Step-by-step instructions for knitting projects that can often be completed in a weekend are accompanied by full-color photographs, quotations about knitting, recipes for treats, and tips on stress- reducing activities.

    Exquisite drape married with figure-hugging silhouettes show off a woman’s curves in a most ladylike manner, creating flirtatious and flattering fits to please any knitter. Loosely based on ultra-feminine styles from fashion history, the designs in Romantic Hand Knits have an undeniably modern appeal. • A lace camisole is lengthened and reinvented as a lovely summer slip dress • A late-eighteenth-century corset cover inspires the design for a lacy fitted top with elbow-length sleeves• Silk stockings favored by Elizabethan ladies of the royal court return in a sexy and fresh incarnationWith the new fibers available today, knitting guru Annie Modesitt knits up fabrics that cling delicately to a woman’s body, creating an elegant hand-tailored look. Now every woman will be able to create fitted garments that make her look as pretty, desirable, and sexy as she feels.For knitters who want to heat things up in a whole new way, the alluring designs in Romantic Hand Knits will help them light the fires. An interview with Annie ModesittWhat’s your philosophy on the “romantic look”?There is a certain cultural shorthand that implies that “romantic” means lots of lace, billowy skirts, low-cut bodices, and a little more leg than usual–sexy with an extra layer. But I think that, like everything deeply personal, romance has its own specific look for each person. Romance is not so much about being desirable to another as it is about reveling in and celebrating our own hearts’ desires.In the introduction to Romantic Hand Knits, you say that romance is about dreams and hope, and how in knitting, as in romance, much of the joy is in the dream. How has knitting brought romance into your life?Knitting allows me to enjoy my time, my imagination and my mind more than I might without needles and yarn. When my mind is free–and powerful–the way it feels when I knit, then my soul soars a little and all of this adds a layer of joy to my life. Not to put too fine a point on it, this makes me love life, and love love, in a much deeper way, which in turn makes me more lovable. Nothing is more attractive than a quiet self confidence, which is what I get from knitting.You say in Romantic Hand Knits that the garment that dresses the top of the body sets the tone for the rest of your ensemble–and that this is perfectly demonstrated in the piece you’ve named Ninotchka. Can you elaborate?It’s hard to get away from the fact that the bust area–being the most important fit point on most women’s bodies and also being so near to the face–can send very strong signals. Usually we want these to be good signals: “this is a woman in control of her life and her wardrobe,” “I can trust what this woman tells me,” or “I feel this person is sympathetic and kind.”In Ninotchka, the well-supported bust area adds strength and stability to the design, allowing feminine details like the lace below the bust line and the thin twisted-cord shoulder straps to relax and soften, not weaken, the message this piece sends. “Here’s a woman confident in her femininity, but with a strong foundation.”Any stories to share from the development of Romantic Hand Knits?One of my favorite pieces, Streetcar Named Desire, was briefly a disaster! It was worked up quite beautifully by my knitter, who then attempted to block the piece. I generally like to block and finish most of the garments, and I hardly ever wet block, but in the blocking of this piece an interesting thing occurred. The fitted, springy little cardigan that I designed began to drape and hang in unexpected ways. The piece went from Sandra Dee to Blanche DuBois, and I couldn’t have been happier! It altered the way that I recommended caring for the piece (machine wash instead of dry clean), which, quite honestly, is how most folks want to deal with their clothing.With the addition of a waist tie, which can be moved to different eyelet rows to create a high, low, or natural waistline, the cardigan had an entirely different aspect–a sexier, “floatier,” more intriguing look.Is there a particular type of yarn that works best for this look? Why?I tried very hard to use a variety of fibers that represent a wide variety of price points. I do understand that not every knitter will be able to afford the silk to make Cleopatra, but I felt it was an important, inspiring piece and had to be included in a collection of romantic silhouettes. A firm, machine-washable Egyptian cotton might be a good substitute. One of the most useful skills to develop as a knitter is the ability to substitute yarn–this skill can only be honed with experience. This is why I suggest to new knitters that when they see a ball of yarn they like, they should get it and swatch it right away. Don’t wait for the right project to come along. If you swatch a yarn you love, you may just see that the right project’s been in front of you all along–perhaps in this book–just waiting for you to see the true beauty in the fabric knit from your new skein.Whenever possible I tried to use machine-washable yarns–especially for the skirts! I know that the idea of a hand knit skirt can be daunting–we’re all worried about the stretchy butt-pouch–but knit fabric is resilient and generally bounces back to its original drape. Machine washing a skirt ensures that it will return to its original silhouette.  Is there a philosophy or attitude that each book shares? How is this book different from your other books?If there’s one philosophy that all of my books share, it’s that we all have a bit of genius–of brilliance–in each of us, and if we choose to show it through our knitting, so much the better! We’re all individuals, so we may do things in unusual or nonstandard ways, but that doesn’t make us any less legitimate when we’re knitting (or cooking or sailing).This book is different in that it focuses specifically on clothes for women, and clothes that are intended to be flattering and a little body-conscious at that. My heart is most definitely in this book, which has been in me for a long time. I’m so happy to see it out and looking so beautiful!Do you have a favorite pattern in Romantic Hand Knits, or one that has a special meaning to you?I would have to say the cover skirt is very special to me. I’ve shown that photo to many knitters, and I’ve heard some women say, “I’d make that skirt, if I had that butt!” I really want folks to understand that it’s not so much about having a tiny butt, or the “perfect” butt, as much as it’s about liking the butt you have. There are a lot of ways to get to this Zen place, but if you have the greatest looking figure in the world and you’re not liking it, you may as well wear a sack. Likewise, if you have a less than perfect shape, but you love all the amazing things your body can do and have a fondness for your shape, you’ll look good in an amazing number of things. Confidence is a terrific butt-lift. Plus, the skirt is designed to help trick the eye into seeing the derriere in the most flattering light . . .

    Profiling a worldwide array of fiber-producers that includes northern Africa’s dromedary camel, the Navajo churro, and the Tasmanian merino, Carol Ekarius and Deborah Robson include photographs of each animal’s fleece at every stage of the handcrafting process, from raw to cleaned, spun, and woven. The Fleece & Fiber Sourcebook is an artist’s handbook, travel guide, and spinning enthusiast’s ultimate reference source all in one.

    Herein lies the beauty of Custom Knits, which teaches knitters how to use improvisational techniques to achieve spectacular results—and to unleash their inner designers. Wendy Bernard, creator of the popular blog Knit and Tonic, provides 25 original designs for sweaters of nearly every type, plus variations, most knitted in one piece starting at the top, a method that allows you to try on as you go, alter as desired, and essentially design on the fly. “Make It Your Own” prompts in each pattern suggest easy alterations to suit your style and body type. And an in-depth reference section teaches how to alter key sweater elements, for example, change a crewneck to a V-neck, add sleeves to a vest, and much more. For the truly adventurous, the book concludes with guidelines for knitting sweaters with no pattern at all. Bernard’s friendly writing style and photographer Kimball Hall’s lively images create an inviting book of beautiful designs and key techniques that a knitter can use to customize nearly every garment she knits from now on.

    The method is simple and magical — knit the project large and loose, wash it in hot water, and see it transformed into a soft and cozy garment or accessory. Kathleen Taylor encourages you to explore the possibilities of felted knitting with 25 spectacular projects that include mittens, slippers, hats, bags, stuffed animals, and more. Embellish your life with unique and stylishly comfortable creations.

    From the fish-shaped Japanese felted bag to the Persian carpet–inspired handbag, each bag is a product of its cultural history. Each pattern begins with a brief history describing the source behind these contemporary interpretations of folk designs. Folk stories also accompany many projects. Included are designs for bags for work or play, and bags of all shapes, colors, textures, and sizes. Using this collection, knitters can create bags for children, for market, for everyday, or for a special evening event.

    This comprehensive guide provides directions for 35 demonstration projects, so you can practice each technique on a miniature hat, mitten, or sweater before applying it to a larger project. With tips on how to adapt any straight-needle pattern for use with circular needles, Circular Knitting Workshop opens up endless possibilities.

    With step-by-step instructions, this essential manual details the basic steps of spinning and then advances to the more complicated spinning wheel, showing how to use the spindle to make specific types of yarn, explaining traditional spindle spinning techniques, and detailing five simple projects designed to instill confidence in creating a variety of yarns with this simple tool. Combining fascinating historical narratives, traditions, and cultures from around the globe with vivid photography, this all-encompassing tour of the spindle also boasts easy-to-follow, contemporary techniques and styles that affirm the tool's enduring legacy.

    Each section features dramatically different types of yarns, colors, and stitch patterns combined with timeless, figure flattering silhouettes that are suitable for knitters of all skill levels. Using innovative seamless construction methods, the need for sewing seams has been nearly eliminated by fashioning patterns in one piece from start to finish, easily allowing for adjustments for a custom fit. A handy design workshop features in-depth tutorials that teach seamless construction methods and provide valuable technical information for both beginning and seasoned knitters. Perfect for all body types, the designs are figure flattering with curve friendly waist shaping, empire waist detailing, and stitch details such as lacing, openwork, lace edgings, and bell sleeves that highlight the silhouette.

    Everything you need to know to design and knit your own shawls is provided, including detailed instructions for eight shawls.

    This book features 15 specially designed projects to practice skills, and stitch library, and 350 colour photographs and illustrations, and charts.

    Anarchists generally do not like to do what they are told."

    The rich, historic traditions of plant and animal fibers are fascinatingly juxtaposed with recent advances in synthesized fiber and mankind’s use of fibers in the past, present, and future, while detailed, image-laden instructions for four intermediate projects demonstrate the range of possibilities, from sturdy, plied yarns to playful, novelty yarns. Spinners are also offered guidance on planning a project from start to finish, as well as how to care for and store completed projects.

    With humor and insight, authors Vicki Stiefel and Lisa Souza illustrate how to become a laidback knitter--one who enjoys the process as much as the product. Join in and be inspired by the mix of people, patterns, and places in their knitting world; follow the steps they took; and discover the secrets that set them along this path. 10 Secrets contains a wealth of other valuable and fun information including profiles, websites and other resources the authors can't live without, information on fibers, spinning, and crochet, and much more!Additionally, an amazing collection of twenty-seven patterns--complete with instructions and charts--fills the book with elegant shawls, chic sweaters, and colorful scarves from a spectrum of designers, all beautifully photographed in full-color.This is a book that gives knitters permission to relax and have fun; to see that knitting can be as much about process as about the finished product, and know that the stitches they knit can express the inner joy they feel. The exciting patterns--aimed at knitters from beginners to experienced--complement the books exuberant purpose and style.

    It presents fifteen sweater shapes and teaches color and texture techniques.