Why do what has already been done? More than a book of patterns, The Mermaid Shawl & other Beauties, is designed to help knitters create their own works of knitted lace art. The signature shawl was introduced in 2005 on Kathleen Valentine's blog and subsequently described in a knit-along but throughout the knit-along Valentine encouraged knitters to make different choices that made their shawl unique to them. Now, using the same principles, she offers techniques, diagrams, charts and tips that allow knitters to customize each shawl for their own original work of art. The book contains instruction for three versatile shawl styles, how to turn a rectangular shawl into a cocoon, a chapter on knitting on the bias, tips and tricks, and an original short-story, The Mermaid Shawl, inspired by the signature shawl.
Kathleen Valentine was born and grew up in the Allegheny highlands of Pennsylvania. She graduated from Penn State with a degree in The Arts and worked for over twenty years in the art/marketing departments of high-tech corporations. Since 2003 she has run her own design business, Valentine-Design.com. She is the author of "Fry Bacon. Add Onions", a cookbook/memoir of growing up Pennsylvania Dutch, as well as 3 novels, several novelettes and short story collections, and knitting instruction books. Her blog at KathleenValentine.com has been read by thousands of readers since its beginning in July 2005.
She currently lives in Gloucester, Massachusetts, America's oldest seaport, and is writing every day.
