Saturday, May 23, 2009

Knitchick's Guide to Sweaters: Classic Styles for the Modern Knitter by Marcelle Karp, Pauline Wall

Published 2009

Pick up this book, grab your needles and become a Knitchick!

The Knitchicks present a comprehensive, practical, hands-on guide to knitting any sweater you could possibly want. No need to fear, because each of the designs is easy to knit, totally wearable and comes with a hearty helping of Knitchick personality. It's time to have fun with your sticks!

Inside The Knitchicks' Guide to Sweaters, you'll find:

more than 25 simple, classic sweater designs for women, men and children.
information that will help you understand patterns—not just follow them. Adjust the patterns for a perfect fit, or even design your own.
step-by-step photographs of all the need-to-know techniques--no reference books required!

Let the Knitchicks' teach you sweater savvy and show you how to declare your knitting independence!

Design It, Knit It: Secrets from the Designer's Studio by Debbie Bliss

Published 2009

Debbie’s knit designs are truly blissful! With more than 20 knitting projects and patterns intended for children, women, men, and the home, this collection is truly for everyone. Bestselling author Debbie Bliss’s designs are fun, easy to create, and make perfect gifts. In addition to the delightful original designs, which include hats, gloves, and home décor items, there’s also an introduction that covers everything from selecting yarns and determining gauge to reading charts and patterns. This is a must-have guide for knitters of all skill levels who desire breathtaking designs and high-quality yarn!

Saturday, May 16, 2009

Not Now, I'M Knitting by Barbara Hurd

Published 2009

This carry-along collection of knits created from natural yarns offers knitters of varying skill levels an assortment of exciting, satisfying projects. Whether one grabs needles and yarn or simply delves into the photos of these patterns, there's plenty in this collection for knitters of all ages.

Paper Yarn: 24 Creative Projects to Make Using a Variety of Techniques by Uta Donath, Petra Hoffmann, Eva Hauck, Claudia Huboi

Published 2009

Paper yarn is a practical, readily available, and amazingly durable material. And as the book brilliantly demonstrates, it is also easy to work with and can be fashioned in many ways to create beautiful objects for any living space. Using a variety of techniques from knitting and braiding to weaving and sewing, this enticing book shows crafters looking for a new twist—or any knitter, sewer or crocheter eager to experiment with a new medium—how to work with this unique material.Paper yarns are available in a wide range of types and thicknesses. They are washable, lightweight, fade-resistant and come in a wide range of colors. They can be mixed with paper strips or raffia for a soft look or combined with embroidery thread, sewing silk, or ribbon for a bold look. And when unwrapped to make flat paper strips, it’s wonderfully suited to layering an sewing. Paper Yarn shows you how to work with this unique yarn and combine it with other materials in a variety of ways to create colorful, sculptural, and delicate projects, transforming them and the yarn into something new and exciting. With detailed information on how to prepare the materials needed and practical step-by-step instructions for each item, you will discover just how versatile paper yarn can be.

Freeform Style: Blend Knit and Crochet to Create Fiber Art Wearables by Jonelle Raffino, Prudence Mapstone

Published 2009

Learn to combine freeform knitting and crochet into gorgeous wearable art with patterns and instruction for every level of freeform artist. Find inspiration in master freeform artist, Prudence Mapstone, through her gallery of stunning freeform creations. Organized for easy access, each pattern is labeled either beginner, intermediate or advanced and depending on the level, additional freeform stitches are incorporated into the patterns to create a garment full of style.

Classic Knits by Marianne Isager

Published 2009

Featuring 25 traditional projects derived from basic knit and purl patterns, this timeless collection of knitwear designs offers new and innovative ideas on a variety of subjects, such as stitch patterns, yarn combinations, and yarn construction techniques that add modern finishes to classic designs. Focusing on technique, crafters will learn a variety of basic knits, from entrelac, color stranding, and double knitting to slip-stitch, and herringbone. These knits can in turn be correctly gauged and identically sized to match the measurements in each tutorial and applied to finished garments. Without requiring extensive knitting experience, crafters only need to know how to cast on, knit, and bind off to successfully complete any project.

Saturday, May 9, 2009

Knitter's at Home: Cottage, Condo, Cave, or Castle, No Matter Where You Live, Knits Make It Home by Xrx Books, Elaine Rowley (Editor)

Published 2009

Knitting In the Sun: 32 Projects for Warm Weather by Kristi Porter

Published 2009

The first-ever knitting book to offer projects exclusively for warm weather

The resurgence in the popularity of knitting didn't stop at the Mason Dixon line–but most pattern collections do. Knitting in the Sun is the first book to tap into this wide-open market by providing patterns to create shells, tanks, lightweight wraps, bags, accessories, and more, suitable for knitters in warm climates or during the summer season. While the book includes traditional warm weather stalwarts like cotton and linen, it also features patterns using the best of newer natural offerings like yarns made of or blended with hemp, bamboo, and soysilk. More than 80 full-color photos showcase these beautiful light knits.

Kristi Porter (La Jolla, CA) is an author, designer, technical editor, and teacher. In addition to writing Knitting Patterns For Dummies (978-0-470-04556-5), her work has been featured in the Knitgrrl series, the Big Girl Knits series, No Sheep For You, and Knit Wit. She is a frequent contributor to Knitty.com and has been a part of that online magazine since its start in 2002.

Vintage Baby Knits: More Than 40 Heirloom Patterns from the 1920s to the 1950s by Kristen Rengren, Thayer Allyson Gowdy (Photographer)

Published 2009

While working as a vintage clothing dealer, combing through estate sales and eBay listings, longtime knitter Kristen Rengren amassed hundreds of knitting pattern booklets from 1920 through 1960. Now a knitwear designer, Rengren brings us the result of her combined passions in Vintage Baby Knits, a charming collection of more than 40 contemporary updates of timeless baby patterns. Projects range from small, quick-to-knit items like hats, booties, and shrugs to larger, more challenging designs for sweaters, onesies, and dresses, including a lace christening gown. Beautiful photographs capture a bevy of adorable babies and toddlers wearing these knitted treasures. Also included are sidebars on baby fashion and knitting culture in this bygone era, and a complete reference section. Destined to be a classic itself, Vintage Baby Knits promises family heirlooms for 21st-century babies.

Decorative Knitting: 100 Practical Techniques, 200 Inspirational Ideas and 18 Creative Projects by Kate Haxell, Luise Roberts

Published 2009

Suitable for both novice knitters and masters of the craft, this easy-to-use guide introduces a host of decorative and practical techniques for embellishing simple designs and features 18 creative projects to utilize these techniques. Some of the embellishments include loops and strands, shaping, twists and crosses, ladders, pleats, and several varieties of beading, many of which can be incorporated together to produce such items as a helix fur scarf, a caterpillar baby snuggler, a beaded beret, and a vintage laundry bag. More than just a simple “how-to” book, this boldly illustrated guide has an inspirational wealth of ideas to keep knitters looking for ways to experiment and create their own fabulous pieces.

Nicky Epstein Knitting in Tuscany by Nicky Epstein

Published 2009

From the bestselling author who brought you Knitting Over the Edge, Knitting Beyond the Edge, and many others, comes an exciting new book for knitters—this time, with an Italian accent! It’s filled with the warmth of the sun-splashed Tuscan countryside, inspired by Nicky’s knitting tour of the region.

Knitters will pour themselves a glass of Chianti, gaze at the gorgeous photographs, and work their way through a dozen fabulous Tuscan-style projects (presented with step-by-step instructions). They’ll also savor the tidbits Nicky imparts about the region and its knitters, and her travels through Italy.

It’s the perfect gift for anyone who feels amore for knitting and Italia.