Escape from Knitting
Doldrums
A Review By Barbara Heinrich (Guest Reviewer)
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Escape from Knitting
Doldrums |
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Crochet with Beads | ColorWorks | Knitters Handy Book | Hip to Crochet |
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I love to knit. You only have to look at my collection of yarn, needles, and knitting patterns to know that. Yet, after knitting for over twenty years, I found myself knitting less and less. I realized I had gotten into a rut. I had been making the same things, with different yarns but the same basic patterns, for the last couple of years – sleeveless shells for work and oversized sweaters for casual wear, and countless baby hats and jackets for friends and families and I was bored. However, Interweave Press saved me from the knitting doldrums. Founded in 1975, Interweave has become well known in fiber crafts circles through magazines such as Interweave Knits, Beadwork, Fiberarts, Handwoven, PieceWork, and Spin•Off, as well as with a wide range of books focused on fiber, thread, needlework, beads and natural materials. A few new Interweave books have enabled me to invigorate my old skills and acquire some new ones, so I am happily back to work. I will still make quite a few sleeveless shells but they will now be of gorgeous colors, perhaps with a bit of beading, and I may even crochet a few along the way. Here are short reviews of these new Interweave offerings. |
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If you ever have a chance to take a workshop from Lily
Chin do it! She is a wonderful teacher and her classes are a lot of fun.
She packs so much information and ideas into each class that even with her
handouts and your own mad scribbling –you come away feeling that your brain
may explode with all the ideas that she has given you to try out. Her newest
book, Knit and Crochet with Beads by Lily M. Chin (Interweave,
$21.95, paperbound) is the next best thing to taking a class with Chin and
gives you the opportunity to do so at whatever pace you want to and with
excellent explanations and illustrations of the different ways that beads
can be incorporated into knitting and crochet projects ranging from clothing
and accessories to bags and belts, and even pillows. You can follow one of
the 17 patterns included in the book - the Plum Lines Vest is begging me to
knit it - or use the information as a starting point for your own
explorations. Knit and Crochet with Beads is an excellent book for
knitters and crocheters of all skill levels from a woman known for her
abundant imagination and enthusiasm. ColorWorks: The Crafter’s Guide to Color by Deb Menz
(Interweave Press, $24.95, 152 pages, covered spiral) is a great way to
become familiar with the use of color not just in knitting but in any other
craft or art field, as well. The author begins with an explanation of color
itself and guides you around the color wheel and all its fascinating
permutations. For those of us without formal art training or background,
Menz clearly explains why a color wheel works and how it can be used to
generate ideas and combinations for myriad projects. With excellent
illustrations in various modalities from stranded yarn, knitted swatch,
weaving, embroidery, beadwork, dyed cloth, quilting, different color
harmonies are explained and explored. Menz’ book is illuminating and allows
you to gain a deeper understanding of the use of color. At the back of the
book is a color wheel and identical value scales that you can take along and
use when you pick out the yarn for your next project. ColorWorks: The
Crafter’s Guide to Color is a book that will be a great addition to any
arts and crafts library, not just for knitting but for any creation using
color. If you are familiar with Ann Budd’s classic The
Knitter’s Handy Book of Patterns you will not need any explanation of
why Budd’s newest book needs to be part of your library as well. The
Knitters Handy Book of Sweater Patterns (Interweave Press, $26.95,
covered spiral) provides the necessary information a knitter needs to design
sweaters in extended sizes, from a child size with a chest circumference
beginning at 26 inches up to an adult size of 54 inches. The book also
allows for different gauges of yarn. You can select one of the 18 detailed
instructions for making up a ‘copycat’ sweater or you can pick the style of
body, sleeve, neckline, and edgings that you want, combine them and make
your own. Helpful tips and suggestions are included along the way to make a
complicated process far less daunting than it would otherwise be. The
Knitters Handy Book of Sweater Patterns is a great book to have when
you’ve fallen in love with a bag of yarn and taken it home, but find you
aren’t sure what to do with it.
Along with knitting, crochet is making a splash among
new crafters who want to develop their skills. In Hip to Crochet : 23
Contemporary Projects for Today’s Chrocheter (Interweave Press, $19.95,
128 pages, paperbound) Judith L. Schwartz has produced the book all of
those new knitters will turn to when they have enough scarves for their
wardrobes and want to try something different. The projects are an appealing
mixture of vintage and modern designs created in contemporary yarns. A scarf
is the first pattern, a good one to start with if you have never crocheted
before, then progress to stylish hats, then pullovers and cardigans, along
with a few shoulder bags and pillows, as well. Schwartz’s book supplies a
good introduction to crochet with clear explanations on the different
stitches and also provides projects that aren’t too daunting for those of us
who knit but have not (at least, yet) crocheted. While many patterns are
designed for the younger set, they could be worn by anyone. Even though I am
not a crocheter, I have earmarked several pages in Hip to Crochet and
have begun to search for the perfect yarn for those patterns. I will start
on something simple like the cloche hat but my goal is an asymmetrical
cardigan done in a simple lace stitch. From the looks of it, Judith Schwartz
is helping me overcome my unreasonable preference of knitting over crochet.
Forward to Next Series of Reviews
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