but I think I got it right), author of Ethnic Knitting: Discovery: The Netherlands, Denmark, Norway, and The Andes. Donna



blogs here. You may remember that Donna guest-blogged in the spring, in conjunction with the release of her previous book, Arctic Lace: Knitting Projects and Stories Inspired by Alaska's Native Knitters. Today Donna is going to tell us a bit more about her new book and what motivated her to write it, so let's give her a warm, Go-Knit-In-Your-Hat welcome:


Carol, thanks for having me on Go Knit In Your Hat as part of my Ethnic Knitting Discovery blog book tour! I'd like to talk a bit about how I chose the various knitting techniques included in Ethnic Knitting Discovery and how I decided what to include. First we'll need to take a look at what's in the book. Here's the table of contents:

Chapter 1 : Freedom from Patterns
Chapter 2 : A Few Basics
Chapter 3 : The Netherlands
Chapter 4 : Denmark
Chapter 5 : Norway
Chapter 6 : The Andes

In the first two chapters of the book, I go over the basics of sweater design including how to make a gauge swatch, how to design a sweater that fits, how to knit in the round, how to knit from charts, and so forth. This is the information that you need to get started and, I hope, to overcome any trepidation you might have about designing a garment from scratch. It's actually easier, in many cases, than knitting from a pattern and it's not something that new knitters should feel afraid to try.

In each of the remaining chapters, I include techniques that are used in the garments made in that region. I also tried to keep it simple, but without oversimplifying to the point of making the projects boring. For example, in the chapter on Denmark, the only special technique include is how to join the welts at the hem of the sweater. Beyond that, basic knitting skills and the tips in Chapters 1 and 2 are all you need to jump in and design a sweater. In the chapter on Noway, I explain how to cut armholes and necks open on a sweater body that is knitted with absolutely no shaping, and I provide some tips for knitting with two colors. I don't explain how to do the elaborate embroidery that was used in the past on traditional Norwegian sweaters. I skipped that for two reasons: 1) it's not knitting, and 2) it's beautiful, but old-fashioned looking. I suspect that most knitters these days prefer simpler garments, and many would feel that elaborate colorwork knitting doesn't need any additional embellishment. In the old days, Norwegian sweaters were made in very basic colors, usually black and white, and the embroidery added a splash of bright color. Today we have a much wider range of colors available for knitting yarn.

In the chapter on the Andes, I follow the same philosophy and add a little something extra, including instructions on creating a crochet cast-on punta trim. The Andean color technique discussed is optional, but it is referred to in the sweater instructions that follow.

Most of the techniques in the book are things I'd picked up over the years as I satisfied my own knitting curiosity. I love buying books with new techniques, and I also love taking knitting classes. They're a fun way to meet other knitters, and if you learn one thing in each class, it's well worth the cost. Sometimes I take classes just to make something I've been procrastinating about. I make the class into my own private knitalong. All of this is to encourage knitters to try new things without feeling afraid. Help is as close as your local yarn shop or your web browser. And remember, it's just knitting, and it's easy enough to rip out and start over if you don't like the results. The best advice I ever read in a knitting book was from Sally Melville. She said, "Don't be hesitant to rip out your knitting." If you have to rip, that just gives you more knitting time with the yarn! What are you going to do after you finish this project anyway? Knit some more!

Happy birthday, Bun!

Hard to believe, but another year has flown by and Charcoal turned two on Saturday. (He's a Libra, in case you were wondering.*) What does the spoiled bun-bun get for his birthday?



A hula girl (left) and beach basket (right), made in bunny-friendly, edible, chewable materials, from the fine folks at Bunny Bytes (where the urban rabbit shops). Charcoal was a gentleman, though: he bought the hula girl dinner before ripping her skirt off.

Of course, there was cake (or at least cupcakes):



In knitting news, I finished the Kaffe socks for N.,


and started the next pair, for G. It's "Chewy Spaghetti" sock yarn in the colorway Sporty. G. chose it because pink is her first favorite color and blue is her second favorite color.



With Stitches and Rhinebeck coming up, I'll need lots of mindless sockknitting to carry along.

Dyeing News

I've been busily dyeing, and I'll have a Black Bunny Fibers update on Wednesday, around noon-ish. In addition to sock and laceweight yarns, I've got three batches of pure silk DK (which I did once before) and a couple of skeins of worsted-weight Columbia yarn from a Michigan farm (it's nice and soft).

I've been trying out some new yarns, including some 50% tencel/50% merino wool sock yarn. I was pleased with the way the dye took so I'm hoping to have some skeins of the merino/tencel in the update after this next one. (Believe it or not, I'm still waiting for a backorder of the half wool, half silk that Liz so charmingly used for her Clapotis,** I'm waiting on a delivery of roving, I'm waiting on a backorder of superwash merino, AND I'm waiting on a backorder of merino/silk. Feh.)



*According to a pet astrology website found on the prestigious Internet, "Libra pets are easy-going and like lots of attention. These pets divide their attention equally among all members of the family. They make wonderful companions and hate to be left alone. These pets love good food and soft music. They can be stubborn at times, and may disappear to sulk."

**I got together for a quick cup of tea and some knitting with Liz last week. You should see her phat ride...