destiknit™

As mentioned in the revious podcast and on this blog, podcast notes will now be part of a blog post.

Books Reviewed:

• Special Issue Verena Knitting: In 80 Socken Um Die Welt, 30 European Sock Designs by Vikant Crafts Publishing, 2009.

Gorgeous designs from countries around the world, such as Finland, Croatia, Russian and The Netherlands, are represented in the special issue edition of Verena Knitting.

Although this issue is not yet available in English, a knitter can easily knit any one of these designs due to the fantastic charts accompanying the written, German, instructions.

Tall socks and short socks for Men, Women and Children in traditional and yet unique design.  Travel to countries like Scotland, Ireland and France through the discovery of socks.

• Sock Aus Aller Welt by Stephanie van der Linden Published by TOPP, 2008, ISBN – 978-3-7724-6585-7

Stephanie van der Linden has been something of a sock knitting rock star for years.  Though if you aren’t a German native, if you do not belong to Socken-Kreativ-Liste Yahoo Group or Ravelry, you might not know it.  Stephanie’s designs range from feminine and masculine to cute and fun to colorful and unique and of course, traditional.  In addition to sock design, Stephanie also designs women, children and infant garments, as well as toys.

Socken aus aller Welt offers 26 socks designs with interesting colorwork, beautiful lace, cables and my favorite – twisted stitches.  You will also find interesting techniques such as Vikkel braids, gusseted soles, intarsia, beadwork, embroidery, duplicate stitch and a creative solution to knitting Argyle socks in the round.  Each pattern is written out and charts are provided as an addendum to the book.

Although Socken aus aller Welt is a German title, the provided charts do make deciphering the patterns possible.  Or if you can wait, sometime in 2010, I am guessing in the Spring, two of Stephanie’s books, Der geniale Sockenworkshop and Socken aus aller Welt will be available in English through Amazon.com.

Want to get your hands on one of the patterns in Socken aus aller Welt? Delfter Blau, a colorwork design featuring a unique gusset placement is available Free as part of a German craft publication,  Wolle & Co., on page 12.  Click this link and then select ‘Wolle & Co.- Ausgabe 1/2009′, a direct PDF download.

Language barrier?  What, you don’t speak or read German? Me either!  Fortunately this high-tech, super-sonic world we live in  makes it possible to do what we think im-possible.  After Googling the phrase ‘knitting german to english’, I found many resources to help decipher German knitting instructions to English.  Below are two links I found most helpful.

Granny’s Garret

Garn Studio

I Spy:

Signature Needle Arts NEW Sock Blockers! nifty

Pörrö Sahlberg’s DIY Yarn Swift!

Seeking color inspirations?  Colr.org

Product Review:

I have loved Karen’s etsy shop, KaratStix, since I discovered it.  Handsome, well-made crafter’s tools with attention to detail and custom orders at GREAT pricing.  The perfect stop for birthdays, holidays and swaps.  Earlier in the year I asked Karen if she might be able to produce spinner’s tools such as a diz or plying tool.  Four weeks later, Karen surprised me with both!

The diz is fantastic, enabling one who preps fiber to create a traditional roving or pencil roving, as well as thick and bulky singles.  Like all of Karen’s products, I love this tool for both it’s function and it’s incredible cuteness.

The plying tool is equally cute and also very functional.  The four small holes toward the center are perfect for fine singles to be plied one, two and three times.  The larger holes along the outside enable a spinner to get creative, ply thicker singles, for plying cabled yarns and artisan singles, too.

Though not regular items in the shop, Karen is always accommodating to custom orders at KaratStix’s Etsy shop.

Prize Drawing

I really do love Karen’s shop, KaratStix.  I love it so much, I want to share two of her items with YOU!

Front of the Kitchener Key Fob

Back of the Kitchener Key Fob

Alpaca stlyed WPI ToolWPI Tool Key Fob

These are only examples and not the actual items to be won. The winner will receive a Kitchener Key Fob and a WPI Tool of thier choice, to include customizations.  Karen has decorated her tools with images such as flowers, sheep and yarn to skulls and crossbones, she can do it all!

Just leave a comment anywhere on this blog from today until 13 December 2009 at 23:59 CET* and you will be entered to win!  Please note, while you can make as many comments as you would like, only one entry per person is counted.

Also, I do moderate all comments and your comment will not show immediately… it might not even show for days :”)

*What time is 23:59 CET in YOUR time zone?  Click here.

Pfffffttttt….

That’s how I am feeling right about now.  Two and a half weeks of moving and still not settled!  Three of four kids sick!  I.Am.Poopped!  But, I just had to chat with you and now I feel much better :-D  There are a few stops and starts… you haven’t missed anything ;-) I also had some feedback in this recording … :-/

This episode explains a little more as to why this move in is taking so long and wiping me out, what I’ve accomplished (or not!), an apology for, an explaination and spoiler of my Knit Study™ and some Fair Isle discussion.

Books I’ve made reference to or have referenced from in this episode are listed below:

• Folk Knitting in Estonia by Nancy Bush, Published 2000 by Interweave Press, ISBN: 1883010438

• Fair Isle Knitting by Sarah Don, Published 2007 by Dover Publications, ISBN: 0486457540

• Traditional Fair Isle Knitting by Sheila McGregor, Published 2003 by Dover Publications, ISBN: 048643107X

• Traditional Scandinavian Knitting by Sheila McGregor, Published 2004 by Dover Publications, ISBN: 0486433005

• Ethnic Knitting: Discovery: The Netherlands, Denmark, Norway, and The Andes by Donna Druchunas, Published 2007 by Nomad Press, ISBN: 0966828933

• Ethnic Knitting Exploration: Lithuania, Iceland, and Ireland by Donna Druchunas, Published 2009 by Nomad Press, ISBN: 0966828992

• Folk Mittens: Techniques and Patterns for Handknitted Mittens by Marcia Lewandowski, Published 1997 by Interweave Press, ISBN: 1883010349

• Alice Starmore’s Book of Fair Isle Knitting, Published 2009 by Dover Publications, ISBN: 0486472183

• SELBUVOTTER: Biography of a Knitting Tradition by Terri Shea, Published 2007 by Spinningwheel LLC., ISBN: 0979312604

• Elizabeth Zimmermann’s Knitting Workshop, Published 1981 by Schoolhouse Press, ISBN: 0942018001

Note: Links no longer take you to Amazon but to the Publisher instead.