Of this and that.



 
As Amazon delivered this morning, I thought I would share.  Thanks to Birthday and Christmas Amazon tokens, I'm now the proud owner of new knitting books!

Now, knitting books in chez Yarnspider have to fulfil three major functions: they have to be practical with patterns that are viable, or can be made viable; they have to be beautiful; and I have to be able to read them in bed with ease, clarity of print, ease of propping, that sort of thing.  I am pleased to say that all four (yes, 4) fill these requirements.

So let me begin with my Birthday books (I will be up to date by the end of the year!!). They were Contemporary Irish Knits by Carol Feller and Norwegian Knitting Designs.  So I shall begin with the Contemporary Irish Knits. This is an interesting book with some really practical patterns.  It's laid out as a tour of the surviving Irish yarn mills that sell to the general public and as such, is an interesting read in it's own right.  I'm looking forward to trying some of the patterns out.  Although, I wouldn't recommend it unless you are really good friends with your cable needle as all the patterns contain cables, but that to one side it really is an interesting book with modern wearable designs and clear easy to use patterns.

Next, Norwegian Knitting Designs.  This is a fabulous, amazing, inspirational book, containing patterns from many Norwegian Designers.  The pictures are breath-taking, and the charts look overwhelming, but the patterns are achievable.  I know this, as it would appear I have already knitted one of them!  Imagine my chagrin when I came to the pages with the Rainbow Jacket, which bore a strong (I'm being kind here, almost identical would be more like it) resemblance to the Vlindervest Knitting Kit I received for my birthday a couple of years ago.  Slapped wrists to the suppliers!  Ah well.  What it does mean, is that I'm not at all frightened of attempting another of the patterns and am already spinning the yarn for later in 2012....

Now, Christmas Books:
These arrived this morning (together with a couple of videos for knitting to), Modern Top-Down Knitting by Kristina McGowan and Elizabeth Zimmermann's Knitters Almanac The Commemorative edition. 
Modern Top-Down Knitting shows a great deal of promise and is an homage to the Techniques of Barbara G Walker (it says so on the cover).  Once again, beautifully written and photographed with clear, concise patterns and modern designs.  One I intend upon using.  In fact, I am seriously thinking about ripping back a skirt I had already started and attempting one of the patterns with the yarn, it is that yummy. 

And on to my last acquisition, Elizabeth Zimmermann's Knitters Almanac.  Here I must confess, this is the third time I have bought this book, but the first time I have had it in hard back.  I needed another copy (no, really I did!) as I have lost the first two to loans.  Neither of which I begrudge by the way, as the more often the word of Zimmermann is spread the better as far as I'm concerned!  But this one has extras.  I shall have a wonderful time propped up with breakfast reading this.  OK, so the cat is out of the bag, I have breakfast in bed of a morning (thanks to Mr Yarnspider).  This is to ensure that one, I eat breakfast and two, I eat it before 11.00am as I tend to forget.  Which is not good with the amount of medication I have to take.  The really nice thing about it is that I get to read my fibre porn without being interrupted.... mwahahaha!  Ahem. Right, back to review of book.... This not for those of you who require their patterns in a hurry, although there are sypnosis of said patterns at the end of each chapter - boring!  The patterns are designed to be picked out from the conversation that Mrs Zimmermann has with the reader and are just so much more fun, if approached in this manner. It is laid out as analmanac with a pattern or patterns for knitting each month all of which work and can be used or adapted with ease.  And it says there are extras.....  I do hope it's more patterns.....

The picture?
Ah, well, when I opened my Christmas parcel from Freyalyn this year I found just what I didn't know I had been looking for, two hanks of really lovely pencil rovings.  As I had just knitted myself to a stand still and have one wrist in splint as a result, I really did need something else to do in front of the telly.  Hang on, that came out wrong.  Try  again.  I really did need something else to do with my hands whilst watching telly as I can not knit for a month or so....  As you can see, I shall be looking for more from my stash pretty soon but for now, they are splendid! Granted, unidentified fibre, but they spin like a BFL or merino lovely and smoothly.  They shall be plyed into a three ply yarn ready for February, or Turkish Sock Month as it is going to be known in the Yarnspider House.

Comments

Freyalyn said…
What a pretty picture - I shall look forward to seeing it turn into something. I might join you for Turkish Sock Month as well. You seem to have had a lovely Christmas sweetie, and some lovely books. Hugs!