O Happy Day....

when a knitting or spinning print publication arrives in the mailbox! Interweave Knits came today and I've spent some pleasurable moments looking at all the things I'll probably never make . Generally, I use magazines and books to give me design ideas, to read the ads, to find out what other Fiber Folk are doing. Interweave always has cutting edge patterns, good color photography, useful ads and a great ending on the inside back cover. This most recent issue, Summer 06, Amy M. Swenson writes of her Trans-Siberian Stash Enhancement experience in Kazan, Russia. She did find some yarn to buy (read the article) but wasn't sure of the fiber content.

Her article brought back some nice memories. When I was in Russia in 2004, I found a wool mohair blend as well as some wooden knitting needles. The yarn was mill spun in Italy and imported into Russia to be sold in a department store corner. While I was standing at the counter, several women were making selections but there was none of the sensual tactile experience such as we have in the USA. No cute yarn stores with cushy, cozy overstuffed arm chairs. No tables and folding chairs to group knit. No nothing. All yarn and materials were kept behind a huge glass counter and when I wanted to fondle the yarn (Do WHUTTTTT?!!!) I had to ask.

Needless to say, fondling was kept to a minimum.

On Wednesday's Dye Day @ Leslie's, I took the following two books and we had a blast going through both of them.

Have you seen the Wendy Knits blog? It's a fun site with loads of information, free patterns and photos of Lucy, resident cat. She has between 3 and 4 million (depending on who is telling the story) blog readers a MONTH! Go visit her blog - NOW - and you'll sell why. The woman is a knitting dynamo and shows no signs of stopping, much less slowing down.

Wendy D. Johnson's new book, Wendy Knits: My Never-Ending Adventures in Yarn, has just been released and it's a hoot. Yes, she's a great knitter but it's her delivery style that makes this book so much fun. She's not above telling of her foibles, her mistakes or "knitting partners" (not to be confused with partners in knitting) and in such a way you can just see the event unfolding on the subway. While the photos are in black and white they are on *real* (gasp!) people...what a novel idea.

Her style of writing is such you can almost imagine her as a old friend who agreed to meet you at Knit Happens where she's been known to hang out and fondle yarn. While her style is cozy, her wit is rapier with a bit of edgy cynicism thrown in at opportune moments. Her patterns are well written, easily understood and she encourages the reader to pick up those needles and design, then knit, something. To build a foundation, she starts with simpler patterns, and then progress to more difficult patterns that uses the learned skill sets. This is one for the personal knitting library; my only complaint is her book tour isn't anywhere near me. I'd sure like her to autograph my copy of Wendy Knits.


Mason Dixon Knitting is another great book, in color and came about as a result of a blog partnership. Kay Gardiner, NY, and and Ann Shayne, Nashville, met on a Rowen knitting board and now have their own "close-knit" community of more than ten thousand. These gals have a really wicked sense of humor and I can well imagine the increased sale of Depends when they hit town! (Cool button hole felted bag pattern on their site too.)

Linda and Leslie threatened to steal this book and Leslie crochets! MDK has FUN patterns, COLORFUL patterns and a cheeky tone that makes you want to read some sections out loud. In public, even. You simply won't care because this book is That Good.

From Chapter Two: Knitting Around the House - "My house isn't picky: it doesn't care if that afghan is a little too big or the wrong color. It is the most forgiving recipient of stuff I knit, and it will wear it until I get tired of looking at it."

You GO Girl!

Hmmm.... why did I think of all those people to whom I've given the gift of the work of my hands and they said, "how nice." How nice???? No, ejiit! NOT how nice. How Wonderful! I take my time, my energy, my knowledge, my money and I spent it on a cretin!? Quote the sheepies, "Nevermore!"

Reading through MDK makes me want to get the huge knitting needles out and just start making something. To cast on and see where purl takes me and then take pictures and post them on my blog.

So...what I actually did was print off a copy of the Buttonhole Bag from the MDK blog site. As it happens, I've got some Lamb's Pride Bulky yarn - at least I think I do and if I don't, I'll improvise.

Ain't knitting simply GRAND!