Welcome to SpinKnit 2011 from Interweave!

Look at the cover! Spindle, plus sheep equals hat! Love. It!

Well, we all know there’s more to it, that’s why the folks at Interweave bring us these mouth watering magazines! In this issue articles discuss traditional textiles (cedar fibers) from the Pacific Northwest (Forks, WA to be specific – sound familiar, Twilight fans?) and Mexico, the science and skill that go into creating beautiful, yet functional spindles, sheep that are double coated and subsist on seaweek (yes, really!), and a spinning technique called “tail spinning”. Patterns too! I love these books, even the ads are enticing. And, since it’s an EMag, it’s totally interactive.

Click on the links that give you videos and slideshows on spinning trees into yarn. And I’m pretty sure that if this pail of spindles arrived at my house I’d think I died and went to heaven!

I just love reading about the rare sheep breeds, you know the ones, they take what little food they can find and turn it into the most exquisite fleece imaginable, and the shepherds and shepherdesses who tend these flocks, where they are, how they live, it’s all in here, and great reading.

And then when you think you’ve extracted every ounce of yummy goodness out of this emag, there’s the video at the end. Watch the lamb races, and the poor sheep mothers who have to try to keep up with them. Cute!

Available as a digital download for both PC and Mac, you HAVE to see this one!

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.

Have you read?

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