Books
New and Noteworthy for February
Dear Ann,
In my rambles through the Internet, I come across many shiny and beautiful objects. I jot them down on receipts and napkins, and then find them in my pockets when I’m sorting the laundry. Before they escape again, here are a few tasty tidbits.
Coloring With Kaffe
Kaffe Fassett has a coloring book!
Kaffe Fassett’s Adventures in Color: 36 Coloring Plates, 10 Inspiring Tutorials.
Cocoknits Sweater Workshop
Julie Weisenberger (aka Cocoknits) has put her streamlined method for wearable sweaters (top down! set-in sleeves! one piece!) into book form:
Cocoknits Sweater Workshop. It’s a beautiful book, imbued with the fresh approach and clear thinking that draws knitters to Julie’s workshops. It appeals to me as a recipe book for when I find myself with a yarn that I want to make a simple, Eileen-Fisher-y sweater that fits just right.
Start ‘Em Young
My future grandkids’ (OMG I did not say that, tfu tfu, I meant Future Young People Who May Drop By) Fiber Arts Appreciation bookshelf has a new addition: A Hat for Mrs. Goldman, by Michelle Edwards, illustrated by G. Brian Karas.
I wouldn’t let just any book keep company with our beloved copies of The Keeping Quilt, Joseph Had a Little Overcoat and Extra Yarn, but this one belongs there. (The illustration at the top of this post is from A Hat for Mrs. Goldman.)
Paranormal Romantic Suspense (and Knitting)
I’m ever amazed when knitting is integral to a work of fiction. Vicki Stiefel’s new book, Chest of Bone (The Afterworld Chronicles Book 1) is a paranormal romantic suspense tale featuring FBI agent Clea Reese, a cashmere goat farmer, knitter and unawakened Mage (I think that must be the paranormal part).
You can read Chapter One here. Gotta love a work of fiction that includes a free knitting pattern, in this case, for a pair of magical mitts by Rosemary (Romi) Hill.
Incandescent Knitting
Finally, my upper west side neighbor, literary sweater designer Kathleen Dames, has partnered with her Internet friend Anne Podelesak to launch Filament, a series of knitwear collections.
Lovely, vintage-tinged knits with sophisticated details, fit and techniques. Check out Filament No. 1 on Ravelry. (I’ve had my eye on the intriguing Bonnie Gloves, which have i-cord fingers–I know!) You can also peruse the lookbook for No. 2, which launches March 15.
And now my pockets are empty, for the moment.
Love,
Kay
Good morning, Kay!
Have you seen the Channing Hansen exhibit at CRG Gallery? I unfortunately only read about it ( in the NYT) last night, and it closes today, so I’ll miss it, but if you’ve got time……and you could always pop into Purl, while you’re in the neighborhood. It looks wooly and beautiful. As does the book about the hat for another Mrs. G. Thanks for the recommendation.
My LBS (local book store)–yes, we actually have one here–featured the book, Mrs. Goldman… , in the picture book section recently. Of course I snapped it up for my nearly-four yr. old granddaughter. It is quite lovely.
My aunt (the one who taught me to knit!) just gave my daughter, a newish knitter, “A Hat for Mrs. Goldman” as a Chanukah present, and it’s already become a favorite.
I also recommmend “Leave me alone!” by Vera Brosgol. Have we not all been there, wishing we could be left alone to knit? And Kiki’s Hats by Warren Hanson (there is a real Kiki).
Leave Me Alone! is AWESOME!
I have told Kathleen this but feel the need to tell you too: Anne Podlesak is from Virginia and we used to work together at Richmond’s local history museum, The Valentine.
Everything links up so neatly in our world. Two degrees of Maggi Tinsley!
I’ve been eyeing that Cocoknits book. Thanks for telling us about them all.
Thank you so much. I love the new Cocoknits book and hadn’t seen it before. Also, Chest of Bone (what a strange title) strikes me as so peculiar I may have to buy it. Because, if you were an empathic FBI agent who saw a massive supernatural black cat in the middle of the road and you passed out and woke up in a feed store, what would you do at the end of your long day but knit? Because Xanax and a highball just wouldn’t be enough.
Vicki is an awesome writer, can’t wait to read Chest of Bone! And I love the idea of a knitting pattern in there 🙂
Stay tuned as I think there’s more knitting coming from Vicki!
Will do! 😉
That Mrs. Goldman book looks a treat, and you’ve reminded me of another knitting-themed children’s book that I want to find but had totally forgotten about – thanks!
p.s. Possible bias here, but I think the paranormal part is the cashmere goat farming. I know I often feel adjacent to but not coterminous with normal.
For me that’s either the romance or the suspense element.
Gosh, I think you’re RIGHT!
Also:
snortylaugh!! 🙂
Thanks for the info on the book ‘A Hat for Mrs. Goldman.’ I have been knitting hats and making pom poms with my granddaughters, so I had to order two of these books.
Have you seen Woolbur by Leslie Helakoski? This free spirited sheep shears, cards, spins, dyes and knits.
I read a Hat for Mrs. Goldman to my 4 year old son and we both enjoyed it immensely. Knitting and a chance to learn a few words of yiddish! What a deal. It’s a great story.
You need to watch the BBC series Father Brown, which is chock full of hand knits (all vintage apparently) and is frankly the most feel good show around.
thank you for sharing tour thoughts rambles & collections. xo and happy spring !
More temptation. I did however, fall off my boat ( the good ship spendthrift ) for the Cocoknits book. I love her design ethic, spare and clean and beautiful. Can’t wait to see it.
I may have to raid the treasure chest for these other books tho. sinking.
It’s a must-have for the Me Made wardrobe bookshelf!