[crafty] some crafty books in review

[snugglekitty]

In which the heroine reviews several books she has recently examined, and also lists a number of books she is lusting after.

I am faced with having to consider the following: do I buy books of knitting PATTERNS, or do I buy books of knitting TECHNIQUES (which include books of knitting stitches, how to create patterns, etc)? I feel that I need to buy any decent book of crochet patterns that I can find, because they're so rare, and apt to go out of print quickly. But I'm beginning to be aware of a general desire to make up my own patterns, rather than following the patterns of others. (Surprise, right?)
Because there are so many books that I would LIKE to buy, and I know that I need to limit myself, as well as choosing the general direction my craftiness is going to take. It seems like I want to get deeper and deeper into the process, and I'm always doing substitutions and alterations... so I suspect that books on knitting techniques are the way to go.



I have been reviewing some knitting stitch dictionaries, and what I have decided is that Barbara Walker's guides rock. I actually kind of like that the pictures are in black and white - the definition is great, and the descriptions of what you do for each stitch are simply marvelous. It makes me glad that I didn't just buy the Reader's Digest Guide when I saw it looking all pretty and shiny in the bookstore.

I have out of the library right now Knitting on the Edge by Nicky Epstein. This is basically a guide to all kinds of knitted edgings. It's very comprehensive, with gorgeous pictures. It is so pretty! I want it.

Another book I have out of the library that actually didn't work for me is Shadow Knitting by Vivian Hoxboro. The technique she describes is neat - creating subtle color patterns by working your knitting through various parts of the stitch - but I didn't like a single one of the patterns, which makes it difficult to see what cool things it could be used for, unless you have a very good visual imagination, which I don't.

And now, we go on to the lust factor. :) Recently I have been planning to start working on dyeing some yarn, which is exciting. I have encountered a couple of books about dyeing which look awesome -
Color by Accident: Low-Water Immersion Dyeing by Ann Johnston and Yarns to Dye For : Creating Self-Patterning Yarns for Knitting by Kathleen Taylor. What I love about the first one is that it's about creating unique and funky one-of-a-kind dye patterns using only a small amount of materials. What I love about the second one is that it's focused on people who want to dye for knitting.

I've also been realizing there's a big gap in my crochet and knitting technique. I don't know how to finish things (ie, shaping and seams that make handmade fiber crafts look professional). Yes, I can block, but that's about it. I think that learning how to finish would add an awesome dimension to my craft. There was a workshop on finishing at Mind's Eye Yarns, but I wasn't in a very functional place for it at the time. starkeymonster turned me on to The Knitter's Book of Finishing Techniques, which I think would be very helpful. I learn well by reading.

More lust books - I'm very interested by the book Knitting Essentials, which is a book of historical knitting patterns. Like heirloom tomatoes, I suspect it will be yummy and unusual.

Then there are two books on modular knitting, which I am interested in checking out. Freeform Knitting and Crochet by Jenny Dowde and Dazzling Knits: Building Blocks to Creative Knitting
by Patricia Werner. Something else that it would be very cool to learn how to do.



I'm just going to have to bite the bullet and drop a bunch of cash on knitting reference books, aren't I? Shit. Well, at least I'm not spending that much on yarn anymore...

Comments

[ceelove.livejournal.com]

Or you could barter for energy work...

[lady-anemone.livejournal.com]

Heh. Yes, I think actually I'm going to be trying to trade some of my frogged yarn in the knitswap community, as well as keeping an eye open for used copies of things.