Knitting

Big Girl Knits: 25 Big, Bold Projects Shaped for Real Women with Real Curves

This is the first knitting pattern book I've bought in a while. I've been toying with the idea of actually making myself a sweater. I understand the theory, having been sewing just as long as anything else, but I'm not enough of a knitter to pull patterns out of my butt. It takes a long time to make a sweater, even when you aren't doing it from handspun, so I didn't want to screw it up a dozen times working it out. But all the patterns I see are hideous for anybody who has more curves than your average popsicle stick.

But here is how to cover your backside in handknits without coming out looking like a big fuzzy blob. Not only are there patterns, but advice on how to alter as needed and no assumptions about where or how you meet the qualifications of "Big Girl." No size 99 needles, no Fun Fur and no drop shoulders. There's a lot of "Hip Urban Knitter" attitude, but behind it these women know what they are talking about and will walk you through the rough spots. You can also visit their website at Big Girl Knits

Knitting Without Tears

The late Elizabeth Zimmermann was known to hate to purl. So do I. This book has been around for a good long time and it stands up to modern, hip, trendy knitting by offering classic patterns that can be easily adjusted to fit and, more importantly, ideas for tinkering with patterns in general. I'm lousy at following patterns, I want something I can remember without having to carry around a pattern book and simple enough I can work on anywhere. I want to knit in the round because I hate stitching seams, something else this book aims to eliminate by clever design. I'm really not much of a knitter, in that I lust after the latest fancy pattern. I just want to be able to make some nice, practical knitwear I'm not embarrassed to wear.