For 2010, I am entertaining the thought of making a quilt and learning to knit and crochet.
In the spirit of those goals, I have started roaming through the crafting section of the library's non-fiction stacks, which is where I came across these two hilarious books. Since I am not a knitter (yet!) and I could understand and enjoy the books, I don't think you have to know all about casting on and purling to enjoy this book (although a passing interest probably helps).
Yarn Harlot is the hilarious confessions of a capital-K Knitter. My favorite stories were about her OCD-like relationship with yarn, knitting needles and her projects. I could completely identify with her musings about acquiring more supplies. My feelings about fabric, scrapbook paper, rubber stamps and books are not dissimilar.
Reading Free-Range Knitter convinced me that the author must be an NF in Myers-Briggs terms. She waxes poetically about her love of potential and possibility in each ball of yarn and each new pattern. She feels like a kindred soul.
Knitters will love these essays. The author's style makes it easy to curl up on the couch under your homemade afghan and chuckle your way through her musings.
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I quilt but I've never master knitting. Thanks for posting this.... hummm continuing education class at local college has knitting for beginners. Were is that newletter?
ReplyDeleteI hope you have better luck than I did if you give knitting a try! I spent about an hour the other night trying to figure it out with a couple of books from the library. Let's just say I have nothing to show for that hour and I have spent every night since doing cross stitch because that is a craft that makes sense to me! =-) I will try again, but for now, I am sticking with the crafts that I know.
ReplyDeleteOoh, thanks for highlighting these books - will have to check them out! I'm a knitter, and I have to tell you that I did not (could not!) learn from a book. If you can join a class or get someone to teach you, that's really the best way. If not, check out knittinghelp.com - there are tons of videos to get you started. Good luck!
ReplyDeleteNatalie - thanks for the link! I have a friend who volunteered to teach me, and I also wanted to look for video online. Now I don't have to search around for a site!
ReplyDeleteI taught myself to knit using the Stitch n' Bitch book several years ago, and it's one of the best things I've ever done. I was able to pick up the basics pretty easily from that book, but luckily I also found a local yarn shop with staff that were excellent at teaching me some of the trickier stitches and helping me out of my mistakes. I'd say that if you have a friend that knits or can join a local knitting group, that would be a great help as you get started. Now knitting is my favorite comfort activity, and a lot of my friends and relatives get handknit things for Christmas and birthdays.
ReplyDeleteOh, and I love Stephanie Pearl-McPhee's books. She has a blog at yarnharlot.ca that's also hilarious.
Thanks for the tips, Kristi. I'll have to check out her blog!
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