Oops. Got a little sidetracked what with the whole laryngitis/fever/dizzy thing I came down with a few weeks ago.
But happily in the midst of that, my order from the lovely folks at Knit Picks arrived :) And what came was books :) Knitting books :)
Sadly, the bulk of my knitting books are still in Saskatchewan so I'm trying to build a small library here without duplicating what's back West.
So I have two titles here to ramble about today: The Magic of Shetland Lace Knitting by Elizabeth Lovick and Folks Socks (updated) by Nancy Bush :)
I love lace knitting. I love the stitches and the histories of different areas where it has become an art. I was immediately drawn to The Magic of Shetland Lace Knitting. This book is excellent. The opening chapter gives a lovely overview of the history of knitting in the Shetland islands. There is an essential skills chapter that explains techniques step-by-step. There are even six projects with suggestions on substitute lace patterns to try. My favorite part is the stitch dictionary. Organized by stitch and row count, it's easy to find just the right stitch to set off your current WIP. I'm currently working "Queen's Lace" onto a project! I love how this book is laid out. It's clear and concise. Just what a novice knitter needs to jump into the world of yos and K2togs :) While I'm no novice, the stitch dictionary and the history were of great interest to me. An excellent addition to my library.
Onto Folk Socks by Nancy Bush :) I wanted this book the first time it was out. And before I had a chance to get my hands on it, it was out of print. But now it's back and better :) And I have my own copy! This is such a great book. The history chapters alone are worth the price of admission! Then there are the lovely patterns, updated with more current yarn choices. I have several of Ms. Bush's sock books and have knit several pairs of socks from them. I don't see this one being any different. I especially want a pair of the kilthose! Another fabulous addition to my little library :)
And at nearly 1am (NDT) I think that about wraps things up. Two new books full of possibilities :) I shall dream of FOs ;) And WIPs of course. lol A girl can't forget those.
TTFN
