close knit: the neighborhood yarn shop


Wednesday, October 19, 2011

Books and Patterns

It feels like new books and patterns are arriving everyday around here!  We have several familiar favorites and some highly-anticipated new friends as well.


These two baby books are probably my favorite ones on the shelf: Vintage Knits for Modern Babies and Vintage Baby Knits.  I recommend these often, and I know our new mama Melissa agrees.  If you have a new baby in your life or one on the way, these books needs a spot on your knitting book shelf.  They make great gifts, too, for an expectant knitter.


I have been waiting for this pattern to arrive: French Press Slippers from French Press Knits.  I love felted slippers for our wet and chilly winters, and I have been rocking my Snugs for several years now.  Perhaps it's time for something a little more dainty.  We have a bright orange sample in progress, so keep your eyes peeled for those in the next few weeks.  Hmmm, a pair of these would be a great gift, too.  I find that people who don't really wear handknits still appreciate a good pair of felted slippers.


Like colorwork?  Need a great reference book full of so many charts your head will spin?  Enter Alice Starmore and her Charts for Color Knitting.  You pretty much can't get a better chart dictionary than this one.


I know many of you have been looking for the pattern for the little elf hats we have in the window.  It's the Pointy Elf Hat from the fabulous More Last Minute Knitted Gifts, which we finally have back in stock.  Also back on the shelves, Vintage Modern Knits, featuring the amazing luxury yarns of The Fibre Company.


Miriam Felton's Furrows Shawl is so classy and interesting.  You'll need 475 yards of fingering (sock) or sport weight yarn (400 for the main color and 75 for the edging).  Choose something fabulous and you'll want to wear it everyday.


Knit, Swirl! from Sandra McIver is full of patterns for one style of sweater, the giant circle with arms.  There is probably a more sophisticated name for this style.  There is all kinds of information in here and a lot of math, but the results are pretty striking.  I love these two the most.

Shades of Grey

Silhouette in the Sun


Like to make little toys?  Susan B. Anderson is one of the best designers for this kind of thing.  Spud & Chloe at the Farm is so stinkin' cute.  We also just received Itty Bitty Toys, and Judy is teaching a class in November to hone your technical knitting skills. 


Check out these cute guys from Itty Bitty Toys and take a look at Judy's class page.  The bird flips inside out into an egg, and the frog reverses to a turtle!


On that note, perhaps you need to create something a little weird.  Knitwit and Amigurumi Knits are for you.




If squid and 6-legged dolls are not your thing, how about one of the best knitting books ever?  Veronik Avery's Knitting 24/7 is full of beauties.  Sally loves this book, and we think you will, too.  So many classic designs in some beloved yarns.




The highly-anticipated Coastal Knits from Hannah Fettig and Alana Dakos is on the table, too.  This book is beautiful.  These girls know what they are doing.  I promise a preview and yarn suggestions soon.  

Finally, a HUGE amount of Berroco arrived yesterday.  I saw a ton of Vintage, Comfort, Comfort Chunky, Ultra Alpaca, and Ultra Alpaca Light.  There might have been more in there.  I know we are expecting Flicker late October or early November.  We will be receiving the beautiful natural earth tones as well as the new pale shades, all with the fabulous sparkles.

Book, yarns, and patterns!  Oh, my!  Come see the new goods that are rolling in every day, and stay tuned here for more updates.

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