Check out Franklin Habit in the Lion Brand Notebook

I’m kind of in love with Franklin Habit. The knitter behind the hilarious blog The Panopticon never fails to make me smile with his views on knitting and life. (If you haven’t seen them already, go take a look at the posts about knitting and crochet patterns published in Woman’s Day in the 1970s. You’ll thank me later.)

So I’m really excited that there’s now another place on the web to find him. He’s now doing a monthly column for Lion Brand Yarn that will run in their Weekly Stitch Newsletter. You can also read it online.

The first installment was recently released, and it’s all about the virtues of knitting for yourself. I have to tell you I’ve had this exact discussion with myself about how many purchased sweaters I own when I could make something so much nicer for myself.

Go, read, and let’s make this the year we all do a little more knitting for the person who will most appreciate it — and don’t you dare call it selfish!

[Photo via Lion Brand Yarn.]

Next Pattern:

In the interest of full disclosure, I’ve never watched Gilmore Girls. I know I probably should, but I feel like I wasn’t quite the right age for it when it came out and I’ve never gone back to watch it. That said, fans of the show are sure to enjoy these knit homages to the beloved characters from Stars Hollow in Gilmore Girls: The Official Knitting Book.

Edited by Tanis Gray, the book includes 29 projects for hats, cowls, scarves, socks, mitts, garments and home decor designed by a variety of stitchers.

Six of the projects are rated easy, 17 intermediate and six for advanced knitters.

The projects are sometimes literally inspired by the show, such as the tam Rory wore when she went golfing with her grandfather, while others incorporate icons, quotes (like “I smell snow”) and logos (Luke’s Diner) from the show.

There’s a hat made to look like newsprint as a nod to Rory’s journalistic aspirations, mitts and gloves for supporting the teams at Stars Hollow High, a beaded lace scarf inspired by Rory’s adventure with the Life and Death Brigade, and a cardigan designed to show Paris’s love of macaroni and cheese.

Some of the patterns are less obviously related to the show, like a cowl with falling leaves or an argyle vest.

Each pattern comes with a quote from the show and a little back story about the cast, different storylines or the inspiration behind the design. The book is scattered with photos from the show and other fun facts about its production.

In the back of the book you’ll find a glossary of techniques (words but no pictures), and the book has a ribbon bookmark to hold your place on the pattern you’re working on.

This book would be a fun gift for a knitter who is a Gilmore Girls fan, or use it to stitch something up for someone who watches this show as their comfort show almost 25 years later.

About the book: 200 pages, hardcover, 29 patterns. Published 2024 by Insight Editions, suggested retail price $34.99

Next Pattern:

Have you read?

Leave a Reply