| A Knitter's Home Companion |
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| Written by Barbara Rottman | |||
 Title: A Knitter's Home Companion: A Heartwarming collection of Stories, Patterns and Recipes
Author: Michelle Edwards Date Published: Spring 2011 Review Date: March 3, 2011
Who is this book for? Knitting is an expressive art. Stitch by stitch, knitters communicate joy, love, whimsy, pride and compassion. Melissa Edwards gives voice to the knitter’s inner motivations in A Knitter’s Home Companion. As the subtitle tells us, here is a heartwarming collection of stories, patterns and recipes. Using the shared language of knitting, Michelle Edwards shares personal reminiscences of her knitting life with sympathetic readers. She points out, “Knitting is not just a metaphor. Knitting is a life.” Knitting is her constant companion, part of every day and everything she does. Like a friend who stops by for a daily chat, knitting is a reliable comrade. These reflections on knitting will resonate with knitters of all stripes. Charming stories supplemented by delightful patterns and recipes open a window to a knitter’s inner life and we find it’s much like any ours. In beautifully told tales, Michelle Edwards gives voice to that urge to knit most knitters feel. In the opening chapter, she tells of using yarn bought on her honeymoon to knit a baby blanket not just for her firstborn, but for her too. She knits a commemorative blanket for each successive child. “They were expressions of hope for these new lives after the loss of my parents, my family anchors. These blankets . . . served me well as artifacts of who I was in my early days of motherhood.” From here, straight through to the end of the book you will feel a personal connection to this author who knits to celebrate, soothe and pass the time. Time tested patterns and recipes are an added bonus.
What Yarn Does it Feature? As a regular contributor to Lion Brand’s electronic newsletter, Michelle Edwards features Lion Brand yarns in her patterns. The yarns are primarily bulky or worsted weight in 100% wool, cotton or acrylic. Readily available and reliable brands like Alpine Wool, Wool Ease, Cotton Ease, Vanna’s Choice, Lion Wool and Lion Brand Cotton Bamboo are used in the models.
What's Inside “Knitting is like belonging to a tribe complete with initiation rituals, customs, rites of passage and language,” writes Michelle Edwards. In four chapters (Motherhood, Home, Community and Legacy), she describes life as a knitter. Hers is a deeply heartfelt impulse, inspired by family, friends, local community and literature. Thought provoking “readalong” passages and quotations from favorite books sprinkled throughout the book add yet another layer of meaning to this lovely book. Like knitting, the food we prepare imprints our lives. Michelle shares nine favorite recipes for foolproof frosting, bread, spaghetti sauce, quiche, roasted vegetables, deviled eggs, latkes, soup, and easy jam. Each is accompanied by a short and savory anecdote. Pencil drawings by the author and sparkling photographs by Jen Gotch further grace the pages of this book.
Using It A Knitter’s Home Companion shares quick and simple projects like the trio of washcloths, easy socks or mittens, baby blanket, and ripple afghan. Use these classic patterns over and over for all occasions. None require more than a few lines of instruction and they are all suitable for carrying in your bag to knit while waiting for appointments or stalled in traffic. The author once knit 100 pairs of mittens in one year; the quick and easy mittens pattern deserves a close look.
Keep this small (6” x 8”) book next to your favorite knitting chair (there’s a chapter on knitting chairs) or drop it into your knitting bag and you will have a constant companion whenever and wherever you are in need. Whether you read this book from cover to cover or morsel by morsel, you will want to come back to it more than once.
Best Advice Knitting is both a social and a solitary craft. Many projects demand total absorption, and must be knit alone in quiet without distractions, leading knitters to think they are alone in the world. The first words of “Welcome” from Michelle Edwards reassure readers they are not alone. No one understood her passion, either. Not her husband who loves learning new things, or her daughters who showed interest but no passion for knitting. For the bond of friendship that comes from a shared compulsion, she found buddies in knitting groups, at local yarn shops, or writing monthly essays for Lion Brand Yarn Company. She’ll be your buddy, too. Just drop this book in your bag and carry it with you.
Many knitters have spoken to and for knitters, perhaps none more eloquently or famously than Elizabeth Zimmermann who urged knitters to be in charge of their knitting and take pride in it. Quoting from EZ’s Knitter’s Almanac In the book’s final essay, “Loops to the End”, Michelle Edwards talks about all the reasons and purposes for which she knits, making “loops to the end of time,” knitting a life for herself. The Opinionated Knitter, Michelle’s favorite book, is excerpted in a “readalong” where Michelle urges knitters to own this book and add their own words along with other knitters’ tributes to Elizabeth Zimmermann. Here is a lesson for all: keep a journal, write down (in pen!) motivations, inspirations, satisfactions and disappointments with your knitting and create a life for yourself.
Recommendation Every knitter will relate to this genuinely heartwarming collection of knitter’s tales. Give a copy to your knitting buddies or share it with a loved one who underappreciates what knitting means to you. Keep a copy by side and mark down your thoughts about knitting. You’ll never again be a lonely knitter. Overall Recommendation A Knitter’s Home Companion rates an enthusiastic #10.
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