Knitting Around the World: A Multistranded History of a Time-Honored Tradition [Hardcover]

Lela Nargi (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 24, 2011

Here is the history of knitting around the globe, examining styles, techniques, and particular styles countries and regions—including England, Ireland, Scotland, Norway, Sweden, Finland, Estonia, Latvia, Iceland, Japan, Australia, Canada, United States, Peru, Bolivia, and more. Highlighted are 20 profiles of historically significant knitters who are using particular techniques today—plus 20 patterns that exemplify knitting traditions from around the world.

Editorial Reviews

From Booklist

This is a global review of knitting’s past and present, though to call it a true history would be a miscue to avid stitchers. What Nargi does, she does well: provide a documented and photographic survey of traditions and patterns, starting in the Islamic world and finishing, some 260 pages later, in Central and South America. Much information is borrowed from (and attributed to) other writers, more scholarly in their intentions; she extends beyond the predictable in her spotlight of 20 knitting artisans. Meet Veronika Persche, an Austrian native who sculpts with machine knitting, or the recently deceased Olga Alexandrovna Federova, queen of gossamer knitting (think lighter-than-air shawls). Add to those individuals major sidebars on breeds of sheep and occasional oddities (Habu Textiles, in Manhattan, is the only non-Japanese repository-store of Asian yarns). --Barbara Jacobs

Review

Knitting began in the 12th century in the Arab world but spread quickly. Nargi (Astounding Knits!) takes knitters on an around-the-world tour of traditional knitting. The history is the heart of the book, but there’s so much more here, including interviews with well-known knitting experts, descriptions of unique yarns and techniques, and projects focused on each region’s styles and traditions. This excellent—and very readable—reference to global knitting traditions belongs on the bookshelf of any knitter interested in the history and development of knitting. - Library Journal XPress

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 264 pages
• Publisher: Voyageur Press; First edition (October 24, 2011)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0760337942
• ISBN-13: 978-0760337943
• Product Dimensions: 9.5 x 1.3 x 11.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 3.5 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (12 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #460,312 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

I'm a writer who looks for the small stories in the vast world that surrounds us - whether I'm writing children's books; exploring the history or current state of knitting and craft; or researching magazine articles on travel, food, or kids.

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars A Real Treasure About the World-wide History of Knitting October 28, 2011

By Bonnie Brody TOP 100 REVIEWERVINE™ VOICE

Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase

Knitting Around the World: A Multistranded History of a Time-Honored Tradition, is a large, luscious history of knitting the world over. It begins with the history of knitting in the Islamic world, proceeds to Western Europe and then on to The British Isles and Ireland, Scandinavia and Iceland, the Baltics, Eastern Europe and the Balkans, Australia and New Zealand, the United States and Canada and South and Central America.

The book is filled with historic patterns and even some patterns that can be knit now. It goes into the techniques of knitting specific to each geographic area and what makes each area unique in its approach to knitting. The book spotlights designers of reknown and discusses what makes them famous. There is a section on where to find some of the artists, knitters, and historians featured in this book and their websites are provided. There is a wonderful bibliography and index as well.

The book is formatted as a coffee table book and would be wonderful to have on display to look at regularly. It is a real treasure.

19 of 24 people found the following review helpful

3.0 out of 5 stars This book is a disappointment November 4, 2011

By Grete Letting

Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase

I was looking forward to a history book of knitting. If you go for pictures/prints of paintings of people from older days knitting, it is very beautiful, but the text gives you no surprises about historic knitting. The magazine Traditional Knitting from Interweave is much better, they manage to give you real knowledge of what we know about knitting history today. Knitting around the world gives you a presentation of knitting designers that are still (young) and active in their work , and whom is presented in the everyday mags and book we hobby knitters are reading all the time.
From my country, Norway, Annemor Sundbř is the one. She has of course done a lot to export Norwegian patterns abroad, esp USA. She is more known there than in Norway. She has written books that tell a story of knitting in our country. Her books are translated to English, so everyone can read them for themselves. One day Annemor will be named in the history books together with other famous knitting Norwegians, like Unn Sřiland Dahle (the Marius skisweater),Peer Spook, Ellinor Flor and a lot of others that is still working today. Annemor , I hope, has still some years to go, and is too young to be in a history book.
How many books and mags shall we buy and read before we see something else than the white and blue "islamic" socks from India? Some pictures (wonderful!) are showing modern patterns of socks and mittens that it is possible to knit if you go to the source for the pattern. In Traditional Knitting you get patterns to knit and thus you can find out how it was to knit different garments in old fashioned ways.
I agree with the person who says it is a coffe table book, but that was not what I wanted to buy. I am interested in knitting history. My husband liked it though, but he has not read anything of knitting history before.
A beautiful book, but it tells the wrong story.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Classic history for the Serious Knitting Artist December 25, 2012

By David Cope

Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase

Knitting Around the World is a superb book of history and technique of this ancient and culturally diverse domestic art. When it arrived in the mail, I immediately saw it as the foundational text for all of my wife Suzy's work, and when she unwrapped it (it was a Christmas present), I thought her eyes were going to pop out!