Nancy has safely landed in New York City, but she joins us again to share some inspiration and reminisce about those Portland breakfasts! 
When I lived in NE Portland, I would always have breakfast at
Helser's on Alberta Street. Often time you could find me there early in the morning just by myself enjoying something delicious, with my knitting by my side.
I would knit, watch people, stare out the window to see what was going on on Alberta Street and simply soak up the Portland ambiance.
One chilly day in September, it must have been in 2008, I daydreamt of a sweet little cowl design. I wanted a something small, soft and warm around my neck. Something that would look fancy, a chic accessory in a jewel tone color.
First of all, I simply loved working with Silky Flamme, a blend of alpaca and silk, which comes in beautiful jewel tone colors. I chose to throw in some easy all-over cables and was determined to design my fancy little cowl with just one ball!
Although the initial prototype was knitted in a purple color, the second prototype I knitted in a deep teal color and came out something like this:
In the final prototype, I added stylish little buttons and, although I haven't a photo for it yet, I can assure you it is very pretty.
Helser's was not only a breakfast place for me. It was also a place where I could daydream about future designs and knit in peace without being rushed by the waitresses.
This little fancy cowl will be the next free pattern to be published here on the Close Knit blog.
Give me some time to write out the pattern and to test knit. I promise it will be up soon!
Folk Shawls by Cheryl Oberle contains patterns and historical information for a variety of shawls, each with charted and written instructions. Oberle uses everything from fine laceweight to thick tweed yarns to create some stunning pieces. I made the Kimono Shawl with laceweight yarn for a dear friend’s wedding last year.
The Haapsalu Shawl delves into the history of lace knitting in Estonia. While it does not contain complete shawl patterns, there are dozens of charted stitch patterns paired with photographs of knitted samples. The abundant photos of finished shawls and their knitters are beautiful and inspiring. 
And, we have books for sock knitters. 
Want to try knitting socks toe-up? Socks a La Carte 2 can help you design your own socks by combining the details that you choose for the foot, leg, and cuff. In Toe-Up Socks for Every Body, Wendy Johnson breaks down everything from argyles to lace socks to knee socks in a variety of sizes. She discusses how working toe-up allows you to achieve the perfect fit for any foot. Or, if you aren’t a fan of double-pointed needles, try out The Magic Loop technique with Sarah Hauschka’s concise and helpful booklet. 
It seems like Veronik Avery is everywhere right now. Her newest book, Knitting 24/7 is gorgeous and Knitting Classic Style is full of just that. 
We also have this cool book from Helga Isager called Strikketoj.
Isager provides a decade-by-decade breakdown of what was happening in fashion during each decade of the twentieth century and provides designs for each era. There are even a few patterns for children. Take a look at some of these designs and details.
With so many new books, we have plenty of inspiration waiting for you. Jenni has displayed these new books for easy perusal. So, stop by this week, take a look at our new books and get inspired! 