For the Love of Knitting: A Celebration of the Knitter's Art [Hardcover]

Kari Cornell (Author), Voyageur Press (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 1, 2004

2004 MINNESOTA BOOK AWARDS FINALIST!

Do you live to knit? Have you made finding that perfect shade of periwinkle yarn an obsession? Have you ever stayed up to the wee hours of the night just to see how a yarn pattern would knit up? If you answered “yes” to any of these questions, you’ve caught the knitting bug. Never fear; you’re certainly not alone in your affection for knitting.

From New York City to Newton, Iowa, Americans are embracing this craft in record numbers. Knit cafes, local knitting groups, and online chat rooms have helped spread the craze and have made it easier than ever for knitters to meet other enthusiasts and swap knitting tips. It’s this universal sense of community and passion for knitting that is at the heart of For the Love of Knitting, an anthology that pays tribute to this popular pastime and to those who knit.

The wide variety of personal essays and stories celebrate the appeal and love of this age-old art. The funny, heartwarming, and sometimes sad tales by Jamaica Kincaid, Elizabeth Zimmermann, Melanie Falick, Meg Swansen, Perri Klass, Pam Allen, Naomi Dagen Bloom, Susan Gordon Lydon, Lela Nargi, and Teva Durham touch on all aspects of knitting, from shearing the sheep to knitting the first stitch; from knitting for the war effort to giving a finely knitted hat, sweater, or socks as a gift.

A stunning array of artwork, including current and historical photographs, vintage ads, pattern booklets, and paintings—featuring the artistry of Chris Hartlove, Solveig Hisdal, Debbie New, and Karen Searle—complements the text.

Editorial Reviews

Book Description

Stories, essays, and memories of knitting come together here to create a charming scrapbook of the age-old handicraft in all its cultural and historical richness.  Wry, amusing, moving, and enlightening, these writings range from World War II to our day; they include offerings by Jamaica Kincaid, Melanie Falick, Elizabeth Zimmermann, Meg Swansen, Susan Gordon Lydon, Pam Allen, Lela Nargi, Perri Klass, Teva Durham, and many others.  Artwork by Solveig Hisdal, fiber artists Debbie New and Karen Searle, and photographer Chris Hartlove,  along with historical photographs, vintage advertising, and pattern booklets, brings the color and textures of these stories to vibrant life. 

--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From the Back Cover

This book is a collection of essays from knitters. But at first glance, my favorite part are the vintage elements . . . pictures of old knitting patterns, posters, portraits and propaganda. It adds a pleasant ambience to the written word and the accompanying pictures of process and product. . . .

And in this case, the essays are something worth savoring slowly, coming as they do from knitter/writers like Melanie Falick, Pam Allen, Elizabeth Zimmermann and Meg Swansen. . . . I like the book. I’m savoring it slowly.

-Amy Singer, Knitty.com

 

Past and present come together in For the Love of Knitting, a scrapbook of stories, essays, and memories that celebrates knitting and knitting heritage.

 

The stories gathered here embody the cultural and historical aspects of knitting. Set during World War II to the modern day, they range from the amusing to the reflective to the enlightening. Contributors include Jamaica Kincaid, Melanie Falick, Elizabeth Zimmermann, Meg Swansen, Susan Gordon Lydon, Pam Allen, and many more.

 

These pieces work in perfect tandem with an eye-catching treasury of artwork, including works from such acclaimed artists as Solveig Hisdal, fiber artists Debbie New and Karen Searle, and photographer Chris Hartlove. Black-and-white historical photographs, vintage advertising, and pattern booklets provide a complete look at the popular pastime.

 

Whether you’re a knitter or someone who has a love of hand-knitted items and what they represent, this anthology of classic and contemporary reflections on the passion for the knit stitch will warm your heart and inspire you to reflect upon your own knitting stories.

--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 160 pages
• Publisher: Voyageur Press (October 1, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0896580458
• ISBN-13: 978-0896580459
• Product Dimensions: 11.3 x 9.7 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.5 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (10 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #271,852 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

33 of 35 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars a big tome on knitting - no projects, September 2, 2004

By 

sfknitter (San Francisco) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: For the Love of Knitting: A Celebration of the Knitter's Art (Hardcover)

I'm a little disappointed that this book contained no projects. But since I am one to enjoy reading of others' knitting backgrounds this book fits in with my knitting library. It's a (as some would describe a large book) "coffee table book" - large, contains skillfully placed photos and old art combined with essays from various knit artisans.

22 of 22 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Almost perfect, October 26, 2004

By 

L. Moynihan "inkyfingers" (Bellingham, WA USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: For the Love of Knitting: A Celebration of the Knitter's Art (Hardcover)

If you love reading about knitting (which I do)you will love this book. It is filled with beautifully written essays about knitting, as well as many related photographs and drawings from the turn of the century through about the 70's.

The only problem is if you love to read about knitting you have probably read the previous collections; Knitting Around, Knitting Lessons, Knit Lit, etc., not to mention essays in knitting magazines. Unfortunately at least six of the 20 essays in For the Love of Knitting have been preciously printed elsewhere. That's a little cheesy in my opinion. A new book, especially one with this price tag, should contain NEW material.

Onthe other hand the pictures are quite wonderful

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Hard to Put Down, October 29, 2005

By 

saintjay (Williston, VT) - See all my reviews

This review is from: For the Love of Knitting: A Celebration of the Knitter's Art (Hardcover)

I love this book and have gifted it to many of my knitting friends. I'm usually not much for coffee table books, but this one is so hard to put down.

I remember the first time I saw this book: I was in a bookstore, shopping for a specific gift for a friend and I didn't have the funds to purchase For the Love of Knitting that day. But the memory of the beautiful images in this book stayed with me. It was a few months before I bought it for myself. I'm glad that I did. The photography is stunning. The book is composed primarily of photos; the stories and prose that accompany them are informative and fun. Lily Chin's Top Ten List of Places to Hide Your Stash is side-splittingly funny.

As mentioned in previous reviews, this book contains no patterns. I don't mind, my hands need a break once in awhle!