In this, her first book, she recounts how she came to study hundreds of exquisite Japanese stitch patters and then apply her new knowledge to the sock designs showcased here. Whether short or long, fine or bulky, simple or complex, each of the 30 designs in Knitted Socks East and West is named afer an intriguing aspect of Japanese culture. For example, the leg of the Origami crew socks appears to fold in and out; the Sumo slipper socks are named after the heavy, organic movement of the cables in their thick yarn; and the Ikebana knee socks highlight a textural floral design. Step-by-step text and easy-to-read charts are included for each design, along with illustrated directions for the Japanese stitchwork introduced in the projects.

    In Tudor, England, when Mary, Queen of Scots, was under house arrest, her needlework carried her messages to the outside world. From the political propaganda of the Bayeux Tapestry, World War I soldiers coping with PTSD, and the maps sewn by schoolgirls in the New World, to the AIDS quilt, Hmong story clothes, and pink pussyhats, women and men have used the language of sewing to make their voices heard, even in the most desperate of circumstances. Threads of Life is a chronicle of identity, protest, memory, power, and politics told through the stories of needlework. Clare Hunter, master of the craft, threads her own narrative as she takes us over centuries and across continents—from medieval France to contemporary Mexico and the United States, and from a POW camp in Singapore to a family attic in Scotland—to celebrate the age-old, universal, and underexplored beauty and power of sewing. Threads of Life is an evocative and moving book about the need we have to tell our story.

    Part knitting instruction book and part sassy style guide, this book goes beyond teaching the basics - size, motif placement, and balance principles - and tackles all-new methods for creating knitwear with brilliant colours and sumptuous textures that big girls can wear.

    The skills of the average sock knitter are increased through design exploration and advanced stitch manipulation, treating the sock as a knitted canvas where elements are strategically and intentionally placed. New designs of floral lace patterns, angular geometric shapes, and unusual cables are presented along with detailed instructions on modifications to suit needs and aesthetics. The incredible range of style and complexity in this guide runs from sweet and simple to delightfully imaginative.