Knitty’s 2011 spring issue, with a review of the 10 Secrets of the LaidBack Knitters
“In a publishing climate that still wants to crank out knitting books that impossibly serve every need at an impossible pace, this gem of a book takes a deep breath and travels on its own path.” ~ knitty
Online & in stores May 10
Finally, I’m blogging. Well, sort of. I’m a good Twitterer, but an appalling blogger. Nonetheless, here I am because I want to tell you about my new book coming out May 10. Lisa Souza and I cooked up what we believe is a wonderful and exciting knitting book.
You can preorder the book at Amazon or purchase it at your local bookstore or knit shop. I’ll be adding more info and photos as the launch grows closer. Rather than blather on, here’s a preview of what’s to come:
Some stats… 28 Patterns by 21 Designers • Pattern levels from Beginner to Advanced • 9 Profiles • Lots of critters • A spectrum of yarns • 1 short fable • Socks, sweaters, scarves, home, toys, kids • knitting, crochet, spinning, lace, felting • Did I mention critters?
Welcome to the 10 Secrets of the LaidBack Knitters
Solvang Weekend Vest by Kathleen Day
Our 2nd Secret
St. Martin's promo piece for the book.
I know, I’ve been MIA. Well, blogging is blogging, and I’ve been Tweeting my little brains out. But I came across this incredibly moving article, and I had to share it.
The scarf is a physical reminder of all those missing and dead in Peru's conflict.
Many, many women in Peru have a place in their hearts that feeds on blackness and silence. It is a bleak landscape of remembering, the result of husbands and sons and nephews and fathers “disappeared” by the Shining Path rebels and state forces in the 1980s and ’90s. Now, today, these women are knitting a Scarf of Hope, a remembrance of the thousands gone from their lives. I am humbled and saddened… and hopeful that the knitters will triumph.
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A Scarf of Hope and Remembrance, by Dan CollynsBBC News, Ayacucho, Peru
There is something warmly familiar and comforting about the quiet chatter of women and the clickety-clack of knitting needles. Standing or sitting huddled together in small groups, the knitters dressed in traditional Andean hats, big “pollera” skirts and draped with a “manta” or shawl, form a multi-coloured feast for the eyes. But they have more in common than crochet. These women are some of thousands in Peru who lost husbands, brothers and sons in the country’s bitter internal conflict between the Mao-inspired rebels of the Shining Path rebels and state forces in the 1980s and 90s. 
Obviously, in terms of blogging, Knit a Year has gotten away from me. Oh, fear not—I have been faithfully knitting with a different yarn each day. But when it comes to blogging about it, well, I stink.
Yet I’m fairly obsessed with documenting each day and each new yarn. Thus, this listing. Okay, somewhat boring, yet think of it as a mantra for knitting. Ommmmm.
Day 12: Hearty and thick wool mystery yarn. I was in a white mood. Continue reading
Posted in Art, Knitting, Uncategorized, Yarn
OK – I’ve been faithfully knitting on my Knit a Year project. Each night, I have a fine time choosing just the right yarn to use for my mood. In my “real” life, I’ve been swamped with teaching and deadlines. Nothing bad, mind you, but it’s prevented me from writing about Knit a Year.
So here we have a compilation of days six through 11.
Posted in dyeing, Knitting, Uncategorized, Yarn
Choices…that’s what it’s all about. So for Day Two, I chose the sublime – Lisa Souza’s (lisaknit.com) handspun cashmere/ merino.This yarn is some of the finest I’ve ever knit. Slightly uneven – the hallmark of a fine handspun – but with a beautiful strength and glorious depth of color. The color itself? A rich variety of earthen greens named Gone Fishing. I chose it for Bill, of course.
I like how the yarn sits proudly next to the camel.
The photos don’t do the yarn justice, but I’ve been experimenting with my iPhone camera. Fun stuff.
And tomorrow, the winner will be…
What is Knit a Year? I stumbled across the Knit a Year project while Tweeting about ArtYarn, a British art knitting site that I love.
The Knit a Year project is simply this:
Two rows…at least ten stitches a row…use 4mm needles (u.s. size 6)…a different yarn each day…leave the tail, so that at the end of the year, you have 365 tails or days.
The Web site for Knit a Year is here.
Wanna join in?
A lot of knitters, crocheters and crafters give back. It’s just what we do. Recently I stumbled across a couple of new and positive “takes” on the Giving Back genre.
Jimmy Beans Wool, a large LYS and Web presence, and Vogue Knitting have teamed up to create five $800 Beans for Brains scholarships. According to the Web site, “the Beans for Brains Continue reading
Going to StitchesEast was like diving into a box of chocolates. Not that everything suited my taste, but, boy, I sure relished what did.
Delicious would be a word I’d use for some of the new and favorite yarns I brought home. Continue reading
I’m not sure what got me started on this, but I’ve been obsessing lately on the perfect knitting bag. Of course, I’ve yet to find it, but there sure are some neat bags out there. I’ve listed more than 15 purveyers of knitting bags. How? Well, I polled some buddies on Twitter, Continue reading
