Book review: Mason-Dixon Knitting
If you've been trolling the knitting blogs these past few months, chances are you've seen more than one blog post in which someone proudly displays a photo of a just-completed "warshcloth" from Mason-Dixon Knitting: The Curious Knitters' Guide: Stories, Patterns, Advice, Opinions, Questions, Answers, Jokes, and Pictures (wow, they managed to work two colons into that title!), by Kay Gardiner and Ann Meador Shayne, authors of the famous blog that spawned this book.
When I saw the first washcloth posts, I thought, "Meh." I just couldn't see what the big deal was. But I kept reading rhapsodic gushing along the lines of "This is the greatest project ever!" and "I can't stop knitting these things!" "I have to see what all the fuss is about," I thought. So I checked out the book from my library.
Let me tell you this: this is a fabulous book. There are lots and lots of fun projects in here. Not a lot of clothing (there's a simple baby kimono in here that looks great), but lots of household-y things like washcloths, afghans, and felted boxes. (Yes, boxes!) There's a pattern for a knitted dragon motif to sew onto the back of a toddler's jean jacket--and I am so doing one of these as soon as I get my hands on some Noro Kureyon. There's a pattern for everyone, and the surrounding text is, well, nice. It's not smarmy or clever or know-it-all or dumbing-down or anything. It's like sitting around with people in your local knitting group and having a nice chat.
I immediately added this book to my to-get list. And then I couldn't stand waiting so I got it.
As for the washcloths . . . yes, I've been bitten by that bug. The pattern calls for Peaches and Creme cotton worsted, but I (and many others in blogland) substituted Sugar and Cream cotton worsted, which is available at my local A.C. Moore for $1.49 a ball (on sale this week for $1.17--I picked up four more balls yesterday!). Each washcloth uses two colors, and you can easily get three or maybe even four washcloths from a pair of yarn balls. I knit this one for my mother-in-law . . .
. . . and then reversed the colors in this one, for my friend Beth. The pattern is ridiculously simple (I had it memorized after the first block of the second color), and one thing I love is that if I put this project down (say, to chase after toddler-Godzilla), when I pick it up I know exactly where I am in the sequence. This is the greatest project ever! I can't stop knitting these things!
When I saw the first washcloth posts, I thought, "Meh." I just couldn't see what the big deal was. But I kept reading rhapsodic gushing along the lines of "This is the greatest project ever!" and "I can't stop knitting these things!" "I have to see what all the fuss is about," I thought. So I checked out the book from my library.
Let me tell you this: this is a fabulous book. There are lots and lots of fun projects in here. Not a lot of clothing (there's a simple baby kimono in here that looks great), but lots of household-y things like washcloths, afghans, and felted boxes. (Yes, boxes!) There's a pattern for a knitted dragon motif to sew onto the back of a toddler's jean jacket--and I am so doing one of these as soon as I get my hands on some Noro Kureyon. There's a pattern for everyone, and the surrounding text is, well, nice. It's not smarmy or clever or know-it-all or dumbing-down or anything. It's like sitting around with people in your local knitting group and having a nice chat.
I immediately added this book to my to-get list. And then I couldn't stand waiting so I got it.
As for the washcloths . . . yes, I've been bitten by that bug. The pattern calls for Peaches and Creme cotton worsted, but I (and many others in blogland) substituted Sugar and Cream cotton worsted, which is available at my local A.C. Moore for $1.49 a ball (on sale this week for $1.17--I picked up four more balls yesterday!). Each washcloth uses two colors, and you can easily get three or maybe even four washcloths from a pair of yarn balls. I knit this one for my mother-in-law . . .
. . . and then reversed the colors in this one, for my friend Beth. The pattern is ridiculously simple (I had it memorized after the first block of the second color), and one thing I love is that if I put this project down (say, to chase after toddler-Godzilla), when I pick it up I know exactly where I am in the sequence. This is the greatest project ever! I can't stop knitting these things!
6 Comments:
sounds like these would make a great "quilt"/afghan ... knit your heart away doing those squares ... then put the abundance into one great big "square" (rectangle, really - but you get the idea)??
That's not a bad idea! Mason-Dixon Knitting is full of afghan and blanket ideas, but I don't think that one's in there. I'm half-tempted to try my hand at a log-cabin afghan (look here: http://www.masondixonknitting.com/archives/2004_02.html#000290). After I deal with my pile of UFOs, of course. :)
tada!!
just drop by to say HI :)
Ok, so I bought this book as part of that Crafters Book Club thing! I cannot wait to get it so I can start making these. I hope I can bang out a half-dozen or so to give as Christmas gifts (with a cool bar of fancy soap) to some people.
Also, that kimono? I want one. For me. My size. The wheels are turning in my head already....
Gina, I have a pattern for an adult-sized kimono. Remind me to show it to you the next time you're over!
Thanks for the warshcloth, I love it! I have got to try it as I have gobs of Sugar and Cream lolling about.
BTW, the book does feature an afghan or rug (forget which) made of these. In the "Fambly Projects" chapter it suggests expanding the squares to 12"x12" and teaching kids the pattern to crank out the squares. Genius!
Thanks for the fantastic gift, homie!
Beth
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