Hooray for Sheep!

My Mom is retiring from teaching this June after 35(ish? more?) years. I can't image doing the same job for 35 years at this point in my life. Also? I'm a little jealous at the idea of retirement.

Anyway, she is cleaning out and giving away a lot of things she's purchased for her classroom over the years. I received this book:





It is very sweet, with a mix of photographs and watercolor illustrations. She knew I would like it and thought it would be funny to give me. What she didn't expect is that I would actually learn something from it. My fledging attempts at purchasing wool to spin have mostly been based on guesses and pretty colors. This page has at least given me a little guidance on which types of wool I might find softest:





I think this guy is the cutest but he is listed under "coarse" fleece. I'm afraid our paths might never cross...

A few knitting gifts.

I was very lucky and received a number of knitting related Christmas gifts this year.





My parents bought me Woolly Wormhead's Going Straight (a unique hat pattern book) and a Patons sock pattern booklet plus yarn to go with each. (SWS and Kroy Socks.) They also gave me the new Stephanie Pearl-McPhee book Free-Range Knitter. I received a "Knitting Pattern a Day" 2009 calender from my aunt and uncle. They have given me these calenders in the past and I always end up dismantling them to sort through the patterns a few months into the year. I'm going to try and use it as an actually calender this year.

Steve (with a little help from my Amazon wishlist) gave me a skein of Rock Creek Yarn's Cherry Blossom sock yarn, something I've wanted since I came across their ad on Ravelry. He also bought me Franklin's new knitting cartoon book "It Itches" and (drumroll...) Elizabeth Zimmermann's Knitting Workshop DVD. I've wanted the DVD for years now and am excited to watch it.


I also bought myself something for Christmas:





A skein of Yarntini's Cheertini sport-weight sock yarn. I was hoping to have it in time to actually make socks to wear on Christmas but our plans changed because of a massive snow/ice storm and we left home before it came in the mail. Oh well, I guess I'll have new Christmas socks next year.

And now, since it is my last day of vacation before I have to be up bright and early for work tomorrow, I am going to go take a bubble bath (with a Lush bath bomb from my hubby) and watch my new EZ DVD before reading in bed for the rest of the night.

Book Recommendations (or - Gift Ideas for a Knitter)

I realize this is a little late, but I have been browsing Amazon a lot lately looking for gift ideas and thought I’d post a list of my favorite knitting books that I own here in case someone needs an idea for the knitter in their life. (Hey - Amazon still has three days of free super saver shipping available in time for Christmas delivery!)




You really can’t go wrong with any Elizabeth Zimmermann book for a knitter. I think a beginner might be a little frustrated with her chatty, somewhat vague style but anyone willing to throw a few brain cells into the ring will get a lot out of it. My current favorites are the Knitter’s Almanac and The Opinionated Knitter. I enjoy simply reading them, even when I am not looking for a project to knit.







The Knitters Book of Finishing Techniques
by Nancie Wiseman

This is a book I come back to time and again. Many things are explained in a clear concise manner, such as different (and matching) cast ons/offs and increases/decreases. This book also contains the only written instructions for kitchener stitch that I have come across that actually make sense to my brain. There are also other helpful tidbits and great photographs.





The Knitter's Handy Book of Patterns
The Knitter's Handy Book of Sweater Patterns
by Ann Budd

These books are a great jumping off point when you have an idea for a hat or pair of mittens with a favorite stitch pattern or colorwork design. Do a gauge swatch, find the numbers, and add in your pattern. I used the glove pattern earlier this year to turn a sock cuff into a glove cuff by adding a hand and fingers using the numbers given for my gauge!






New Pathways for Sock Knitters
by Cat Bordhi

This is a mind-bending collection of sock patterns. It is amazing that the unusual construction methods all result in wearable socks, but they do! Another book to make you think, and produce some very unique socks. Probably not for the new sock knitter - unless you love a good challenge.







Knitting New Scarves
by Lynne Barr

Think scarves are boring? This book looks at them in a new light, with sculptural design elements and unusual textures. I really enjoy the eye-candy in this book. It is very inspiring and relaxing to me to page through and look at the pleasing photographs and layout. One thing however, the typeface is a little small when you are actually trying to use a pattern, and I find it helpful to make an enlarged working copy. Besides, you wouldn’t want to write directly in this gorgeous book anyway!



This is by no means an exhaustive list of my favorites; they are the books I have turned to the most lately for help or inspiration. I think I will try to do a post of my favorite pattern books soon as well. There are some great ones out there.