Review: Phoebe's Sweater

I just posted this on my family/learning blog, but wanted to add it here so that my knit-only readers could see this beautiful new book ...

I have a new favorite picture book ... this one combines beautiful, gentle illustrations, with a beautiful gentle story with beautiful knitting patterns at the end ... hmmmm, wonder why I like it so much!

Phoebe's Sweater, the first book from hand-knits designer Joanna Johnson, is a book that raises the bar of what a good picture book could and should be. The story is a sweet story of Phoebe Mouse. Her mom can't play with her so much now as Phoebe is soon to get a sibling. But her mom can knit for her! And her mom knits her a beautiful hooded sweater that keeps Phoebe cozy all through the Fall. A lovely story of family and playing and being outside and loving life.

But, wait, there's more ...

Phoebe and her family are drawn in lovely soft colors by the author's husband, a graphic artist, in his first attempt at book illustrations. He has talent. The illustrations would delight any child ... and have mine trying to imitate the artwork! If you click on Phoebe's Sweater, you can see inside the book and gaze at the illustrations yourself (if you don't believe me).

But, wait, there's more ...

The author didn't stop at the end of the book ... she gave the readers a wonderful gift: knitting directions to make child-sized versions of Phoebe's sweater, knitting directions for making a doll-sized version of the sweater, AND knitting directions for making Phoebe mouse! How cool is that????? String Bean is not going to wait for me to make her a Phoebe ... she is going to attempt the pattern on her own.

What more could I want from a picture book ... knitting, great illustrations, a lovely story ... Oh, and in case you get this book and like this story ... Joanna Johnson has set up a blog so you can follow Phoebe on the Road!

Doesn't that sound like a wonderful book?  The knitted sweater, a hoodie that is nice and long, is designed for sizes 2,4 and 6 ... altho it looks like it is roomy enough to fit a little bit older child.  The Phoebe Mouse toy stands 16" and comes with her own knit-from-the-top down dress.  A very cute design!

I'm thinking Phoebe needs to become friends with my own Elegant Eliza ... the adventures they would have!

Happy knittin'

Mary C. Gildersleeve

By Hand, With Heart -- hand-knit designs
bhwh.mary@gmail.com

Designs: baby stuff ...

A good friend just had her 10th baby ... a little girl.  I happened to be playing with some yarn that "screamed" baby girl Easter ... so I designed this sleeveless top for this 10th blessing:

the body stitch is taken from an Austrian lace-knitting pattern book, and is similar to many of the "arch" style patterns.   

Here's a closeup of the collar lace (with the 3 pink-button closure).

The yarn is Bernat's Sox and knits up beautifully (and since it's acrylic, it's washable) -- perfect for busy moms.

Happy knittin'

Mary C. Gildersleeve

By Hand, With Heart -- hand-knit designs
bhwh.mary@gmail.com

Knitting Books: de-stashing ... part 2

A couple of weeks ago I posted about destashing some of my knitting books ...  these are all great books but just don't "speak" to me anymore.  In my drive to minimize and stream-line my possessions (especially at this time of year of sacrifice), I don't need as large a knitting library as I thought.  All but one of those books sold and I am now posting a few more ...

All these come from a non-smoking, pet-free home .... are in great condition ... and prices are negotiable.  I prefer non-credit card (or cash-funded) paypal.  Shipping will be figured when making the "deal" -- and you can either do these books Media Mail, 1st class or priority -- up to you. 

Note that I've also listed some knitting magazines -- these cannot go Media Mail but must go 1st/parcel or priority.

Email me (bhwh.mary@gmail.com) if you're interested in any of these and we'll go from there!

---

Levin, Susan – Color-sense: Creative Color Combinations for Crafters (hard-cover) – orig 19.95 – will sell for $8.00

Bliss, Debbie – How to Knit (hard-cover) – orig 29.95 -- will sell for $12.50

Bordhi, Cat – New Pathways for Sock Knitters: Book 1 – orig 28.95 – will sell for $15.00

Schurch, Charlene – Sensational Knitted Socks – orig 24.95 – will sell for $12.50

Bryant, Laura and Barry Klein – A Knitter’s Template: Easy Steps to Great-Fitting Garments – orig 34.95 – will sell for $5.00

Roberts, Luise – 1000 Great Knitting Motifs (hard-cover) – orig 19.95 – will sell for $10.00

Dandanell, Birgitta and Ulla – Twined Knitting: A Swedish Folkcraft Technique – orig 16.95 (OOP) – will sell for $20.00

Fassett, Kaffe – Kaffe’s Classics: 25 Favorite Knitting Patterns for Sweaters, Jackets, Vests and More (hard-cover, oversized, dustjacket laminated to protect) – orig 29.95 -- will sell for $10.00

Fassett, Kaffe – Glorious Knits: 35 designs for sweaters, dresses, vests, and shawls (hard-cover, oversized, dust-jacket with plastic to protect) – orig 29.95 -- will sell for $10.00

Knight, Erika – Simple knits with a twist: unique projects for creative knitters – orig 19.95 – will sell for $10.00

Magazines:
IWKnits (each now $4.00 + shipping) – Summer 2005, Fall 2005, Fall 2008, Winter 2008, Holiday 2008, Summer 2009

Knitters (each now $4.00 + shipping) – Spring 2008, Summer 2008, Fall 2008, Winter 2009, Spring 2010

Cast-on (each now $3.00 + shipping) -- Winter 03/04, Spring 04, Summer 04, Winter 04, May/Jul05, Aug/Oct 05, Nov/Jan06, May/Jul06, Aug/Oct 06

INKnitters (each now $3.00 + shipping) -- Fall 03, Win 03, Spring 04, Summer 04, Fall 04, Winter 04, Spring 05, Summer 05, Fall 05 -- this magazine is no longer published.  There are articles for the hand and machine knitter in these.  Great technique articles!

Happy knittin'

Mary C. Gildersleeve

By Hand, With Heart -- hand-knit designs
bhwh.mary@gmail.com

Meet my new assistant Duffy ...

She is wonderful: she's my alter-ego, my perfect double (who is actually a "perfect" size so can wear my sweaters better than I), she works cheap, and she doesn't talk back ...

Here she's wearing one of my favorite (and oldest sweaters) -- an anniversary sweater that I designed/made for dh on our 5th wedding anniversary when we were in Austria.  It no longer fits him (ooops ... maybe I shrunk it on purpose?!) and I love it!  The vest is one of my newest designs -- "Memories of Eire" -- and will be published soon.

Where has Duffy been all my (designing) life?

Happy knittin'

Mary C. Gildersleeve

By Hand, With Heart -- hand-knit designs
bhwh.mary@gmail.com

Knit Picks: another of my designs

Introducing -- Elegant Eliza, the Ballerina Bunny.  This knitted toy is knit all in one piece (except for the removable dance skirt) and is really quite fun to make.  Knit Picks has posted the downloadable pattern if you'd like to make her in time for Easter!

BTW, this bunny was inspired by a toy in Lucinda Guy's wonderful And So to Bed ..., which has such lovely baby/toddler knitting designs. 

Look for more of my designs coming soon to Knit Picks wonderful IDP ... a program that is really helping us small, independent hand-knit designers! I've got another up, a scarf, that is not quite so seasonably appropriate but is also fun to knit.

Happy knittin'

Mary C. Gildersleeve

By Hand, With Heart -- hand-knit designs
bhwh.mary@gmail.com

Yarn post ....

What's more fun than knitting?

Getting yarn or knitting books in the mail, of course!

I've been getting rid of some of my knitting books and receiving yarn in return ... as well as some yarn from a dear friend who was buried under (and I'm always willing to help in similar situations -- I know, I'm a living saint!) ....

Anyway, the fun thing about getting bits of yarn from others is the ability to really go wild with designing.  And earlier this week, I received the perfect book for knitting on the wild side:  Anna Zilboorg's Magnificent Mittens and Socks . This book is wonderful -- fun to read and learn new techniques and the color combinations are spectacular!  I like how she explains just how much yarn you'd need (like 50 yards of each or 10 yards of bits) .... which is great, especially for stash-busting knitting like I want to do.  And I love the style of these mittens -- big cuffs that go over jackets to keep wrists and sleeves warm and dry.

Another great book for playing with "oddments" is Color by Kristin: How to Design Your Own Beautiful Knits, by color-knitter extraordinaire, Kristin Nicholas.  (For a full review of this book, click here.)  Or how about some of the Fair Isle (including Alice Starmore's Book of Fair Isle Knitting or The Art of Fair Isle Knitting: History, Technique, Color and Pattern by Ann Feitelson) or Norwegian books (Norwegian Handknits is gorgeous and I'm anxiously awaiting the publication of Lucinda Guy's newest, Northern Knits)  that are available now? 

Color-knitting is fun to play with yarns ... especially when you get them in trades or gifting from other knitters!

Happy knittin'

Mary C. Gildersleeve

By Hand, With Heart -- hand-knit designs
bhwh.mary@gmail.com

KAL: my bag filled ....

As mentioned in this post, I finished my first KAL ... a market bag.  Some folks asked just how much this itty bag would hold.  After all, it's only about 12" x 12" unstretched and laying flat:

Well, here it is packed for our day out yesterday -- String Bean is carrying it and it is packed with 4 water bottles, 4 large apples, 4 pb&j sandwiches, and a quart baggie filled with carrots and celery ...

and it was NOT full -- but it was heavy!  I'm so glad I changed the straps as these are wider and more comfortable to wear on the shoulder, especially if it's packed for a field-trip lunch!

So there you go ... these bags are GREAT ... I'm going to make a bunch for Fall fund-raisers ...

Happy knittin'

Mary C. Gildersleeve

By Hand, With Heart -- hand-knit designs
bhwh.mary@gmail.com