The Mail Arrived!

The title sounds like something a retired person would cheer about, as an event to break up an otherwise tiresome day.  Not so for this RP (retired person.)

The mail brings a regular supply of used books I order from Abe Books.  Love that site.  Lots of used book sellers in one place; thorough reviews of both the seller and the book; customer service is grand.  So I buy from them a lot -- especially knitting books.

I use my knitting books a lot.  I enjoy searching out the best way to execute a particular technique.  Patterns are always fun to browse and dream about.  Finishing a garment has its special challenges so the books help in that area.

Here's the newest volume I've added to my library.  It's from 1993, author is a Spanish woman named Montse Stanley.  Great details on all techniques from beginning to finishing.  I especially like the section titled "For Beginners in a Hurry."  That way the eager learner can get started right away, minimizing what can be the intimidating aspects of knitting.

Montse Stanley -- a really great handbook.
If you're just getting started, go to Abe Books and buy a used copy.
The one in the picture is 'gently used.'

Nancie Wiseman is a knitting expert I turn to for details on finishing, lace, cables, entrelac, etc.  Here are two of her books I use a lot.

Big Book of Knitting is another great one, as are two magazine volumes I've had since the 70's.  The mags are from Mon Tricot  (which I think means My Knitting, in French, and the French-speaking readers can correct me.)  Great books of stitches and specialities like pockets and v-necks and buttonholes.  You probably never imagined that two needles and yarn would require so many books!

Big Book of Knitting (Buss) with a very famous reprint
from Elizabeth Zimmerman, "Knitting without Tears."
And there's Nancie's book again, the best book ever
for finishing techniques.

Here's one of the two volumes I have from the old
Mon Tricot.  Notice it includes crochet also.

Oven alert!!!  That's what I get for believing I can multi-task.  Almost burned a batch of cookies.  They're chocolate with mint chips and ooooh so good.  Can you smell them?  Chocolate dough comes, not from that awful dry cocoa, but from melting butter (1/2 cup) with semi-sweet choc chips.  Too wonderful for words.

More on the books -- 

A must-have if you're going to try Lace Knitting.
In this volume the charming and talented Jane Sowerby
explores and explains the early knitters who put patterns into print
during Victorian days.  Jane collects those beautiful ideas and stitch patterns
into a collection of perfectly wonderful lace shawls and scarves.
BTW:  The photography in this book is worth the cost of the book.
Alexis Xenakis, of XRX is the picture-taker.

Start your own library today.  Knitpicks usually has 40% off on some collection of titles.  Interweave on line always has a sale on patterns or books.  And never forget to browse your LYS (local yarn shop) to see what new thing might not have made it to the used book category yet. 

If the Santa in your life asked you to give some ideas -- what's better than a good knitting book.

Nancy Pearl Friday

If you know books you know Nancy Pearl.  She's the former librarian for the Seattle library.  Here's a link to her site:  Nancy Pearl

Today, thanks to a retirement gift, I was privileged to dine with Nancy at Campagne, a French bistro in Seattle's Pike Place Market.  (So now that I've dropped all those place names, let's get on with the substance of the wonderful lunch.)

What else!  Books and books and more books.  Nancy travels all over the world, knows the editors and how they select books, has her own book agent (of course), and speaks about books to a variety of audiences.

But none of us is defined by what we do, but rather by who we are.  And Nancy is warm, humorous, genuine, in a word -- delightful.  We spent a too-quickly-passing two hours discussing authors, genre, why some books work and others don't, how much your mood can effect your choice of what to read.

What a wonderful time for me to be able to share my love of reading with a reading pro.  Yes, I came away with a few recommendations, some for me and some for grandson Sid.  And actually, Nancy also walked away with a suggestion or two from me.

We parted on a rainy corner in stormy Seattle, she with her take-away box from Campagne and my book list from 10+ years; me with a warm memory of an engaging intellect, fascinating conversationalist, and a list of books that will go immediately to the top of my reading list.

No knitting today, just book talk with a reading celebrity:  Nancy Pearl, the only librarian with her own bobble-head doll that sssshhhushes.