Many thanks, you ridiculously lovely lot, for every single one of your kind words about my book deal. And if I've been quiet since the announcement, it's because I've been busy designing and writing. I'm breaking the habit of a lifetime by working hard from the outset, instead of leaving the task until 10pm on the night before it's due. Trust me when I say that this is deeply unfamiliar behavioural territory. I'm running quite a bit, too (twenty miles per week), which is helping to keep Continue Reading
Booked
There's something that I've been desperately excited to tell you about, and now - at long last - I can. Stylecraft Cotton Classique. Next year, Dover Press are publishing a very colourful new book about stranded knitting. And the author is, erm, me. You could possibly make a case that I'm biased on the matter, but I think it's going to be a cool book. With a respectful nod to traditional approaches such as Fair Isle, it'll strip stranded work back to its core principles and encourage Continue Reading
Finishing School
(And yes, there will be more about nålbinding in a future post...) In the meantime, shall we have a book review? Sixth & Spring has just published Finishing School, A Master Class For Knitters, by Deborah Newton. Yes, I was given this book for free, so clearly you can't trust a word I say. But whilst I turn down most of the books I'm offered for review (it's tough, being a yarny blogger), I jumped at this one because it plays to one of my biggest weaknesses. Finishing is not my Continue Reading
Fair Isle Designs From Shetland Knitters, A Review
Every time Hazel Tindall (world's fastest knitter) sends me something in the post for review, it snows. It snowed when her brilliant DVD of knitting advice arrived, and it snowed again months ago when a parcel containing this new book flolloped through the letterbox and onto the doormat. This, despite the fact that it hardly ever snows here. You might argue that a sample of two has very little scientific validity, but I love snow and I'm sticking to my theory that THIS IS NOT A Continue Reading
With Apologies To WH Auden
There isn't much in knitting that scares me. I can k3togtbl, I can cut a steek whilst stone-cold sober, and I laugh in the face of complex colourwork (unless it's intarsia, in which case I sigh and then untangle all 76 bobbins for the eleventy millionth time). But today, I'm anxious. You see, I've finished the book-blanket that I designed and made for my dear friend Mary, and yesterday I wrapped it up and took it to the Post Office. Quick summary in case you missed the original post: Mary has Continue Reading
Every Which Way Crochet Borders By Edie Eckman: A Review And A Giveaway
This book review is part of a blog tour* to celebrate the publication of Edie Eckman's new book: Every Which Way Crochet Borders. Waaaaaaaay across the Atlantic in the US, is a woman who likes to live life on the edge. She's based in Virginia** (which is on the edge of the US, you'll note. Coincidence? I THINK NOT.) And this month, she's brought out her second book about ornamental crochet borders. Y'see? Life on the edge. This woman adores borders. Can you imagine living in her house? Borders. Continue Reading
The Mindfulness In Knitting, A Book Review
It's fairly rare for my day job (clinical psychologist) to collide with the knitting thing, but today a new book is published that spans both of these worlds, and I've been given the chance to review a copy. "Well if you absolutely insist," I said. Actually, that last bit is a lie: I jumped at the chance. Allow me to introduce you to The Mindfulness In Knitting by Rachael Matthews, published TODAY by Leaping Hare Press. It's rather a beauty, don't you think? Not that I'm superficial enough to Continue Reading
Giveaway Review: Edward’s Crochet Imaginarium
And another review with a giveaway! Wa-hey! (This is part of a blog tour organized by Pavilion Books - more on that at the bottom of this post.) So I'm guessing you've noticed that there are lots of knitting and crochet books around these days. Like, loads. If you're as untidy as I am, you probably trip over a pile of them every single time you stand up to water the cat. (See those bruises on my shins? They're knit-book-related injuries. Life is tough.) Some of these publications are more Continue Reading
Booky Giveaway! Hurrah!
Woah, it's cold. Like, wearing-woolly-hats-inside-the-house-all-day cold. The Stoic Spouse is sporting headgear that makes him look like a burglar, but he refuses to be photographed for the blog. Anyway, who's in the mood for a giveaway to brighten up a dull grey-brown day? Do I see a hand raised at the back, there? (It's hard to tell through all this mist and drizzle.) Yes? So let me tell you about a children's book that's just this minute been published by Bloomsbury. Look! It's called Continue Reading