I consider myself mostly a weaver who occasionally knits. (This is a pretty amazing statement, considering how little weaving I've been doing lately. Hope springs eternal.)Recently, I checked out a knitting book from the library, and I am COMPLETELY in love with this book! I'm definitely going to have to purchase my own copy, because it's one I know I will come back to again and again and again.
The book is called Unexpected Knitting, by Debbie New, and it is a feast in so many ways. The photographs are stunning and beautiful, but even better - it is full of the most incredible IDEAS. She discusses a variety of knitting design techniques, then for each one has a specific example of something to make using that technique. The techniques are:
- Free form knitting
- Scribble lace knitting
- Swirl knitting
- Sculptural
- Virtual Knitting
- Cellular Automaton Knitting
- Ouroborus Knitting
- Labyrinth Knitting
I like some of her subheadings, too...
- For those who like to jump right in
- Learning to love your mistakes
- An elegant muddle
- The Better Mousetrap Sock and other sculptures
- "Knitting" the impossible
- Self-generating patterns
- Playing with mitered rings
- Long space-filling strips
To cap it off, there's an Appendix with all the basic techniques you will need.
Let's just say if I were stranded on a desert island and I could only have one knitting book with me, this would be it!
4 comments:
Thanks for the book review. That looks like a really interesting book.
It's pretty expensive. I might have to see if I can get it at the library.
I like the idea of knitting on a deserted island sometimes!!
Sue
Yep, Sue, it is expensive - that's why I checked this one out from the library. I did find used copies on amazon.com and abebooks.com, though, so I may end up buying a copy if I get some unexpected Xmas money. :-)
I just love books that launch tons of "what-if" scenarios in my mind.
Unfortunately, my library doesn't have a copy of this book. I might have to request that they buy one!
Meanwhile, I spent a few minutes on Ravelry this afternoon doing a search for projects from that book. It turned up a really interesting group of projects. It made me more curious to see the book. It does seem like unusual knitting that makes you think.
Or maybe I'll add it to my Christmas list!!
Sue
Deanna,
Thanks so much for your encouraging comment about your most difficult weaving experience. I really appreciate you taking the time, and it helps me to know that other weavers have experiences like that.
My local circle of weavers is basically made of weaving teachers. They are long past the type of mistakes I make, so I often feel like a dunce. The online weaving world has helped me to see that there are all kinds of weavers making all kinds of things. And that I'm not the only one who makes big mistakes.
I poked around on your blog trying to see if you'd written about that project and couldn't find it. But I did find that you write software? I didn't realize that before. No wonder you and I are compatible! I was a software developer too! (Couldn't decide whether to say "am" or "was" in that sentence. When I was 35 I went on "sabbatical", and have become so accustomed to not working that I'm not sure what I'd do if it was time to work again. Something involving engineering and talking....two things I do well - but I don't like to do too much engineering without a lot of talking interspersed!!
Thanks again for your comment and encouragement!!
Sue
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