In an era of global warming, war, escalating expenses, declining income, and drugs and violence in schools, many mothers feel they have little control over their families or their worlds. Nora Murphy eloquently demonstrates that many women do control one tiny thing: their next stitch. While tracing the frustrations and joys of knitting a sweater for her son through the course of one cold, dark Minnesota winter, Murphy eloquently brings to life the traditions and cultures of women from many backgrounds, including Hmong, American Indian, Mexican, African, and Irish. Murphy’s personal stories — about her struggles to understand esoteric knitting patterns, her help from the shaman of the knit shop, and her challenges sticking with an often vexing project — will appeal to knitters as well as everyone else who has labored to create something from scratch.

This book will take readers on a fascinating journey through the history of sewing and knitting, showcasing how these crafts have evolved over the centuries and their enduring relevance in the modern world. It will appeal to historians, artisans, and anyone with an interest in the textile arts.

A collection of patterns for sweaters, hats, and slippers which incorporate the prints from the textiles of ancient cultures

This heartwarming winter story is perfect for those who love to knit and parents looking to teach their children about the importance of doing good for others! Mrs. Goldman always knits hats for everyone in the neighborhood, and Sophia, who thinks knitting is too hard, helps by making the pom-poms. But now winter is here, and Mrs. Goldman herself doesn't have a hat-she's too busy making hats for everyone else! It's up to Sophia to buckle down and knit a hat for Mrs. Goldman. But try as Sophia might, the hat turns out lumpy, the stitches aren't even, and there are holes where there shouldn't be holes. Sophia is devastated until she gets an idea that will make Mrs. Goldman's hat the most wonderful of all. Readers both young and old will relate to Sophia's frustrations, as well as her delight in making something special for someone she loves. A knitting pattern is included in the back of the book. "[A] celebration of winter mitzvahs, or kind deeds. Karas's adorable, radiant art adds to the heartwarming mood."--The New York Times

Create your dream yarn! Discover the pleasures of designing and building custom-made yarn by spinning it yourself, choosing everything from color to feel and gauge. Jillian Moreno leads you through every step of yarn construction, with detailed instructions and step-by-step photos showing you how to select the fiber you want (wool, cotton, silk, synthetic), establish a foundation, and spin a beautiful yarn with the structure, texture, and color pattern that you want. In addition to teaching you the techniques you need for success, Moreno also offers 12 delicious original patterns from prominent designers, each one showcasing hand-spun yarns.

Easy-to-follow lessons and patterns.solutions to nagging problems.

For Libby Beckett, opening her charming yarn shop, and introducing customers to the joys of knitting and crochet, is the work she was meant to do. Until the yarn she loves is used for murder…. Libby has come home to Collinstown, Maryland to live her dream and open her own yarn shop, aptly named Y.A.R.N., along the Chester River. To Libby, Y.A.R.N. stands for "You're Absolutely Ready Now." But the acronym changes whenever inspiration strikes, and customers add to the list of suggestions that fill the blackboard wall in a shop stuffed with color, fiber, and comfort. Libby is thrilled when she lands famous Norwegian knitting celebrity Perle Langager for a series of events at Y.A.R.N. Libby's English bulldog, Hank, has been modeling one of Perle's doggie sweaters, and customers just can't wait to see Perle in action. The mayor of Collinstown even decrees a Collinstown Yarn Day to celebrate. But once Perle arrives in town, she seems distracted and on edge. And when she's found strangled with a skein of red yarn, Libby knows she has to solve a knotty mystery before her new life unravels.

Every knitter, whether a beginner or an expert, wants easy projects for travel, gifts or those times when following a complex pattern is impractical. Sequence Knitting introduces a radical and simple approach for creating amazing fabrics by working a sequence of stitches over and over again. Beginning with 1-row patterns, the book delves into the possibilities of this technique, expanding into methods for creating complex designs that can be worked back and forth, in the round, or in shapes like triangles. The book includes stitch dictionaries with over 190 fabrics, many of which are new and reversible, as well as over 40 patterns for simple and elegant accessories. This groundbreaking book is sure to become a classic must-have for every knitter s reference library.