That is why I was so very excited when I heard from Potter Craft Publishing that she was coming out with two tip books. 

First there is Lily Chin’s Knitting Tips & Tricks: Shortcuts and Techniques Every Knitter Should Know

And they top it off with  Lily Chin’s Crochet Tips & Tricks: Shortcuts and Techniques Every Crocheter Should Know

It’s like putting Lily in slow motion, or better yet pause!!! I can have her tips handy, by throwing the book in my knitting bag, and taking her along! The books are the perfect size for that!

Each is jam packed full with her terrific ideas, shortcuts and tips! If you are a visual learner  like me there are plenty of diagrams and drawings to help you figure things out as well!

So grab a copy for yourself and take Lily along with you wherever you go!

Disclaimer: A review copy of this book was supplied by the publisher.

I did and I found out that she was right!  Merino was one of the wools that I tried and loved.. and the Morehouse Merino farms yarns are a great!!

In the fall an oldie but goodie Morehouse Farm Merino Knits: More than 40 Farm-Fresh Designs came out in Paperback!! I hadn’t seen it before so I jumped at the chance when offered a copy!

It’s a great book with some cute patterns! I mean how can a mom of boys not be drawn to this:

Luckily my middle son LOVES sweaters! So I really need to knit him up one of these!!

All the patterns in this book just scream out warmth and comfort and home! All the things you would expect and more. They have something for everyone.. even the family cat!! So if you are looking for some great patterns to work with some GREAT wool.. this book is for you!

I love  Whenlen Chia’ a.k.a. Twinkle’s knitting patterns. If there is one of her patterns in a knitting mag, I am there.. case in point the last two issues of Vogue Knitting that didn’t last 5 minutes on the shelf because I was there to rescue them!

If you love her sense of style you probably also like her line of ready to wear clothing! Then on the other hand, if you are like me, you can’t even touch one of the lowest price pieces in her line with a ten foot pole.. sigh..

Well turn that frown upside down, because Twinkle has decided to share some of her patterns for sewing with us as well!!

 Twinkle Sews: 25 Handmade Fashions from the Runway to Your Wardrobe is a great book full of 25 sewing patterns by Whenlan. Super cool!!

The best thing is that there is a disc included with the patterns on pdf format! Oh do I wish my knitting pattern books came with that.. at least just a digital copy of the charts!!

A great book full of fun styles overall!!

Disclaimer: A review copy was provided by the publisher.

First up: Just the Right Words: Over 400 Messages and Motifs for Cardmakers and Crafters  This little book packs a punch! If you are looking  for a phrase, saying or something to write in a greeting card this book has something for pretty much any occasion. You won’t find yourself at a loss for words with this little volume on your shelf!

Next up is No One Cares What You Had for Lunch: 100 Ideas for Your Blog A couple years ago I joined the Blog 365 challenge, It certainly was a challenge!  It was hard sometimes to come up with ideas fro what to write about. So I picked up this book. It’s a great little book full of ideas to jump start your writing!

So if you are having a little ‘bloggers block’  you might want to pick yourself up a copy!

I don’t think that there is a design in this book that I wouldn’t like to knit!

The designer does some mixing yarns in some pieces to add to the interest of the simple designs.  This adds to the interest of the project and increases the possibilities when you are looking for yarn for the projects as well.

The directions are clear and diagrams are provided for all the patterns.

Even the most complicated pattern in the book is made easy with clear instructions and charts.

To add to the fun there are knitting Haiku sprinkled throughout the book!

If you are looking for simple, elegant and beautiful patterns this is the book you want!

Disclosure: A review copy of this book was provided.

Don’t throw them out! Turn them into some great bags!!!

 Refashioned Bags: Upcycle Anything into High-Style Handbags by Faith and Justina Blakeney is a fun book full of great recycling and upcyling ideas to make bags out of just about anything!

The directions are clear and easy to follow. They have included a lot of great illustrations to help with constructing the bags!

Peppered throughout this book are bio’s of other bag designers who use interesting recycled materials to create designer bags!

Overall this is a terrific book. If you are interested in making neat unique bags you will love it!

Disclosure: A review copy of this book was provided by the publisher.

What sets this stitch dictionary apart is that it also includes sections one Double Stitches, Slipped Stitches and Cast off Stitches which you don’t always see.

The other feature that sets this dictionary apart from others is that it includes a chart for every stitch. This makes it easy to follow for those, like me, who prefer a chart over written directions on occasion.

Over all this is an excellent stitch dictionary, and I would recommend it as a great go to book. The photos are clear, the directions concise and easy to follow. The charts are a great feature!

The only complaint I have is that it is missing what pretty much every stitch dictionary I have come across so far is also missing.. a good index that lists the stitches by name! When I am looking for a stitch pattern I would love to be able to flip to the back and look it up and hone right in on it and get going with my needles, rather than searching for the pattern I need! But since this feature is missing in most of them I will just browse.. on occasion I find something even better that way!

Disclosure: A review copy of the book was sent to the author from the publisher.

ok.. did I say I LOVE THIS BOOK?
oops I guess I did. Today’s book is HatHeads: 1 Man + 2 Knitting Needles = 50 Fun Hat Designs  by Trond Anfinnsen, Aka the KNITKID (which is so much easier to pronounce.)

This is a super fun volume, that one would not necessarily buy for the patterns.. but for the stories! Trond went all around and knit hats to give to the people in his town of Stavenger, Norway. Now these were not just random hats, they were specifically designed and knit for that person. in the end he designed, knit, and gave away over 200 hats.  An amazing feat! He chose his 50 favourite hats and stories for this book.

I read quite a few of them, I have not yet worked through them all. Every one left me with a smile! I was smiling from the moment I opened this book for quite some time after I put it down! it is DELIGHTFUL!

The patterns all stem from a basic hat pattern and are all interesting and unique in their own right. If you need a had for someone you can flip through the pages of the book, find a matching person and knit up their hat! It’s pretty cool!

Since then I have definitely followed her blog and chatted it up with her here and there on Twitter and etc!

So I am especially excited to have a copy of her new book!! (since she has finally caught up with me ya know..)

Kanzashi in Bloom: 20 Simple Fold-and-Sew Projects to Wear and Give  is a stunningly beautiful book!!

These flowers look so beautiful and intricate!  They look difficult to make, but that is totally not the case!

A few folds, a few snips, and a few stitches throw in a little hot glue action and you have yourself a beautiful flower!

See:

Diane includes some very clear written directions for making the flowers and projects. Along with the written directions are terrific photos of each step, reminiscent of the Japanese craft book style!

All in all this is one book that I would highly recommend! It is certainly staying on my shelf! Sorry!! There are only two improvements I would make.. Make this craft less addicting!! Grr, can’t do it. Make the book spiral bound.. hmm.. I might be able to do that.. (they do that at Kinkos right?)

I did make a special flower to give away.

The stray Pinewood Derby wheel was in my button box! And being the mother of boys, naturally I had a little bit of checkered flag fabric hanging about.. so.. that is how this pin came to be.

If you would like to win it, for yourself, or for someone else, leave me a comment on this post telling what color flowers you would make !! I will draw a winner on Monday after noon!

Looks to be another great volume from Clara! Looking forward to it coming out this fall!

Feltique: Techniques and Projects for Wet Felting, Needle Felting, Fulling, and Working with Commercial Felt  by Nikola Davidson and Brookelynn Morris is chock full of beautiful craft projects for all kinds of felt. I like this because there are projects for me to use that commercial felt (namely those really cool necklaces on the cover! LOVE THEM!) and there are wet felting and needle felting ideas for my daughter.. she likes needle felting! There are also alot of recycled sweater projects. I love grabbing those thrift store sweaters!

The second book is just as fun! Felt Furnishings by Anne Kyyro Quinn has 25 accessories for your home!

If you like contemporary design and accessories, then this book is for you. All the designs are gorgeous! From pillows, to curtains and wall hangings and actual furniture pieces,   this book has it all! The directions are clear and easy, and precise! (you know I need that!)

Hmm… I might have to get some more felt!

Traditionally this means socks. They are great for travel, knitting small and portable, but not everyone is into socks! (I am a case in point!) For some a shawl is the favourite travel knitting project, but let’s face it they do get big, and they are usually made of wool, so they get hot as well!

So what to do?

Perhaps these books can give you some ideas!

First up is One Ball Knits Purses    by Fatema, Khadija and Hajera Habibur-Rahman.

I am very excited about this book because I have quite the collection of bag handles hanging about! Each one of them a different style, and some antique. This book has a bag for EVERY ONE of them!

With the one skein approach I can also clear out those odd balls of yarn I have languishing in my stash!

Then there are the bags that I just want to knit so I HAVE to get the handles! Like this one:

All in all this book is full of fast, easy, fun projects that are sure to appeal to all. I know I will be making at least 3 of these this summer! Join me?

Next up is The Best-Dressed Knitted Bear by Emma King. This book is full of adorable bears and cute little outfits for them to wear!

The book is categorized into three groups: simple, intermediate, and complex; each with two sizes of bear: small and large. This means there is a bear in there for any level of knitter!

The outfits are absolutely adorable! From pirates to graduates, princesses and fairies, there is sure to be a bear there for someone you love to knit for!

Not only are these bears great small projects for summer, but they would make great charity knits as well!

The last book of the day is  Knitted Babes by Clare Garland. I have been meaning to get this book for a while and I am glad I did! The characters that fill this book are adorable and fun! And it also give you a chance to do a little sewing to make their outfits! Mix and match and have a good time creating looks for them! What more could a girl want?

It is so natural that Lorna should have written a book about faith and knitting.. it is so very HER!  Faith, Hope, Love, Knitting is a book full of reflections on life and faith and knitting as experienced through Lorna’s eyes. Every pattern comes from a story from Lorna’s life. I have to say, every story is just so very beautiful. When I opened this book and started reading I simply could not put it down. Touching and poignant many of them left me with tears in my eyes.. a good thing.. and a smile on my face.

It’s a keeper!

When the book  Mother-Daughter Knits: 30 Designs to Flatter and Fit by Sally Melville and Caddy Melville Ledbetter arrived a few days ago I have to say I was most super delighted! It is AWSOME!!! Generally my rule of thumb for buying any knitting book or magazine is that I want to knit at least 3 patterns in it. This book far exceeds that!

In this book Sally Melville teams up with her daughter to bring some classic patterns that flatter and fit women of all ages, sizes and shapes, as well as some innovative, yet simple new designs. There is also a section on how to choose the right pattern for your personal shape, and customize it to fit you to a tee! 

Sprinkled in amongst the patterns and how to’s are some fun mother-daughter anecdotes,  that are touching and delightful.

There are so many must knits in this book for me..

Call me a geek girl.. but this one is quite Star Trek-y don’t you think? I love it!

Cute and simple and springy!

I like this one too!! very nice..

Those are some of my favourites there are many more.. and another item I can’t show you cause I want to secretly knit it up for my own daughter!!

This book will not disappoint!  And that’s not just the cold medicine talking!

Ok. There now, on to the book.

The Expectant Knitter: 30 Designs for Baby and Your Growing Family by Marie Connolly is chock full of great knits for baby, momma, big sister and brother and even doggie brothers!! I took this book to my knitting guild meeting and there were many oohs and aaahs over it.

Some of my favourites are the Baby Racer Sweater and Leggings.. naturally as the mom of 3 boys! my other two favs are the Shawl Sweater.. which is a great knit for before and after baby, and the Big Sister Sweater..

ADORABLE! I want one my size!

All in all this is a great book, lovely photos and clear instructions.. and hey there are even week by week pregnancy tips! My only wish is that she had included something  for Dad! The poor guy is left out..

Knits for Bears to Wear: More than 20 Fun, Knit-to-Fit Fashions for All Teddies and Toys Including 18-Inch Dolls  by Amy O’Neill Houck, is a great little book! For anyone with a teddy bear collection, or with 18 inch dolls this book is a great find. Or, if you are like me and have a little guy who has a favourite stuffed dog who could use a sweater, this book is for you!

Like I said above this book teaches you something. Each pattern is customized for the size of your stuffed friend or doll by you! Yes. You! Amy provides a little “customizing sidebar’ for each of the projects. You knit up a swatch, pop in the measurements of your toy, and the gauge of your swatch and off you go to a custom fit item for your toy! So rather than blindly following a pattern you learn a bit about customizing! Done in a small way, you can then apply these nice skills to bigger projects down the road! Nothing wrong with that!

Over all the designs are adorable, so if you do choose to simply follow the patterns as written you can’t go wrong.

I might just get ambitious and try to make a matching hoodie for my little guy and his little stuffed doggie. We shall see.. I have a few projects in the works so it’ll have to wait till at least May..

And coming soon (out May 5th) is also The Best-Dressed Knitted Bear: Dozens of Patterns for Teddy Bears, Bear Costumes, and Accessories by Emma King, It looks good too, I’ll let ya know!

One of Potter Craft’s latest is all Noro all the time, and it’s very nice!

 Knitting Noro: The Magic of Knitting with Hand-Dyed Yarns By Jane Ellison, explores the many wonders of one of the knitter’s favorite yarns Noro. There is nothing like Noro, that mysterious self striping yarn that comes in many flavors and colors! From basic wool to cashmere and silk Noro offers it all, and this book explores the many looks you can produce when using this lovely yarn!

The book is broken up into some basic shapes, tank tops, the chunky cardigan, fitted cardigan, pullover, classic jackets, and wraps. They take these basic forms and spice them up, using different stitches, lengths and techniques to show off the yarn.

This book is a great book for the beginner, who is looking to move into the sweater realm. You can go simple to start and then ramp it up for a totally different look. And one of the great things about Noro is even if you make the same sweater as your friend.. they will have a totally different look! So I see this book as a great knit along volume as well!

Coming soon to a knitting shop near you is Handknit Heroes. I was a lucky duck and got an advanced copy! It’s not bad! Not bad at all..  the story line looks promising and every issue will have a knitting pattern included for an item featured in the comic. This issue has a hooded scarf with pockets worn by the lead character, Ana.

The publishers of Handknit Heros are looking for submissions for future designs and also planning a contest for knitters to design a mask for Ana.  A hero has to keep her identity secret eh?

I look forward to getting more issues of Handknit Heros and seeing where it goes!

Congrats to Stephanie Bryant and the crew on this great new venture!!

Knit Two By Kate Jacobs

Was out! Azia spotted it at the bookstore today!

Good girl.. Didn’t get it.. but I will! Unfortunately it hasn’t hit the iTunes store yet!

I have this now:

Casting Spells By Barbara Bretton

To keep me busy till then! Since my Mother got it for me for Christmas!! Thanks!

I love how Gina Wilde, the author of  Shibori Knits: The Art of Exquisite Felted Knits  puts it.. “Felted shibori knitting is a spectacular collision of chance and happy accident, where the precision of knitting meets the magic of shape resist felting.”

The idea for this book came about when a ‘happy accident’ befell the author. She accidentally felted her daughter’s hand warmers which were made mainly of a silk merino blend (feltable) and a silk yarn cuff.. the result was a felted hand part and a nicely ruffled un-felted cuff!

Shibori Knits takes you through the process of basic shibori, an art form that came out of Japan. Basically it is knitting pieces out of a feltable yarn and then using objects such as marbles and wrapping your finished piece around these things securing them in place and then felting away! The results are spectacular!

Then the author moves beyond basic technique and mixes feltable and un-feltable fibers together in the same piece. Sometimes for decoration, sometimes for shaping.

I sure wish I had a. been knitting and b. had this book when my kids were born.. I would have had one of these:

This is a wonderful primer on the art of shibori, chock full of tips and tricks that any knitter can use! And even if you are not a needle knitter, I would highly recommend getting a hold of this book as an inspiration! Pick it up at the library or see if you can borrow it from a knitting buddy if needle knits aren’t your ’sport’ though .. I will warn you, you will probably end up wanting a copy for yourself!

On another note: I just bought my first Japanese knitting book.. (notice how I say first?) I will tell you all about it next week with some tips on how to use Japanese knitting books, since it looks like I have some learning to do too!

Sweater Renewal: Felting Knits into New Sweaters and Accessories by Sharon Franco Rothschild is a volume full of sweater recycling ideas! Combining felting wool sweaters with embroidery, knitting, crochet and other crafts to make one of a kind projects that are sure to turn heads!

I for one am very glad that I have recently learned to crochet because I want to make this:

and this…

and these too!

I’ll have to scour the racks at my local Salvation Army thrift store (they have 50% off family days on Wednesday!) and find just the right sweater! In the past I have bought thrift store sweaters to recycle them by unraveling them, but Sweater Renewal has me looking at them in a whole new way!

I could totally see getting a sweater, felting it, using a hole punch to put holes at regular intervals and popping it onto a knitting loom to embellish it and change it into something new! Couldn’t you?

And perhaps.. just maybe.. one of my husband’s sweaters might ‘accidentally’ get run through the wash.. oops dear.. well look we can always make the best of it.. heheh

Only kidding!!

Look out next week for a review of  Shibori Knits yep.. more felting knits on purpose with beautiful results!!

Little Cakes from the Whimsical Bakehouse: Cupcakes, Small Cakes, Muffins, and Other Mini Treats by Kaye Hansen and Liv Hansen is chock full of the cutest, tastey-ist mini cakes I have ever seen!

These recipes make me want to throw a bunch of parties just so I have and excuse to make them all!

Ever since we got back from Hawaii I have been craving Beard Papa’s cream puffs these cream puff nests should fit the bill!

What summer party would be complete without a day at the beach cake?

Or with strawberries and blueberries abounding these shortcakes would be a perfect treat for the Fourth of July!

And best of all! Ice cream that doesn’t melt!!

Excuse me.. I think I need to go add a few items to my grocery list!

I have to admit. The first chapter didn’t grab me. But after the second storyline started mixing in, it was full speed ahead! The author does an excellent job of weaving the stories of two women from separate time lines together, through their common love of embroidery, and their experiences. She weaves a tale that catches you in it’s web and won’t let you go!

The book also gives a glimpse into the Muslim culture and history with an interesting twist. 

A keeper.

And hey.. they have it for the Kindle too!

I think that any fiber artist could use a little crochet here and there. And so with the class under my belt, I found the need to expand my crochet book library.

Enter Crafter’s Choice.. yep.. they hooked me in again! That 4 books for $1 each tempted me beyond resistance as there were some books on that list that I wanted!

The first book up is one I acquired on my last sojourn with the book club.

Crocheting School: A Complete Course by Sterling Publishing is a nice book full of the basics. But I will admit it, I just didn’t get it until I took the class! I am a heavy kinesthetic learner! Now, I find that it is a good resource for anyone who is starting out with crochet. You certainly can’t go wrong with this book either if you are good at learning these types of skills from books. The photos are nice and the instructions clear, I apparently needed just a little more to push me over the edge!

The second book today is  The Complete Book of Crochet Border Designs: Hundreds of Classic & Original Patterns by  Linda Schapper.

I took this along with me yesterday as I waited for Azia to do her state tests, and picked out a border for my latest little Blythe doll dress…

I can see a well used well worn book in the future! This book RAWKS! The layout is wonderful, the borders are categorized and organized in a very well thought out and sensible way.  This makes it easy to find what you want!

The photos of each border are simple, showing only the border, and clear. They are all uniform, which I also find helpful. The border patterns are given in both word, and chart which will catch those of you who like words, and those of you who work better with charts.. or those of us who just happen to like to have both readily available.

All in all this is a great book (haven’t I said that already?) Who knew I could get so excited about a book with just crochet borders?

The last book today is The New Granny Square  by   Susan Cottrell.

I have to admit the cover of this book caught my eye. I have to also admit that this is the first time I have anything negative to say about a book in a review!

The projects are great! That throw on the front beautiful, and the other projects are very nice, I drool over the woven rings square! So I give the projects section two thumbs up!

The problem comes with the photos of the individual squares in the ‘instruction’ section. They are done up in various yarns, many of which are variegated or novelty yarns and this makes it very difficult to see what is going on in the square.  Personally I like to see what is going on so this is a great distraction to me. Of course I am comparing this book to the borders book where everything was so simple and clear, so you might want to take this with a grain of salt!!

All in all, I think my crochet library is shaping up!

What go to books do you use for crochet? Inquiring minds want to know!

Ms. Ishaque offers a great volume full of stunning paper crafts for the home. I marvel that these items are made from mere paper and cardboard! From a retro wall clock, to photo frames and albums and even furniture this book shows us the real versatility that is paper!

The initial section of the book covers the basics, everything you need to know to work with paper and make stunning projects for your home. Layering and weaving, cutting and piercing, and folding and pleating are among the techniques covered in this how to section. The project section then follows these lines, offering several projects that apply to each technique.

I will definitely be adding a few of these projects to my summer queue, I especially think that wall clock would be stunning on the expanse of bare wall that is in my living room! And who doesn’t need a unique paper bowl to hold a bit of their yarn stash creatively?

Consider paper crafting if you are looking for something new.. and if you do let The Paper Home be your guide!

Many moons ago, my Mother gave me some lovely hand spun yarn she had bought at a local festival. It sat forever in my stash. Some how hand spun gives some knitters knitter’s block and that is what this yarn did to me! It wasn’t until I found a 100 year old loom knitting book that I decided that the yarn was perfect for a stitch found in that book!

Well luckily for you, you don’t have to go searching out old books to find the perfect project for that hand spun yarn that catches your eye.

A new book A Fine Fleece: Knitting with Handspun Yarns by Lisa Lloyd is the go to book for this purpose. Lisa gives descriptions of many different fibers and their qualities by creature, also giving tips as to what sort of project each is suited to. She also gives tips to spinners on choosing and spinning the yarn with a particular project in mind.

The patterns are broken up in to different categories exploring themes:

• Light and Shadow: Studies in Contrast
• Forest and the Trees: Scale and Perspective
• Conceptual Stitches and Emotive Design

All the patterns are beautiful. I don’t think there is one that I wouldn’t like to do given the time.

My first impression  of this book was to think it would be another ‘knock off’ of The Knitter’s Book of Yarn, but it is far from that. It is definitely a companion guide for spinners that can stand on it’s own!

The second book Tweed: More Than 20 Contemporary Designs to Knit by Nancy J. Thomas. This is a nice little volume devoted to the tried and true yarn that is tweed.  I know that tweeds often throw off people. They don’t quite know what to make of it, or with it. It is so thoroughly engrained in the weaving side of things that often knitters do not consider it.

This book will definitely change your opinion and give you some great history of tweed, as well as some great knitterly things to do with it!

I know my biggest fear with tweed was that I thought that I would have to just do miles and miles of stockinette, I thought that any pattern stitches would get lost when worked in a tweed yarn. Nancy quells this fear, by giving great tips on pattern stitches with tweeds and then goes on to give  a boat load of examples of stitch patterns that work with tweed. All in all this is a great little volume and would be a great addition to any knitter’s library!

And my loom knitting friends… This one is coming soon…!!! I can only say right now that I know it has 3 great designs in it by someone you know well ..hehehe oh .. well ok… I am sure they are all great!

I openly admit that I am a Yankee through and through! In fact when The Knitting Wannabe holds her annual Sticks and Grits contest I scratch my head and say WHAT ARE GRITS!??? This year I asked her.. yep I’m that ensconced in the northerly ways.. So when I had the chance to get a sneak peek of the book  Screen Doors and Sweet Tea: Recipes and Tales from a Southern Cook I jumped at it. With 248 pages, this is not only a great cook book it is a book full of tales of a southern cook! So you get a boat load of great recipes, and some great stories to read while you wait for your cobbler or cornbread to cook!

Let’s just say that this household is going to see a bit of a cultural cuisine revolution! There are many new to us foods that need to be tried from our southerly neighbors. Who can resist such recipes as Barq’s Root Beer-Glazed Ham? (I meant to try that one on Easter Sunday but it didn’t happen!) or Proper Fried Chicken (that one looks absolutely delicious!) Then there are the tried and true southern dishes that have never seen a plate in this household.. Gumbo Z’Herbs and Tabbouleh and Fried Okra.. If I can find the ingredients you know I will be giving them a try! If you are looking for some new delights in the kitchen you might just want to pick up a copy of this book!

The book is coming out at the end of April but you can always pre-order so it will hit your doorstep ASAP!  If I try some of the recipes over the next couple of weeks I will let you know how they turned out!

The first section is jam packed full of style secrets and tips for using color and texture to flatter your figure! Also included is a great measuring guide, including a fill in the blanks chart for you to keep track of your figures, as well as a yarn yardage chart to help you determine how much yarn  you will need to complete your projects.

You also have to love the Pattern ratings:

1. “Half-Caf (Brain Nudge) straightforward knitting sith shaping
2. Expresso (modest amount of brain fuel) shaping, color work, mutliple stitch patterns
3. Triple-shot caffine bomb with whipped cream (all brain cells on full) complex shaping with multiple things happening at the same time”

(Do you think they have that last one at Starbucks?)

Of the 25 designs in this book, there is NOT ONE that I am not jealous of! I would make all of them, and I don’t often say that about knitting books!

This one is not quite out yet; it is set to come out on April 1st. But you can pre-order it so you can have it ASAP!!

Buying books through Lulu is nice because  you have the option to buy the book as a pdf and download it or buy it as a regular book with various binding options. To top it  off the packaging the Lulu does is genius! It would take 10 rampaging rhinos to do any damage to the item inside! I was impressed.

I saved up a bit because I wanted the spiral bound copy of the book. I dunno, I just rather have an actual book in my hands. The book itself is beautiful!  Wooly Wormhead  does and excellent job laying out all the necessary techniques needed to accomplish the patterns in the book with beautiful large bright photo illustrations.

The hat designs are lovely and actually quite impressive as all of them are knit on straight needles. I have always loved  her hat designs, they are creative and fresh and fun. The designs in her book are no exception.

I highly recommend this book to anyone who is interested in making hats but is circular or double pointed needle phobic!  And if you would just like to try out one of her designs, then you can also go to her website and pick up a pattern or two there, there are even a few for free!

Enjoy!

Mary Thomas gives us a progression of knitting techniques and then applies them to patterns in the book. Each item and skill builds upon the previous one.

This is a great book for beginning knitters to work through. I highly recommend it!!

And here is a flower I made on my knitting loom for you from Mary’s book for Valentine’s Day!! Have a good one!