The Curse Of The Boyfriend Sweater

The Curse of the Boyfriend Sweater is a memoir about life truths learned through crafting. People who craft know things. They know how to transform piles of yarn into sweaters and scarves. They know that some items, like woolen bikini tops, are better left unknit. They know that making a hat for a newborn baby isn’t just about crafting something small but appreciating the beginnings of life, which sometimes helps make peace with the endings. They know that if you knit your boyfriend a sweater, your relationship will most likely be over before the last stitch. Alanna Okun knows that crafting keeps her anxiety at bay. She knows that no one will ever be as good a knitting teacher as her beloved grandmother. And she knows that even when we can’t control anything else, we can at least control the sticks, string, and fabric right in front of us. Okun lays herself bare and takes readers into the parts of themselves they often keep hidden. Yet at the same time she finds humor in the daily indignities all crafters must face (like when you catch the dreaded Second Sock Syndrome and can’t possibly finish the second in a pair). Okun has written a book that will speak to anyone who has said to themselves, or to everyone within earshot, “I made that.”

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

It happened in seconds. In New York City everything moves so quickly. Seldom does time slow down enough that you're able to recognize the carefully worked seed stitch on a hand-knit, dark blue, Merino wool sweater; especially on a girl blazing past you at rush hour speed. But I saw it. It was my sweater. Why was she wearing the sweater I knitted for him? Curse of the Boyfriend Sweater, a novel featuring seven original knitting patterns, is a light-hearted tale of love, loss, friendships, and knitting.

For fans of Gillian Flynn and Tana French, a chilling story of a Northern Irish murder sixty years buried Sara Keane’s husband, Damien, has uprooted them from England and moved them to his native Northern Ireland for a “fresh start” in the wake of her nervous breakdown. Sara, who knows no one in Northern Ireland, is jobless, carless, friendless—all but a prisoner in her own house. When a blood-soaked old woman beats on the door, insisting the house is hers before being bundled back to her care facility, Sara begins to understand the house has a terrible history her husband never intended for her to discover. As the two women form a bond over their shared traumas, Sara finds the strength to stand up to her abuser, and Mary—silent for six decades—is finally ready to tell her story . . . Through the counterpoint voices—one modern Englishwoman, one Northern Irish farmgirl speaking from half a century earlier—Stuart Neville offers a chilling and gorgeous portrait of violence and resilience in this truly haunting narrative.

This collection of men's sweater projects presents classic designs and trendy fashion-forward pieces, forgoing the stereotypical Mr. Rogers and Bill Cosby variety of sweater. Offering tips for overcoming men's reluctance to wear sweaters, this book provides the tools needed for making the right choices in fit, color, texture, and style to create beautiful, masculine knitted sweaters. Explored are how to understand his personal style and which colors and textures flatter particular physiques so that the sweater will be both enjoyable to knit and a favorite to wear. Patterns for Arans, Argyle, basket case, and cable rib are included for knitting cardigans, pullovers, V-necks, vests, and accessories such as scarves and gloves. Although intended for men, these sweaters have great unisex appeal and were developed for both new and seasoned knitters.

The expert knitter and author of Hooked for Life shares an irreverent guide to the loopy world of knitting jargon from “Acrylic” to “Yarn Porn”. If you’ve ever wanted to know what knitters really mean when they say “frog”, “WIP”, or “stash”, The Secret Language of Knitters is for you. Written by acclaimed crafting author Mary Beth Temple, this dictionary will make you laugh as you learn the ins and outs of knitting terminology. Ideal for the knitting novice as well as the yarn-obsessed, it includes entries such as: * Design Elements noun: Mistakes. As in “The fact that one sleeve is five inches longer than the other is not a mistake, it is a design element.” * Moth noun: The devil incarnate, eater of both stash and finished objects. Should be treated with a zero-tolerance attitude. * Stress Knitting noun: When the going gets tough, the tough get knitting.

Whether you want to learn how to crochet or you’re looking for new projects to try, Creative Play with Crochet is for you! Featuring 12 projects that start easy and introduce a new technique one design at a time, this exciting guide contains crochet patterns you won’t find anywhere else! Filled with personality and color, follow step-by-step instructions and skill-building tutorials to create a collection of charming crochet projects, from a beehive mobile and a kitchen play mat to toys, beanies, scarves, and more!

"Lolly Salt's three sisters are sirens--young women who lure ships to their doom--and as Lolly's 13th birthday approaches she's about to become one too. But when it becomes clear that someone in town knows the Salt girls secret, Lolly sets out to learn how this happened to her family and if she can prevent it"--