YNot Knit -- a great book for beginner and pro

I mentioned the book, YNot Knit by Jill and Susan Wolcott last week and I was fortunate enough to get a copy.

This is a real gem of a knitting book! The Wolcott sisters do an excellent job of teaching both beginner and experienced knitters how to knit "Continental" -- that is, holding the yarn in your left hand and "picking" the yarn as you knit. As the sisters explain, Continental knitting is more ergonomically useful and helps avoid carpal tunnel (a result of the way many knitters "throw" their yarn with their right hand with English knitting).

I learned to knit Continental at the first TKGA conference, back in 1985. Alice Starmore, just coming to the notice of the American knitting population, taught a class on Fair Isle knitting. She recommended learning to use both hands to knit -- with two-color knitting, this makes the "floats" smoother and the tension more even.

I never even thought to try Continental exclusively. But with the Wolcott book in hand, it seems VERY doable! The illustrations and step-by-step instructions are amazingly clear. From putting the yarn on the needle to cast on all the way through binding off, the directions are clear, concise and in a chatty way. These ladies know how to "talk knitting".

There are interesting tips and trivia sprinkled throughout the book and lots of helpful advice on some of the things many books omit -- how to tuck in ends neatly, the problems with all stockinette (it "rocks and rolls" as Jill explains), how to read directions by translating the exact direction (e.g., "1x1 rib" = "knit one, purl one rib stitch"), and other helpful tips.

All the information in this book is written with the assumption that the reader has never tried to knit before. But the book is just as applicable to an experienced knitter as it clearly defines and describes continental knitting.

The projects scattered through the book are all scarves -- taking the stitch lesson and creating a scarf as simple as the traditional, one-color garter all the way through to a beautiful sampler scarf that makes the most of the stitches described.

I also like the way the sisters describe knitting: "Knitting itself is awesome....As the original binary code (knit, purl vs 0,1) it has exponential possibilities, but is so basic that even a beginner can create cool things," writes Jill in the introduction.

Susan mentions that "It's (continental) ergonomic, efficient and ideal for left-handers like me. I can knit longer, have no overuse discomfort, and my tension is great...many (experienced knitters) find that it can extend the length of time they can knit and that the repetitive use discomfort often experienced with the English method does not occur."

This 5x8, spiral-bound volume is definitely a book that all knitters -- experienced or beginner -- should put on their wish list.

Sisters' new book asks "YNotKnit"

The talented Y2Knit sister team of Jill and Susan Wolcott has just published a new book called YNotKnit according to a news story that Amy linked on her Knitting News blog. You can read the full story here. The book sounds VERY promising.

Now the Wolcott sisters have a very cool thing going -- they live on opposite Coasts and yet have created a knitting business which allows them to work together. Thier retreats are reportedly fabulous times although I've never been able to find the time to head to one. Maybe someday....

And yes, Jill is the one who wrote those words in my "ain't it the truth" quote block on the sidebar. That's how much into knitting she is!

A Fun Knitting Book

I've seen For the Love of Knitting: A Celebration of the Knitter's Art in catalogs and in the bookstore. It looked like one of those books non-knitters give their knitter friends. The kind of book that has taken the bookshelves by storm -- written by non-knitters to capitalize on the recent interest in knitting.

While at the library the other day, after having found "only two books each" for my littles I decided to wander over to the knitting shelves (746-ish in the Dewey Decimal system) and see if there was anything of interest.

And that was two days ago and I've been snatching minutes to read this wonderful book. The articles are by real knitters for real knitters. One article that particularly struck home was by knitter Lela Nargi about excitedly adding to your stash of yarn at a yarn sale and then having to hide it (and eventually get rid of it) because it wasn't as glorious as you thought. Believe me, real knitters do this all the time!

This book is chock full of wonderful articles and short stories that strike at the heart of all knitters. But, more than that. This book is great for those of us who love all things about knitting -- the history, goofy patterns, posters that show knitting. All things knitting!

Check it out at your Library today!

More Knitting in Art!

This one is by an artist named Emile Munier (1840-1895) from the mid 1800's.

Jean-Francois Millet (1814-1875) painted this famous picture titled "The Knitting Lesson" about 1854.

Here's one by Albert Neuhuijs, a Dutch painter(1844-1914). For english sites about his work, check for Albert Neuhuys.

This is a print from Currier and Ives.

Designing Your Own 101

A friend named Jenn mentioned wanting a certain type of sweater to knit. Living Knitting ..... musings of a design-artist: Sweater for those not-so warm days wearing a sleeveless dress was the start of the conversation, within the comments section of this posting.

It seemed an appropriate time to mention a great resource. Ann Budd, a knitwear designer of note (and editor of Interweave Knits) has compiled a resource that should answer Jenn's query: The Knitter's Handy Book of Sweater Patterns by Ann Budd. This book would suit Jenn's situation perfectly. In this book Budd breaks down sweater design into about eight styles and then explains how to plan THE sweater you're wanting.

For instance, Jenn wants a short sleeved, not too tight, pullover with an easy neckline. Budd's book would have Jenn knit a swatch in whatever yarn she wants to use, measure and determine the gauge, and then gives the numbers for the stitches to cast on, the rows to knit, when to bind off for underarms, etc. Short set-in sleeves are explained as well as neckline variations. This would give Jenn a very simple, all knit sweater.

If Jenn wanted to get fancy, she could add stitch patterns (based on the gauge and number of stitches) or color work, or whatever she wanted to create HER OWN SWEATER!

Yes, knitwear designing is that easy, that basic. Budd's book could very easily become your one-stop source for knitting the baby a sweater, your niece a sweater, a nephew a jacket and dear husband a ski sweater! And all from one book!

It's not just little old ladies anymore (was it ever?)

Thanks to a mention on Knitting News, here's a great article that will have you understanding that knitting is not just for little old ladies; it will change the way you look at needles and yarn and the hot little hands clutching them, trying to create someting wonderful. This article is from the LA Times no less!

Sweater for those not-so warm days wearing a sleeveless dress

Here's a sweater I finished in time to wear on Easter. I call it "Edelweiss" It's knit with Coats&Clark "TLC Cotton Plus" -- a worsted weight cotton/acrylic that knits up beautifully. The lace patterns -- a variation of fan-and-feather and a slanted eyelt -- are both from traditional Austrian knitwear. So the pewter edelweiss buttons seemed especially appropriate!

I like the hip-skimming length and the open-to-underarm cardi feel of it. This sweater is perfect for a cooler-than-you-thought spring or summer evening to wear over a sleeveless dress or top! Or to those places that frown on bare shoulders.

Let me know what you think. I thought I'd see if Coats would like to buy the design.....