Knitting Yarns And Spinning Tales

DIVKnitting Yarns and Spinning Tales brings to life the unique and universal experiences of knitters from a variety of backgrounds. This exceptional collection combines lighthearted essays with more philosophical pieces from authors and experts such as Meg Swansen, Perri Klass, Lily Chin, Teva Durham, Lela Nargi, Susan Gordon Lydon, Suzyn Jackson, Amy Singer, Greta Cunningham, Laura Billings, Kay Dorn, Betty Christiansen, and Jennifer Hansen, who put down their needles long enough to share their thoughts and musings about the popular pastime. In these entertaining yarns, the authors provide insight into the warmth and enjoyment of knitting and crocheting. Join one writer as she shares a poignant Sunday afternoon in March shearing sheep with her father; travel to Sant ’Arsenio, Italy, where women gather on their door steps to knit, crochet, embroider, and chat; laugh at one woman’s memories of learning to knit in an uncomfortable classroom chair beside a World War II vet named Max; and smile at the essays that delve into the psyche of the knitter. If you live to knit, enjoy the companionship of other knitters, or appreciate the intricate handiwork of a handmade sweater, Knitting Yarns and Spinning Tales is a must-read!/div

"Knitting Yarns and Spinning Tales" brings to life the unique and universal experiences of knitters from a variety of backgrounds.

5 x 7-1/4 224 pgs approx. 25 b&w illustrations

Stories from contemporary writers and from the WPA's Federal Writer's Project tell of knitting through adversity of all kinds. The poignant, often lyrical tales convey the hope found in handiwork.

DIVSometimes it is a cherished knitted item that starts a story, sometimes the quest for another skein of the perfect yarn, and sometimes the way knitting is worked into a memory. There's a reason a "yarn" might be a tale or a thread, drawing us along - as these knitters do with their stories of the knitter’s art. Raveling or unraveling, knitters such as Lily Chin, Betty Christiansen, Teva Durham, Clara Parkes, Caroline Herzog, and Lela Nargi take us into their confidence, sharing with us the whimsy, the insights, and simple pleasure that the age-old craft of knitting has brought into their lives—and now ours. Each story in this wonderful collectionfocuses on one of the best parts of the knitting tradition - making a gift for someone special, or receiving a gift, or cherishing a gift that has been handed down through the generations./div

Spinning Yarns is a book of short stories about yarn, knitters, fleece, and sheep. The author faces new challenges when she decides to create yarn. Her struggles and triumphs are told with light humor as when her sister attempts to help her achieve her goal by buying sheep. Fresh illustrations by Audrey Renelle Sieg bring the stories to life. The charming drawings depict country life in true beauty. Throughout the book, knitters share more than their knowledge about their craft-they share friendship.

For as long as people have knitted, they have gathered to share their craft--and each other’s company. Knitting bees brought industrious colonists together to socialize. Knitters joined forces during the World Wars to knit warm socks for soldiers. And today the bond between knitters is as strong as ever, with knitting circles springing up in neighborhood coffee shops and community centers, making their way online, and taking up social causes. This book puts the knitting circle, with all its profit and pleasures, within reach of anyone who wants to Knit It Together. A delightful, practical resource for knitters hoping to start or join a circle, or for a knitting circle looking for patterns or inspiration, the book provides how-to tips as well as wonderful stories of knitting circles past and present--and best of all, a collection of patterns designed to be completed in a group. Long-time knitter and author Suzyn Jackson includes a brief history of community knitting groups and a list of charities that accept knitted items.

Tells personal knitting stories from women throughout the United States and includes thoughts on such beneficial aspects as the craft's ability to calm one's thoughts.