Synopses & Reviews
When most people think of their grandmothers knitting, they might not immediately see the connection to a modern knitters life. But in
My Grandmothers Knitting, Larissa Brown shows us that nothing could be further from the truth. Many of todays hippest and most popular knitters found their passion for knitting under the tutelage of their grandmother or another revered family member, and in this book, they share stories and patterns inspired by their memories and their gratitude. Among the 26 contributors to
My Grandmothers Knitting are STC Craft authors Wendy Bernard (Custom Knits series), Teva Durham (Loop-d-Loop series), Norah Gaughan (
Knitting Nature), Joan McGowan-Michael (
Knitting Lingerie Style), and Leigh Radford (AlterKnits series and
One More Skein) as well as many other popular designers such as Jared Flood, Cookie A., Ysolda Teague, Anne Hanson, Kay Gardiner, and Meg Swansen.
Praise for My Grandmother's Knitting:
“This is a pattern book with a twist. . . . Full of useful information and easy-to-knit garments, Custom Knits 2 is a good choice for knitters looking to adapt designs and venture into designing their own garments.” —Creative Knitting Magazine
“In [My Grandmothers Knitting], Brown weaves family stories and early knitting memories of her interview subjects into poignant evidence that todays knitters have a strong connection to the knitters who came before them.” —CraftSanity
“This is a thoroughly charming book . . . A heartfelt celebration of shared creativity.”
—Knitty.com
"Wonderful family stories are shared by those such as Meg Swansen, Norah Gaughan, Kirsten Kapur and Kay Gardiner. The projects in this book, as you can imagine, with the star-studded lineup of designers, are a beautiful assortment of accessories and women's garments. The look and feel of this book is so inviting and beautiful, with lovely photography by Michael Crouser. In all ways, this book is a true work of art and heart." —Petite Purls
Synopsis
The immensely popular knitalongand#151;an organized event where people knit together for a common goaland#151;has only grown with the explosion of the Internet. Yesterdayand#8217;s wartime Red Cross sock drives have evolved into todayand#8217;s meet-ups at locales as diverse as cafes, state fairs, and major league ballparks, as well as international online gatherings; in fact, at any given time tens of thousands of people worldwide are involved in knitalongs, organized around a particular yarn, a favorite social cause, an intriguing project, a special event, or myriad other themes.
Authors Larissa Brown and Martin John Brown present an inspiring look at centuries of people knitting together, and why knitters find the interaction so meaningful and worthwhile. Along the way, they offer 20 projects especially suited for different types of knitalongs. The Barn Raising Quilt and the Traveling Scarf, for instance, call on individual knitters to collaborate on a single project; while the Pinwheel Blanket and the Meathead Hat encourage a community of knitters to improvise on the same pattern to come up with a variety of results. Also included is essential information about finding, joining, and starting knitalongs.
Hundreds of knitters participated in the knitalongs hosted by the authors as part of their research, and this book will inspire thousands more to get involved in the knitalong movement. The only book that celebrates this tradition of community and purpose, Knitalong is sure to have a powerful impact.
About the Author
Larissa Brown is a writer and fiber artist whose artwork has been featured in
Fiberarts and
Knit.1 magazines and exhibited in New York, Seattle, Boston, and her hometown of Portland, Oregon. See her art at www.larissabrown.net and read her blog at www.larissmix.typepad.
Martin John Brown is a freelance writer whose work has appeared in MAKE, Sierra, Air and Space/Smithsonian, and American Spirit. Together Larissa and Martin wrote the business book Demystifying Grant Seeking.
Michael Crouser is a Brooklyn- and Minneapolis-based photographer whose clients include BMW, United Airlines, Target, and Nikon. His first monograph was published in 2007.