Book review: The Knitter’s Book of Socks

I posted this review on goodreads and wanted to share it here, as well.  Who else has gotten their hands on this book?  If you don’t already have it, it’s time to update your holiday wish list!

 

The Knitter's Book of Socks: The Yarn Lover's Ultimate Guide to Creating Socks That Fit Well, Feel Great, and Last a Lifetime by Clara Parkes
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I am a big fan of Clara Parkes - The Knitter's Review, her books, her classes. I was fortunate enough to take her classes at Sock Summits 2009 and 2011, and this book is both a summary and extension of everything she presented there. It is wonderful to have it all together in one place, and in such an attractive place, too! As usual, Potter Craft did a beautiful job on the book design and photography. I have been known to pet this book gently as I pass by it in a room. It's not going on the shelf anytime soon - it's staying on the coffee table, the nightstand, etc.

The first quarter of the book is like a textbook for mastering knowledge about sock yarn. Clara reviews the performance requirements of sock yarn (which differ from yarn for other garments). She goes into detail about the molecular structure of different fibers sometimes used in sock yarn, and takes care to highlight the strengths and drawbacks of each. This is especially useful if you want to spin your own sock yarn. She talks about twist and plies - again, helpful if you're creating your own yarn, but also informative for consumers of commercial sock yarn. You'll find yourself untwisting a bit of yarn in the store to learn how many plies it has before deciding whether to buy! And finally, Clara outlines how the stitches used in socks affect the ultimate performance of the sock. When should you use ribbing? When cables? When lace? How should these be combined for best effect? How can you make your socks fit perfectly? Clara's tips empower knitters to design their own sock patterns or to modify existing patterns for the better.

And that's just the first 25% of the book! Ahead lie the patterns - 20 delicious, tempting patterns that you will not be able to resist. Clara designed one herself (Stepping-Stones) and it is perfect for a new sock knitter (or an experienced knitter who wants a darn fine sock that is simple enough to knit in public). The Stepping-Stones pattern (free!) appeared in some promotional materials over the summer, so some knitters have already posted finished socks in Ravelry. The other 19 patterns are designed by the Sock Celebs - people like Cat Bordhi, Cookie A, Anne Hanson, Nancy Bush, Lucy Neatby, Ann Budd... the list goes on. What a treat to have such a fine collection between two covers.

And the patterns! How many of these do I want to make! Let me tell you about a few of my favorites:

Stepping-Stones. Yes, I'm one of those crazy Sock Summiteers that got the pattern in Portland and cast on right away. This is a rib variation pattern that is fairly simple but looks fantastic. Perfect for women or men. I'll knit this again (and this time, I'll try the extra cushy heel, which I skipped because I got to the heel flap during a meeting at work).

Darjeeling. This Cat Bordhi pattern has an unusual architecture (Cat's hallmark). I can't wait to try putting the arch expansion on the sole. The toe decreases are different, too - but very attractive.

Hickory. This Jane Cochran pattern looks like undulating bark on a tree, gorgeous in its subtlety. I'll knit this in a semi-solid - and soon.

Elm. Another tree pattern, this one from Cookie A. Elm features wide but flat faux cables which should fit wonderfully. The branching movement really makes these socks come alive.

Salted Caramels. Stephen Houghton has designed a super handsome cabled sock that would look great on a man or a woman. This one is knit from Trekking Pro Natura, a yarn I've knit with before and loved. I'll definitely make this sock.

The photographs in this book are just what I want - clear, beautifully styled, and plenty of them shot from different angles. Most of the socks appear to fit exceptionally well (the exceptions are the Neatby and Morgan Oakes designs, which have shorter cuffs that appear to sag around the ankle).

Are you getting the sense that I love this book? It's my ideal knitting book! I predict that Clara's latest contribution will have the staying power of Interweave's Favorite Socks, which has proved to be one of the most popular pattern books of all time. It's that good.

Thank you, Clara! I can't wait to see what you come up with next.

View all my reviews

Book review: The Joy of Sox

I haven’t accomplished a ton of knitting this week… the weather was quite good and so I spent a lot more time than usual outdoors trying to get the yard into shape for spring.  The weeds grow so quickly!  However, I did manage to cast on for another Cedar Leaf Shawlette, and as of last night, the stockinette portion is done.  I’ll take this with me on the airplane today and get started on the leaves:

This photo doesn’t quite do justice to the true color of this yarn – it’s a bit washed out here.  I’ll get a better one when the project is finished. This is a retirement gift for a colleague and I hope to have it done for the reception.

I have a small stack of books I’ve been meaning to tell you about.  I recently succumbed to The Joy of Sox.  I kept seeing patterns from this book pop up that I liked, and when I had a 50% off coupon and saw it at AC Moore, I jumped. 

I can take or leave the whole “sexy socks” theme – it is minorly amusing.  But let me show you the 7 (yes, seven) patterns I queued!

A Roll in the Hay (by Gina House), above, is a good pattern for a solid or semi-solid yarn.  It features wheat sheaves as the major design element, and some ribbing and seed stitch to fill in the blanks.  Very attractive.

Make-Up Socks (by Kristin Kapur) is another good choice for a solid or semi-solid yarn and was already in my Ravelry queue before I bought the book. It has some climbing vines that are quite fetching.  I could use my green Berroco Ultra Alpaca Fine for these…

Royal Flush (by Mona Schmidt) is another good choice for a solid yarn (hmmm, I’m sensing a theme here).  The traveling twisted stitches up the sides remind me of DNA models.   These would require a lot of concentration – definitely not office knitting.  I couldn’t find a photo to snag so you’ll have to click through to Ravelry to see these lovelies.

Girl’s Best Friend Thigh Highs (by Star Athena) have always intrigued me.  I’m not sure why – I’m not a thigh-high kind of girl.  I don’t wear snazzy short skirts with tights and boots in the winter, for which socks like these would be perfect.  But I like them just the same – aren’t the diamonds fun?  So there.  Perhaps I could make a knee-high version.  Again, no easy photo to snag, so click through to Ravelry.

Last of the Red Hot Lovers (by Janine le Cras), above, is another stitch show-off pattern best for a solid yarn.  This one features a heart-like cable that I actually like.  Most of the heart cables look cheesy to me.  Perhaps a contender for a Valentine’s Day knit in 2012?

Warm Up Socks (by Sauniell Connally) is one I looked at for quite a while, trying to decide if I liked them or not.  There is a fishnet-like panel in these and normally I’m not a lacy sock person.  But something about these intrigues me…  Even the Ravelry photo isn’t great because the sock is shown on blockers rather than a foot, but the one in the book is fetching.  (Why doesn’t the publisher always submit photos to Ravelry? I don’t know!)

And finally, Sole Mates (by Alyson Johnson) is a good choice for semi-solid or solid yarn.  The cable down the back of the sock is lovely, and it extends onto the heel flap.  I’d want to wear these with open-heeled shoes to show that off. Do click through to Ravelry to see the detail!

This book also contains some instructional content that would be helpful for a newer sock knitter, as well as some “knitty bits” panels sprinkled throughout the book with interesting facts – like showing off one hand-dyed yarn knit up in stockinette, ribbing, lace, and cable – the yarn looks sooooo different!  The book has a hard cover with a spiral binding – my favorite package for knitting books.  If I really make all 7 of these patterns, it will have been quite a bargain!

Mr. Nick’s Knitting – book review

Frankly, I can’t recall where I heard about about this book.  It’s out-of-print and was originally published in Australia.  I bought a used copy a while back, but I guess it got buried under some other things.  Today, Mr. Nick and his knitting surfaced.

This is a delightful story about Mr. Nick and his friend, Mrs. Jolley, who knit together on the commuter train every day (45 minutes each way).  They don’t seem to know each other outside of their commuting relationship.  He knits sweaters for his multitude of nieces and nephews; she knits toys (for whom? unclear).  She helps him find his dropped stitches; he helps her untangle her yarn (though the illustration shows both dropped stitches and tangled yarn on her project, and neither on his).

One day, Mrs. Jolley isn’t on the train.  This continues for a few days.  Eventually, Mr. Nick gets a message that she is in the hospital.  He goes to see her.  We never do find out what exactly has happened to Mrs. Jolley, but Mr. Nick knits her an extraordinary – and extraordinarily thoughtful – gift (truly worthy of Olympic knitting).

The watercolor illustrations are colorful (but not garishly so) and detailed.  There is a lot for small children to look for in these pictures.  What does Mr. Nick do at work?  What is he making for dinner?  Where does the train go?  Mr. Nick’s attention and consideration for others is wonderful, and there’s the obvious plus of seeing a man knit in public.  I wish I’d had this book when my children were a bit younger – I think it would be perfect for 3-4-year olds.  Plus, they might ask their knitter to make a toy or a sweater for them!

Bea Rocks the Flock – book review

Bea Rocks the Flock, by Victoria Jamieson, was published in May, 2009.  I first saw a copy in a vendor booth at Knitters’ Day Out in September.  My local public library has it, so I can review it!  It’s been about a year since my last fiber-themed children’s book review…

This is a cute book with whimsical, colorful illustrations.  It has the same premise as Woolbur – an individual sheep disturbs the flock by expressing her/himself and not blending in.  Like Woolbur, Bea despairs at being told that sheep cannot be unique.  So she leaves the flock and heads for the big city, in search of a place where others appreciate her.  Perhaps predictably, once she reaches the big city, she has a hard time finding her niche.  She tries lots of silly things (from being a cloud, to posing as one of the lions at the New York Public Library, to participating in a dog show).  At the dog show, she wins a prize for being the Most Unique Dog.  Getting this prize makes her doubt the Rule of Sheepdom (that sheep are not unique).  She misses her friends, so she returns home.  It turns out that her friends missed her, too, and are happy that she has returned.  Together, they make a new Rule of Sheepdom: Beeeeeee yourself.

I read this with my 5-year-old and 7-year-old.  It maintained their interest.  When asked what his favorite part was, Boy 2 said “when she goes home to her friends.”

This book has a few fiber arts references.  When Bea prepares to leave the flock, she loads up her backpack with wool dye, yarn, and her lucky knitting needles.  She uses the dye to transform herself into a pink poodle for the dog show, and she knits a rope with which to hang herself in a tree.  In the end, though, I would put this book in the category “books with characters who just happen to be sheep” rather than the “books about actual sheep and what happens to their fiber.”  It’s cute – but Woolbur already stole my heart. 

The Knitter’s Book of Wool – book review

Ahhh… The Knitter’s Book of Wool did NOT disappoint.  How could a book be bad that begins with these most enticing endpapers?

Here’s the overview:

First, Clara begins by explaining exactly what wool is and how it grows.  This chapter is both a biology lesson and an explanation of how the science of wool translates into a knitter’s experience.  Great beginning.

Next, we learn about how wool becomes yarn – how it’s sorted, cleaned, spun, and dyed.  If you can’t take a behind-the-scenes tour of a mill, this is the next best thing.  (Actually, it made me want to take a tour of a mill!)  Clara points out what types and parts of wool don’t make it to the knitter’s basket and end up somewhere else in the textile world, instead. 

Next, we meet the breeds.  Clara outlines the broad categories (finewools, mediumwools, down and down-type wools, longwools, and dual-coated and primitives) and provides more detail about 5-10 specific breeds in each category.  We learn the basics about each breed, like the micron range (a measure of fineness), staple length, crimp, luster, its felting qualities, and what it’s best suited for.  Often, photographs of washed locks and finished yarns for each breed are also included.  This section helped me understand the genealogy of breeds better.  Other fun fiber trivia facts are sprinkled throughout this chapter.  For instance, a trademarked process called Optim is described, and I wondered if this is the process used on Knit Picks Felici yarn.  Also, I learned that the Lord Chancellor of Britain sits on a bale of Cotswold fiber in Parliament to symbolize the historic importance of England’s wool trade.  Fun facts.

Clara tucks in one short chapter about blending wool with other fibers.  What properties do other fibers like silk, mohair, alpaca, and plant fibers bring to wool yarn?  What do you use to blend for seasonal comfort?  How about strength?  Good stuff with lots of application for handspinners here.

Finally, we reach the meat-and-potatoes (or should I say tofu-and-broccoli) of the book: the patterns.  There are 19 patterns in the book, designed by Clara herself or other talented designers whose names you will recognize, and each was designed to showcase a particular type of yarn.  For instance, the Sweet Fern Mitts (Rav link) are meant to be made with a woolen-spun two- or three-ply yarn.  They could be made from a mediumwool yarn, a down or down-type yarn, or a finewool yarn… with different results depending on your choice.  I was instantly interested in knitting this pattern with several types of yarn, many of which reside in my growing stash of homespun.  A quick, low-yardage pattern like this is perfect for experimenting with different yarns, commercial and/or handspun.

The end of the book is chock full of reference information, like how to wash wool, how to keep moths away, where to get a fleece processed (either into spinning fiber or yarn), and what to read next.  A very fine glossary and detailed index are also included (you know what a wonderful thing a good index is).

I love this book.  Reading it is like taking a class with Clara.  I can’t wait to knit some of these patterns and understand yarn even better.  Thanks, Clara!

Book review: Mason-Dixon Knitting Outside the Lines

This was one of those books on my Christmas list that I didn't get for Christmas, so I bought it later with Christmas money. I was very interested to see if this book was as good as the first one, Mason-Dixon Knitting, which came out a few years ago. I had a first look at that book at my friend Steven's house (how well I remember that trip... dying sock yarn, watching Cars in HDTV, and searching Austin grocery stores for the right brand of soy milk for a picky toddler), and found myself drawn in. I didn't think I would be that interested in these projects, but all of the sudden I was reading, and reading made me want to knit them. These authors have a clear point-of-view that is persuasive and infectious. I bought my own copy and read it cover to cover.

I've only made one project from that first book so far (felted boxes for a Valentine's gift), but I liked it a lot. Those boxes are great to have around -currently one holds all my Knit Picks Options needles, and another is full of marbles (no snarky comments, please - they're not lost if they are in the felted box).

The same thing happened with this book: I read it cover to cover, just like a novel. Authors Kay Gardiner and Ann Shayne are hilarious writers (check out their blog for an archive of their writing), and I often paused to read something aloud to my family. The photos (by Gale Zucker of Shear Spirit fame) were fabulous, as well.

So which projects have my attention? Believe it or not, some of the sweaters! The Cardi Cozy is an open, lacy, sheer mohair cardi to wear over another sweater, and it is oddly intriguing. Is it "me"? Probably not, but I like the idea nevertheless. I liked the "coaty coats," as well, knitted coats that are tailored like coats and don't look like oversized sweaters. Metropole is downright urban in its aesthetic, and Yank would be perfect for tromping around my small town. The Daily Sweater is the one I'll probably cast on first. This is a basic top-down raglan sweater with a few modifications that seem like big improvements to me. I am in love with the Periodic Table of Elements notation - it makes perfect sense to me, and I'd like to give it a try. Soon.

There is a good-sized chapter on Fair Isle that breaks down the techniques into comprehensible chunks. I've never been a big fan of stranded knitting, but this almost makes me want to try. There are no Fair Isle garments in this book - all the projects are flat things that were knit in the round and then steeked (rugs, blankets). I like the idea of getting started with stranded knitting in a non-garment piece, but I'm not sure I want to do it on size 15 needles (as the felted rug is knit). Still, there is a polka-dotted blanket that has real possibilities.

Another chapter is devoted to knitting for babies and children. The Fern sweater is gorgeous - just my kind of colors, and with a fiddlehead fern detail around the bottom. So sweet for a little girl. The helmut-style baby hat is pretty cute, too - and qualifies as a one-skein wonder since it requires only one hank of Koigu.

The final chapter is about "occasional" knitting - things like Christmas stockings (K, you have to read this part), bags, a table runner, a paper lantern cozy, a Swiffer cover (!), etc. The table runner is really pretty and I can see it on a piece by my dining table. It's knit from Euroflax linen, which reminds me - Steven, how is that piano bench cover coming along?

This is a fun book to have in one's collection, whether you're a newish knitter or a more advanced one. If you're uncertain, grab a library copy and see what you think. The Mason-Dixon gals manage to blend hardcore patterns and knitting humor seamlessly. I predict you will giggle out loud!

Now I have to go reassure my Must-Have Cardi that she is my #1 sweater right now, lest she become jealous of my flirtation with The Daily Sweater. I'm motoring through the right front today.

Red Berry Wool - book review

I believe we have a series now, people! Today I'll review another children’s book mentioned in the Fall 2008 of Spin-Off magazine (see also reviews for Woolbur and One Little Lamb).

Red Berry Wool (by Robyn Eversole, paintings by Tim Coffey, Albert Whitman & Co, 1999) is an enchanting story of a lamb named Lalo who wants to change his fleece. He admires the red wool sweater worn by his caretaker, a boy simply referred to as “Boy.” Lalo’s mother tells him that the sweater is made of their wool, so Lalo asks her how it becomes a sweater. She says, “’First, you wash the wool. Then you spin it. Then you dye the wool. Then – you knit it.’”

Of course, Lalo tries to work through each of these processes on his own. Mishaps ensue. Each time the lamb gets into trouble, the Boy rescues him and comforts him.

There are some jokes here for the fiber-literate child reader. When Lalo tries to “spin the wool,” he turns around in circles very fast (unfortunately becoming dizzy and falling off a cliff). My 6-year-old laughed uproariously and said “that’s not how you spin!” I asked him how you spin, and he mimed the foot and hand motions quite adeptly. (Oh, this mama was proud.)

Near the end of the book, Lalo asks his mother what “knit” means. She thinks very hard and replies, “’Knit means to bring things together.’” Lalo then sits down with his friend, the Boy, and together they watch the sun set. The sun turns themselves and their meadow a deep red, so Lalo is satisfied that he created his own red berry wool sweater. Before I finished reading the last page, my son got excited and exclaimed “look, it’s all red like the boy’s sweater!” Clearly the nuances of this story are accessible to a first-grader.

Before I started reading this book to my children, I thought that it would be more suitable for my older son. To my surprise, my (barely) four-year-old paid close attention, as well. He didn’t talk during the book, but he kept an eye on it. He thought about it, though, and requested it at bedtime for many days afterward. I had to renew our library copy because he continues to ask for this book every day or two.

In order to get the viewpoint of an even younger child, Kristina read this to Katie, who will be 3 years old in a few short weeks. Katie was fascinated by the snake in the story (my 4-year-old is, too). Katie and Kristina repeat the refrain along with Lalo: "Wash the wool, spin it, dye the wool, knit it." What a great way to introduce the world of fiber to a child!

Final assessment? Red Berry Wool is a keeper! I wouldn’t get it for a young 2-year-old, but this is one you want to have on your shelf for a preschooler or early reader. The paintings are delightful - colorful, whimsical, yet detailed. There is much to pore over in this fine book.

One Little Lamb - book review

Since I have a pile of children's books that will be due back at the library soon, today is another book review day. I ran across this title in the book review section of the Fall 2008 issue of Spin-Off.

One Little Lamb (by Elaine Greenstein, Viking, 2004) is a picture book for the young child. How young? Apparently the critics disagree. The book jacket says "ages 1 and up." Children's Literature says "ages 3 and up," and School Library Journal says "preschool." Booklist says "preschool to age 1." I suppose it depends on the child and how the reader shares the book with the child. A first grader should be able to read this book independently.

The book's format is small (about 7x7"), which makes me want to put it in the hands of a younger child. The front end papers show some frolicking sheep. There are just a few words on the left side of each page spread, paired with an illustration on the right side. We start with a lamb and the farm she lives on, and then proceed to the phases of fiber preparation. Most are described in just a few, simple words ("wool is cut," "cleaned and combed," "spin into yarn," "dip into dye"). By the end of the book, a pair of cheerful green-and-red-striped mittens has been knit for the child who visits the lambs. The book closes with back end papers that show the mittens again.

I would give this book to a one- or two-year-old child in a fiber family. The reader could show the child her fiber paraphernalia (balls of yarn, spinning wheel, knitting needles, roving), and the child might make the connection. The illustrations are simple, yet bright and cheerful. It's a sweet book. My kids (at 4 and 6) are a bit old for it, so I won't be purchasing a copy just now. If you make a handknit gift for a baby, this would be a great companion piece.

Hmmm, do I need to knit any baby gifts anytime soon?

Woolbur - book review

The Fall 2008 issue of Spin-Off magazine reviewed a number of children's books with fiber themes, including one title that is already a favorite at our house: Woolbur, by Leslie Helakoski (illustrated by Lee Harper). I thought I'd start reviewing them, too. I first heard about this title on Brenda Dayne's podcast, Cast-On.

This story stars a sheep named Woolbur who marches to the beat of his own drum. He doesn't want to stay with the herd; he'd rather run with the dogs. He doesn't want to be sheared; he'd rather grow his wool long. He doesn't want to dye wool; he dyes himself instead. His parents are flabbergasted and anxious about this nonconformity. Grandpaa tells them not to worry. Finally Maa and Paa have had enough and sit Woolbur down for a talk. They insist that he be like everyone else.

Woolbur thinks this over and then teaches all the other sheep to run with the dogs, grow their wool, dye their own fleece, etc. Woolbur is a creative and resourceful sheep! His parents despair that now everyone looks like Woolbur and acts like Woolbur. But guess what? Woolbur has already started doing other things. He just can't conform.

This is a cute story told with lilting repetition that children memorize quickly. My 4-year-old "reads" it to me often. Harper's illustrations are whimsical and colorful. Most of them depict fiber activities that are true to life - shearing, carding, spinning, dying, weaving. The only activity that isn't represented is knitting.

That said, Woolbur engages in an unidentifiable fiber activity at the very end of the book. He uses two long needles, but they aren't knitting needles - they have eyes through which the yarn is drawn. He has a ball of yarn attached to each needle, with seven other lengths of yarn knotted to one of the needs and extending outward (kind of like a warp, except attached to nothing at the other end). Because the illustrator accurately depicted the other fiber arts, I can't imagine that she thinks this is knitting. It is probably a new genre of Woolbur's own creation. It has been hard for me to explain to my children that this isn't knitting, though! The two long needles throw them off.

As I mentioned earlier, this book is a family favorite. I have an extra copy in reserve to give to Katie when she is old enough. I wanted to give her Farmer Brown Shears His Sheep: A Yarn About Wool (maybe I'll review that another time), but by the time I wanted to buy it, it was out of print and selling for big bucks online. I won't make that mistake again! Now I purchase multiples of A-grade fiber-themed children's books, and save them until kids are the right age. Katie turns 3 next month. It may be time. This post destroys the surprise for her mother, but I'm pretty sure Katie doesn't read this blog herself!