Mason-Dixon Knitting Outside the Lines: Patterns, Stories, Pictures, True Confessions, Tricky Bits, Whole New Worlds, and Familiar Ones, Too

Dear Fellow Knitter,

Welcome! Come on in. Have a seat — we've been waiting for you.

Ever since our first book, Mason-Dixon Knitting: The Curious Knitters' Guide, we've been exploring techniques and ideas that we once thought were the sort of thing that only brilliant knitters could do.

Our conclusion: We are all brilliant knitters!

None of this is rocket science! If you can knit a garter stitch scarf, you've figured out the hard part. Now it's time for the fun to start. You hold in your hands the result of our odyssey. It's a new collection of 30 delicious projects that we hope will take you on your own knitting adventures.

Decorating Yourself: A collection of beautiful things to make for your most demanding (and forgiving) client.

The Fairest Isle of All: A simple, quick introduction to a sort of knitting you may not have considered, with surprising, modern projects.

Covering the Small Human: Pint-sized knits, including baby hats, dreamy dresses, and a cool pullover for the ultimate challenge: the Older Child.

Occasional Knitting: Projects for the special occasions in life — holidays, housewarmings, picnics.

The Sophisticated Kitchen: New uses for one of our favorite yarns: kitchen cotton.

We have filled this book with luscious photographs, stories, tips, rules, and hints. You'll read how we arrived at these projects and the discoveries we have made along the way, and you will discover shocking things about us.

At all times, we have kept in mind Mason-Dixon Knitting Rule Number 1: Knitting is spoze to be fun. Fasten your seatbelt — it's going to be a fabulous ride!

Love,
Kay and Ann

"Building on the success of their Web site and blog (masondixonknitting.com), Gardiner and Shayne wind their way through patterns for adults, children and homes, including patterns by other knitwear designers such as Bonne Marie Burns. Helpful and humorous sidebars discuss the pitfalls of the sweater coat (including 'bathrobe syndrome'), the beauty of Shetland wool, how to make a stitch marker out of citrus peel or tin foil, and the 'Holy Crap'; moment, where a pattern breakthrough occurs. Gardiner and Shayne alternate personal anecdotes throughout, with an especially enjoyable piece by Shayne about participating in the Tennessee State Fair knitting contest. With pattern names like 'Stephen Colbert's socks' and 'Golightly Kitchen Gloves,' Gardiner and Shayne demonstrate that the secret of knitting is that 'the longer you knit, the more fun it gets.'" Publishers Weekly (Reed Business Information, Inc.)

"Along with the patterns comes some sympathizing and plenty of down-home philosophizing. The range of projects is deep and wide, everything from sweaters for both adults and children, through Christmas stockings and tote bags, to towels." Booklist

"The dynamic duo of the knitting blogosphere return for their second book of best-knitting pal chitchat and practically perfect designs." Knit Simple

"My favorite knitting books are the ones that make you feel like you're sinking into a comfy chair and having tea and a chat with a knitting crony....Mason-Dixon Knitting Outside the Lines...fits the bill." The Oregonian

The much-anticipated companion to the authors' bestselling knitting book features a new batch of addictive patterns and cheerful mayhem — from the duo who reinvented the knitting-pattern book by combining beautiful knitting projects with smart, hilarious writing. 100 full-color photos.

Dear Fellow Knitter,

Welcome! Come on in. Have a seat—weve been waiting for you.

Ever since our first book, Mason-Dixon Knitting: The Curious Knitters Guide, weve been exploring techniques and ideas that we once thought were the sort of thing that only brilliant knitters could do.

Our conclusion: We are all brilliant knitters!

None of this is rocket science! If you can knit a garter stitch scarf, youve figured out the hard part. Now its time for the fun to start. You hold in your hands the result of our odyssey. Its a new collection of 30 delicious projects that we hope will take you on your own knitting adventures.

Decorating Yourself: A collection of beautiful things to make for your most demanding (and forgiving) client.

The Fairest Isle of All: A simple, quick introduction to a sort of knitting you may not have considered, with surprising, modern projects.

Covering the Small Human: Pint-sized knits, including baby hats, dreamy dresses, and a cool pullover for the ultimate challenge: the Older Child.

Occasional Knitting: Projects for the special occasions in life—holidays, housewarmings, picnics.

The Sophisticated Kitchen: New uses for one of our favorite yarns: kitchen cotton.

We have filled this book with luscious photographs, stories, tips, rules, and hints. Youll read how we arrived at these projects and the discoveries we have made along the way, and you will discover shocking things about us.

At all times, we have kept in mind Mason-Dixon Knitting Rule Number 1 : Knitting is spoze to be fun. Fasten your seatbelt—its going to be a fabulous ride!

Love,

Kay and Ann

KAY GARDINER and ANN SHAYNE met on an online knitting message board years ago, and their correspondence has grown into a community of more than 150,000 knitters who regularly log on to www.masondixonknitting.com.

KAY GARDINER learned to knit as a child, but put aside her needles for twenty years to obtain a law degree from Columbia, become an Assistant United States Attorney in Manhattan, and start a family. Lucky for knitters everywhere, she returned to knitting with a vengeance.

After a stint in the New York publishing world, ANN SHAYNE returned to her hometown of Nashville to edit BookPage. She has since chosen to devote her time to her family, to writing—and to knitting.