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Giveaway: Mason-Dixon Knitting Audiobook

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mason-dixon knitting audiobook giveaway

Anne is our winner!

This week’s giveaway is brought to you by me cleaning my office. I have a copy (on CD) of Mason-Dixon Knitting Outside the Lines, by Kay Gardiner and Ann Shayne.

The thing about an audio knitting book is that it doesn’t contain the patterns from the book, but there are lots of little stories in the book that are here, and it’s read by the authors, which is a lot of fun.

The recording is on three CDs and runs three hours and 30 minutes. I’m pretty sure I only listened to it once, so it should be in really good condition. I don’t think the company that made it exists anymore.

If you’d like a chance to win this one, leave a comment on this post before the end of the day Sunday, October 2. I’d love to know which one of your far-flung friends you’d like to start a blog with. I’d pick my friend Jamie, who makes jewelry in Massachusetts, takes wonderful photographs and writes amazing poetry.

Thanks for visiting, commenting and sharing, and good luck!

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Comments

  1. I would really like to have this,i’ve done crafts all my life like my mom and grandma before her. The blog i would like to start is with my niece Lindsey who also does a lot of crafting. I live half a continent away from her but still feel a strong connection with her and her 6 kids. Thanks for the consideration

  2. I have never had any desire to start a blog, but I do love listening to audio books as I knit!
    lindarumsey on Ravelry

  4. I listen to audiobooks as I fly to various knitting events. A book of knitting stories would be fun to listen to on the way. I might enjoy doing a blog with my youngest daughter.

  7. I would start a blog with my dear friend Paul where we would mock our mutual conservative upbringing. I’d love to win the audiobook!

  8. My best friend is one of the best knitters I know. She is constantly knitting up her unique back zippered baby jackets: every grandchild of her friends and every child born to one of her coworkers has received a Jenn Jacket as a gift. I’d love to win this for her so she could have it to listen to when driving the 9 hrs to visit her grandchildren!

Have you read?

Book Review: Brooklyn Tweed’s Knit & Crochet Blankets

Blankets are a great blank slate project that you can change up in a million different ways. From color to stitch pattern to size, the possibilities are almost endless.

Jared Flood, the designer behind Brooklyn Tweed, was inspired by a log cabin quilt his mother made in 1995 to re-create that design in knitting, which led to more blankets and ultimate Brooklyn Tweed’s Knit and Crochet Blankets, which includes 25 patterns from an array of designers using different skills and techniques to make cozy, pretty blankets.

The patterns are divided into three aesthetic themes: traditions, minimalism and colorplay. The patterns are rated on a scale of one to five, with one being the easiest, and there aren’t any pieces rated five. Two blankets are rated one, 14 are two, eight are three and one is four. 

In addition, three of the 25 patterns are crocheted, but they either use single crochet or granny stitch, so they are pretty easy even if you don’t do a lot of crochet. You can see all the patterns on Ravelry.

Some of my favorites include Rattan by Rastus Hsu, a chunky blanket worked in knits and purls with simple crossing stitches to make a raised woven look; Homewood by Seth Richardson, covers in dramatic, loopy cables; Ainur Berkimbayeva’s Tessellate, one of the beginner projects that doesn’t really look beginner but is totally worked in knit and purl stitches; Warp + Weft by Aist? Butkevi?ien?, which is mostly knits and purls but makes a fun woven look fabric that blew my mind a little bit; and the same designer’s Canyonland, a multicolored blanket with wavy stripes.

The patterns tell you how to resize them for different dimensions and include information on pattern repeats where it is possible to make a totally custom size.

Many different techniques are included here such as cables, lace, shadow knitting, intarsia and other colorwork techniques, as well as modular knitting and lots of sewing pieces together. The patterns are all presented with charts, but there are line by line written instructions available on the Brooklyn Tweed website if you need them.

The book ends with a deep dive into log cabin knitting, telling the story of the quilt Jared’s mom made and how he made it in knitting, as well as the multitude of variations you can make if you want your own log cabin style design.

The back of the book includes a little written information about some of the special techniques needed, but there are no photos.

This is a lovely book full of inspiration for knitting and crochet blankets for any skill level. If you like to make blankets as gifts or aspire to have a handmade blanket in every room of the house, these designs would be a great place to start.

About the book: 192 pages, paperback, 25 patterns. Published 2024 by Abrams Books, suggested retail price $24.99.

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