Books: the next best thing to knitting

About the only thing I like almost as much as knitting, is books — fiction, non-fiction, self-help or mystery, I love to read. And one of the best type of books for me deals with my favorite subject: knitting (have I mentioned I’m a bit of a fiber fanatic?).

I’d like to do a monthly round-up of knitting books that I’ve found — the good, the bad and the ugly — and let you all know my “take” on them. So let’s say that the 4th Wednesday of every month will be book round-up day, ok?

So, here’s the first “the good, the bad and the ugly of knitting books”:

• KnitWit: 20 Fun Projects for Beginners and Seasoned Knitters by Katie Boyette.  I love knitting toys for my kids and nieces, nephews, etc, so I’m always on the look-out for knitted-toy books.  This one has some interesting toys, some bizarre toys (some of the aliens are just plain weird), and some really cool ones (I particularly like the long-legged bird on the cover).  The techniques for construction are pretty cool to know, even if you don’t actually make her toys.  The two negatives to this book are that the toys are made in multiple pieces (with appendages sewn on) and use sewn-on felt pieces — I much prefer one-piece knitting for toys, especially for little ones or boys to avoid tearing.
• Knits to Give: 30 Knitted Gifts Made with Love by Debbie Bliss.  First, let me say that I love Bliss’ books — always lovely in format, printed on quality paper and overall, gorgeous designs.  This one is no exception.  These gifts, organized by recipient (for her, for him, for baby, for kids and for the home), are varied and unique and quite beautiful.  I really like the knit-covered bangles, the bunny baby booties, the “lion cub scarf”, and the zebra is a “must make”.  Very fun and highly recommend this one.
• Stashbuster Knits: tips, tricks and 21 beautiful projects for using your favorite leftover yarn by Melissa Leapman.  So, what do YOU do with your left-over bits and pieces?  I can’t stand to throw them away; and yet, I never have enough to really do anything.  Leapman to the rescue!  The first 20 pages are a treasure trove of tips for using up those bits:  matching weights, color-theory, estimating yardage amounts and generally shopping your stash to create a unique, truly your own, garment.  The rest of the book contains 21 creative ways to use the bits’n'pieces.  The patterns are grouped by yarn weight and give ideas for blending colors, etc.  I really want to make the yoke and cable sweater shown on the cover.
• Vintage KnitKnack: 20 Cool Creative Knitting Projects to Enhance Your Home by Sue Culligan.  If you want to make and/or give a unique knitted item, than this book is for you.  The 20 projects are certainly creative (if not a bit odd) but they have a certain charm that begs you to knit them.  Coffee cozies, pillow covers, needle-roll case, and cell-phone cover are just some of the projects included.  [Rosanne quickly noted that the knitted-lampshade may not be the best project -- she went on many calls to house fires that were caused by fibrous items on a lampshade.]  Even if you don’t make any of the projects — the various techniques she covers in here are worth placing in your knitting quiver.

Next time … more knitting books to review.  If there are any books you’d particularly like me to check-out, just note them in the comments section below.

Finished designs using yarns from DHY

As promised in last week’s post, I thought I’d post some of my designs that I’ve created using yarns purchased at Dog House. Some of these patterns are free if you buy the yarn from the shop; all of these designs (and many others) can be purchased through my Ravelry shop.

1. Hansel und Gretel hoodies–coordinating hoodies using Plymouth’s Galway Worsted and Galway Paint (100% wool). These hoodies were designed for an Austrian friend who recently had twins – a boy and a girl. The hoodies are generously sized, with a button-placket in the yoke to make easy-on/easy-off. This is a fun, in-the-round knit with few seams and minimal finishing-work, which uses 2(3) skeins of the mc and half a skein of cc per hoodie.

Hansel und Gretel hoodies (6m-18m)

2.  Summer Sunset Shawl — uses just two skeins of Plymouth’s Kudo. Knit from wrist to wrist, this is a great project for those ready to go beyond a simple scarf. With this design, you can practice increases, decreases and yarn-overs while creating a striking cotton-blend shawl for Spring/Summer. This pattern is available free with purchase of Kudo from DHY.

Summer Sunset shawl (in Kudo)

3. Azalea Leaves shawl– uses just two skeins of the Adriafil DuoPlus. This shawlette’s shaping allows for a curved edge, creating a shawl that actually stays on your shoulders. The azalea-leaf design on the edge coordinates with the lace panel down the center back of this cotton-wool blend yarn which comes in gorgeous colorways.

Azalea Leaves shawl (in DuoPlus)

4. Cobblestone Fingerless Mitts — knit in, well … Cobblestone. This gorgeous 100% superwash merino yarn from FibraNatura knits up beautifully into a pair of fingerless mitts, needing only one skein to make a pair of mitts that are cozy, comfortable and washable. The design includes directions for teen/adultS with changes for adultM/L included. A quick knit for those used to knitting in the round (on dpns/circs) or a great opportunity to learn to knit in the round. This pattern is available free with purchase of Cobblestone from DHY.

Cobblestone Fingerless Mitts (teen/adult S - adult M/L)

5. Killarney Caubeen (Irish beret/tam)– knit using two shades of Plymouth’s EncoreDK. This washable wool-acrylic blend yarn knits up wonderfully into a traditional fair-isle pattern. The tam was inspired by the classic Bing Crosby song, “Christmas in Killarney”. The colorwork on this design is charted and the sample I made used two skeins of the mc (a dark charcoal grey) and one skein of the cc (a light spring green) to make a tam to fit teens thru adult. Gorgeous, yes?

Killarney Caubeen (Irish beret/tam) in Encore DK

What projects have you completed with yarn from Dog House?

Shop models to see and feel …

… and then knit!

If you haven’t been in for a while, here are some of the shop models I’ve knitted this past fall. All are fun to knit!

"Speed Scarf" done in Baby Alpaca Grande

This “potato-chip” style scarf knits up really fast (and fools people into thinking it’s crocheted!) with the Baby Alpaca Grande. The pattern, a Plymouth Yarn company design, is available free online. The pattern as written took me three skeins of the alpaca (just couldn’t do the final row or the bind off with only two skeins); if you CO 85 sts instead of the original 99 called for in the pattern, you will have enough yarn in two skeins (just remember your numbers will change to 169, 337, 673) and the scarf won’t be noticeably shorter.

Braided Cable Scarf done in Cyprus Mohair

This lovely scarf, done in Feza’s Cyprus Mohair (uses one ball), is a free pattern available online. It’s VERY easy (a k1p1 rib that twists every 8 rows) and knits up quickly on size 15 needles. My scarf is 4-1/2″ x 48″, a perfect size for this soft, luxurious knit.

Weekend Getaway Cardigan done in Poems Silk

This cute, cropped cardigan, done in the luscious Poems Silk, is a free pattern from the Universal Yarn’s website. This is done in the “small” and one note about the yarn — pull the yarn from the OUTSIDE (rather than pulling from the center) as the yarn is a one-ply that twists up on itself if pulled from the center.

V-neck Shell done in Royal Llama Silk

This fun v-neck shell is available for purchase (in the pattern books … the one with Plymouth worsted-weight designs). It took 4 skeins of the turquoise and 1 skein of the rusty-red (a simple colorwork on the front only to give it a bit of style) to make the small size.

Here are a few of my designs, available from my Ravelry store, but if you buy the yarn from the shop, you can get a copy of the pattern free (how’s that for a good deal?).

Sweetheart of a Shawl in Spice Berry

This shawl, worn in the shop by one of Rosanne’s sheep, shows the beauty of Spice Berry to perfection. Here’s a link to the Ravelry pattern but don’t forget that if you buy the Spice Berry from Rosanne, you can get this pattern free.

Swirly, Twirly Tam in Poems Silk

I LOVE the colorways of the Poems Silk yarn! This tam, which uses only one skein of the Poems Silk, shows the beauty of this yarn beautifully while making a functional and fun floppy tam for all the women you know (or men, for that matter). Here’s the link to the Ravelry pattern, but don’t forget that if you buy the Poems Silk from Rosanne, you can get this pattern free.

Unplanned Cowl (and wrist warmers) in Unplanned Peacock

This unisex cowl (and wrist warmers, too) is a fun pattern, and is particularly useful if you’ve not knitted in the round before. A simple knit/purl design that hugs the neck without strangling the neck, knitted up in the Unplanned Peacock (which Rosanne currently has on sale). The wrist warmers, not shown but in the shop, finish up the last bit of yarn. Here’s a link to the Ravelry pattern, but don’t forget that if you buy the Unplanned Peacock from the shop, you can get this pattern free.

These are just a few of the shop models we have on display for you to see how the yarn looks knitted up. We’ll be adding more shop models too, so don’t forget to come on in and check ‘em out.

Next week, I’ll post some of my other designs that use yarn purchased from Dog House …