Knitting

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Giveaway: Knitting Ephemera

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knitting ephemera book review

Mary is the winner.

It’s fun to know about knitting history and some of the funny stories, legends and trivia that go into this craft we love. Whether these facts are amusing to friends or only to us doesn’t really matter. It’s nice to be able to throw out a fact about the origins of the sock knitting machine or the story behind a figure of speech derived from fiber arts.

If you like that sort of thing you’ll love Carol J. Sulcoski’s book, Knitting Ephemera, which collects a lot of knitting lore and fibery fun.

I’m giving away a copy of the book this week, so if you’d like to win it, leave a comment on this post before the end of the day Sunday, June 12. Do you know any knitting trivia or knitting jokes? Who would you share this knowledge with? I’d love to hear your thoughts.

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Comments

  1. Unfortunately I do not know any knitting jokes. I might share this book with a friend of mine who also likes to knit.

  2. I am new to learn knit, and I wish to win this beautiful book because I love it’s content. You are lovely people…….Iam your big fan from Pakistan.

  3. Here’s a knitting joke – What happened to the cat who ate a ball of yarn? She had mittens!

  5. I don’t know anyone else that knits but this would be awesome for my own enjoyment.

  7. I was driving on the motorway but the traffic was dreadful, I was at a standstill, so I pulled out my knitting. A police motorcyclist drove up beside me and shouted through the open window ‘pull over’, ‘no’, I replied, holding up my project, ‘socks’, I said! (ah, the oldies are the best!)
    I’d share this with my knit night friends in the pub.

  8. My husband is a master of trivia and frequency shares facts with me. I would love to be able to share knitting trivia with him.

  9. The world’s largest knitting needles and crochet hook are in my hometown – Casey, IL!

  11. I don’t know if this would be considered trivia or just dating myself, but back when I first started knitting, stores like K-mart, Sears, Woolworth (remember them?) and S.S. Kresge sold yarn. They only had acrylic worsted and baby yarn – not all of the selections that are out now, which make you drool!! lol As a matter of fact, I still have a few skeins in my stash, if you can believe it, since I inherited my Mother’s yarn, after she passed away. The craft stores sold things like mohair, which were considered exotic, and a couple other types, but it was mostly acrylic yarn that was available. I had to stop knitting for a few years, due to a severe hand and arm injury, so you could imagine my surprise and joy once I was able to walk into my LYS and saw what was available!! This book is going to be like going back in time for me, and I’m really not that old!! Thank you for the giveaway!!

  12. I don’t know anyone who knits so at times I feel lonely. Reading books about knitting makes me feel connected.

  14. As a Knitter for some 57 years, I would love to know the history of knitting. I have knitted for 4 children, 11 grandchildren, family members, friends and for charity – teddy bears, blanket squares, warn clothing and more.

  15. Love the knitting jokes but some of my knitting is a joke, so I guess it works out! The book sounds fascinating, but if I don’t win it….where can i get a copy?????

  17. I love Carol Sulcoski, i got to take a class from her once. This sounds like a book I need on my bookshelf.

  18. No knit jokes here, I would love to read this book! And better yet, win it! I’d swap trivia and jokes with my knit/crochet pals!

  22. Would love this book! There have been so many changes since I began knitting about 40 years ago as a teen. I think back and remember stores like Woolworth and Kresge were some of the few places to buy yarn. I would visit them weekly looking for new colors, books, patterns…really anything to add yo my stash. Thanks so much for the chance to win this awesome book!

  23. I’ve been wanting to read this book. I’d share knitting trivia and jokes with my mom, who taught me to knit as a child.

  25. I don’t know any knitting jokes. But I would love to win this book and learn some! Thanks

  28. I have never knitted. 🙂 But really would love to start. This would be a lovely way to get started. such a great Idea

  29. I don’t know any knitting jokes, thanks for the chance to win this awesome book!
    Kim R.

Have you read?

Learn a Flower Bobble Technique to Knit a Fun Shawl

Generally I like knitting patterns where I feel like you can use whatever yarn you have (because my stash is big enough and I want to use it, thanks) and make a successful project. This is one of those times when a special yarn makes the process that much easier. 

The Floral Bouquet Shawl from Xandy Peters uses a specific extended color pooling yarn from Feisty Fibers, which allows you to place the bobble flowers with increasing frequency as you knit the project. 

It starts with a solid color yarn, then the two color yarn is added in, and you make a bobble whenever you encounter the color pops. This would be hard to replicate with other yarn that doesn’t have the extended color pooling built in.

The background of the shawl is ribbed, making the project reversible. 

The shawl uses fingering/sock yarn and comes out to be an asymmetrical triangle that’s 54 inches/137 cm long and 36 inches/ 90 cm deep and 60 inches/150 cm across the top edge. 

Xandy says the pattern is for intermediate to advanced knitters. Knowing how to work traditional bobbles would probably help, but there’s a great video tutorial for how to work the floral bobbles so you can practice on other yarn or even incorporate the bobbles into other projects. 

The bobbles are five-petaled flowers but they also kind of look like starfish to me, which could be fun on a child’s cardigan or other pattern. They’d also be fun on the leg of a sock or around the brim of a hat for extra whimsy. 

The pattern includes photo and video tutorials, and written and charted instructions. It also includes tips on what to look for if you choose to use different yarn for the project, and instructions on how to dye your own yarn to use in the project. 

If you want to give it a try, you can find the pattern on Ravelry. 

[Photo: Xandy Peters]