Beyond Wool: 25 Knitted Projects Using Natural Fibers [Paperback]

Candace Eisner Strick (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: November 17, 2008

Back by popular demand, this beautiful book is your guide to sensuous silk, cozy cashmere, and earthy linen, cotton, and hemp. Learn how to show off the unique qualities of natural yarns with this library of tips, techniques, and patterns. The book features 10 fun-to-knit fibers in 25 luxurious sweaters and fashion accents.



* Classic designs include a coat, shawl, jacket, cardigan, stole, pullover, and vest

* Discover the origins of each fiber, along with design suggestions, cleaning and care tips, and gorgeous stitch patterns

* Most yarns are spotlighted in three different projects for a generous helping of styles

Editorial Reviews

Review

Working on the premise that a luxury fiber needs a project that enhances its special qualities, Eisner Strick designs 25 garments explicitly for their source skeins. Silk's natural sheen is enhanced by a two-toned star-stitch twinset, an azure-toned shell peeking through a sky-blue lace jacket. A nibble of cashmere, in a beaded cuff, gives a starving knitter just a little taste of the great stuff; if your pocketbook allows, gorge on a gorgeous chevron-lace cardi. Ribbed cables lend stretch to a llama blend. Angora's halo fluffs up a smocked vest and fingerless gloves. Linen knits up into a sturdy market bag as bright as a battalion of international flags. Qiviut, cotton, hemp...pick your poison. --Cheryl Krementz, Yarn Market News--March 2009

About the Author

Candace Eisner Strick is an internationally known knitwear designer, teacher, and author. She runs Strickwear, her yarn and pattern business, from her home. Candace has written books on knitting, quilting, and crochet.


Home: Mansfield Center, Connecticut

Product Details

• Paperback: 141 pages
• Publisher: Martingale & Co Inc (November 17, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1564775011
• ISBN-13: 978-1564775016
• Product Dimensions: 10.9 x 8.4 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,314,456 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Learning both music and knitting at the age of three, Candace Eisner Strick has followed these two loves all her life. She was co-director and cello instructor of the Suzuki String Program of Mansfield, CT for 16 years. Her latest book, Strick-ly Socks, features a revolutionary and amazingly simple way of knitting socks.

She is the author of Sweaters From a New England Village (Down East Books, 1996), a book about Harrisville, NH which features twenty original designs using Harrisville Designs yarn. Her second book, Sweaters From New England Sheep Farms (Down East Books, 2000) is a series of portraits of eight New England sheep farmers who hand-dye the wool they produce, and includes over 25 original designs using their fiber. Her third knitting book, Beyond Wool (Martingale and Co., Feb. 2004), uses a variety of fibers other than wool. There are chapters about the fibers as well as 25 original designs. Her fourth book, The Quilter's Quick Reference Guide, was released in June, 2004 by Martingale and Co. Her fifth publication, Little Box of Crocheted Bags, was released in March 2006 by Martingale and Co. Her sixth book, Knit One, Stripe Too, was released by Martingale and Co. in October, 2008.

Her designs and writing have appeared in Knitter's Magazine, Interweave Knits, Vogue Knitting, Knit It Magazine, Wild Fiber Magazine, Cast On Magazine, Vogue Knitting books and Interweave Knitting books. Candace designs for yarn companies while she and her husband run their internet based business, www.Strickwear.com, which features her exclusive designs, and her new line of yarn, Merging Colors.

Candace teaches workshops internationally at major knitting conventions and guilds. Her other fiber related interests include spinning, weaving, dyeing and quilting. When not doing the above, she is riding her bicycle. She lives in rural Connecticut with her pianist/knitting husband Ken, wonder-bunny Abraham, and 2 birds. She has three grown sons, all of whom know how to knit but refuse to do so.

You can follow Candace by reading her blog at http://candaceeisnerstrickknitting.blogspot.com/2010/06/im-here.html

Videos of knitting techniques can be viewed at http://www.youtube.com/user/Strickwear

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

18 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great projects, great info, November 1, 2004

By 

Bonnie A. Franz (Staten Island, NY) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Beyond Wool: 25 Knitted Projects Using Natural Fibers (Paperback)

This book is really two books in one- it's a collection of beautiful, classic knits for women, as well as a reference tool for information about all kinds of knitting fibers other than wool. The sweaters and accessories are elegant and wearable, while the background information on the fibers (including their advantages, potential problems, and care instructions) is useful to any knitter or designer looking to expand beyond wool.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Excellent discussion of fibers, classic patterns, August 10, 2006

By 

Quickbeam (Oconomowoc, WI USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Beyond Wool: 25 Knitted Projects Using Natural Fibers (Paperback)

I got this book as a gift. It has a really in depth discussion of fibers. I'm quite moved by the patterns...they are very classic. I can see myself wearing/making almost every one. Instructions and materials lists are excellent and clear.

As someone with a house full of mohair and angora "stash"....I'll be using this book quite a bit. Photography is first rate as well...no sweaters with "hidden angles" hiding design flaws!

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Good knit book for intermediate to advanced, April 25, 2009

By 

Barbara Rhoades "Jackie of all Trades" (O'Fallon, MO USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Beyond Wool: 25 Knitted Projects Using Natural Fibers (Paperback)

The first thing I noticed is the cover has a built in bookmark and it is plasticized so water won't damage it. The introduction talks about Mohair and its meaning. While I think of Mohair as a type of yarn, the book says it means the finest or best fiber.

Then the book jumps right into projects of which there are 25 and all are knitted. Sweaters, scarves, mittens, hats and shawls are the items you can create with the instructions in this book. They are well written and include graphics to help complete the written words.

I believe this book to be for the intermediate to expert knitter as there aren't many projects that are "square" such as a scarf. You will need to be able to shape the items and know what type of stitches you are working with.

A page of abbreviations are provided just in case you are unsure what for example, SSP means. Several pages of techniques will help you recall how to do Wrap and Turn, Cable or increases/decreases, among other things. The final pages are about fiber care, resources and a bibliography.