Knitting Pearls

“Engaging . . . tangled stories of family relationships, expectations and traditions . . . compelling, regardless of the reader’s experience with the craft.”—Portland Press Herald In Knitting Pearls, two dozen writers write about the transformative and healing powers of knitting. Lily King remembers the year her family lived in Italy, and a knitted hat that helped her daughter adjust to her new home. Laura Lippman explores how converting to Judaism changed not only Christmas but also her mother’s gift of a knitted stocking. Jodi Picoult remembers her grandmother and how through knitting she felt that everlasting love. And Bill Roorbach remembers his freshman year in college when knitting soothed his broken heart and helped him fall in love again. Other contributors include Steve Almond, Ann Leary, Christina Baker Kline, Lee Woodruff, and knitting rock stars Jared Flood of Brooklyn Tweed and the Yarn Whisperer, Clara Parks. With knitting patterns from renowned stores such as Purl Soho, Hill Country Weavers, and Churchmouse Yarns, Knitting Pearls is by turns delightful and heartbreaking, joyous and wise. These personal stories by award-winning writers celebrate the moments of loss and love intertwined in the rhythm, ritual, and pleasure of knitting.

Knit one . . . It's been a busy few years since Jo Mackenzie lost her husband. Life has brought adventure, surprises, unexpected pleasures, and, of course, lots of knitting. Jo's seaside yarn shop, with a brand new café , has taken off, keeping her busier than ever. And being a single mum to two boys and headstrong toddler Pearl is just as exhausting and enchanting as she thought it would be. On top of all that, celebrity diva Grace has a secret; Jo's firecracker best friend Ellen is launching a new television series; and lovable but hapless Martin continues his oft misguided attempts to woo Jo. Just when Jo thinks she has about all she can handle, Daniel, Pearl's globe-trotting dad, turns up out of the blue . . . Purl one . . . But with a little help from her friends, and her beloved Gran, Jo is building a new life for herself by the sea, stitch by stitch. Warm and witty, Knit One Pearl One will delight new readers to the Beach Street series and give the legions of existing fans a chance to visit the British seaside again, without having to worry about the weather.

The warm and witty sequel to The Beach Street Knitting Society and Yarn Club Slip one . . . Two weddings and a year after her husband's funeral, Jo Mackenzie is finally starting to get the hang of being a single parent. The boys are thriving, the yarn shop is doing well--thanks to Jo's improvements--and she's just about keeping her head above water. Knit two together . . . But a man from Jo's past and a new romance with the hunky local carpenter come along and make life a whole lot more interesting. Cast off . . . Can Jo cope when things get really complicated? Because if knitting really does keep you sane when life starts to unravel, Jo's going to need much bigger needles.

Illustrated with beautiful color photography, this pattern book offers fun and imaginative scarf designs for knitters of all levels. Scarves are often the first garments beginning knitters try. Then, when they feel ready for a greater creative thrill, they move on to other types of garments. In Knitting New Scarves, Lynne Barr beckons all levels of knitters back to their humble beginnings and then wows them with 27 spectacularly modern designs, each created using an innovative new technique or a unique take on a traditional one. This novel approach, which dares knitters to rethink what is possible by simply manipulating knits and purls, leads to a collection of flattering, functional, and fun-to-make accessories. Imagine a scarf that looks like a strand of black pearls or unfolds like an accordion, one that playfully draws inspiration from the famed Chanel jacket or a twisting futuristic high-rise. Every scarf is shown in its finished form in beautiful still-lifes by photographer Tyllie Barbosa, and, when unusual techniques are called for, up-close step-by-step photos are provided as well. This means every scarf in this masterful collection is both captivating and accessible for all levels of knitters.

This printed Knit Stitch Pattern Book gives you 50 unique hand-knit designs. Easily understand exactly how to create each texture stitch-by-stitch with chart diagrams and written instructions to knit both flat and in the round. Patterns in this book are organized by their row repeats, beginning with the simplest 2-row repeats and advancing up to more intricate 28-row repeats. Knit and Purl techniques only! This book was created by YouTuber Kristen McDonnell from Studio Knit, the popular knitting channel. Find video tutorials for each pattern on her website!

Knitting and beading can blend. Projects include spool-knitted wire and bead jewelry, elegant purses highlighted with beaded fringes, and more.

A collection of essays about the transformative power of knitting from 27 contemporary authors, including Ann Patchett, Barbara Kingsolver, John Dufresne, and Joyce Maynard.

Covering the basics of wire knitting, this manual presents a range of 30 innovative and beautiful projects, from simple to more complex, with clear directions and illustrations. Appealing to knitters, beadworkers, wireworkers, and jewelry makers, the guide offers a complete description of tools and techniques, embellishing with beads, and making finishes for the project. A history of this unusual technique is also explored, along with tips for independent projects.