The Knitter's Curiosity Cabinet: 20 Patterns Inspired by Vintage Botanical Illustrations [Paperback]

Hunter Hammersen (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: May 29, 2012

Curiosity cabinets were collections of treasures-fossils and feathers, plants and paintings, skeletons and statues-assembled to help their owners make sense of the world. Offered here is a knitter's interpretation of a curiosity cabinet. This is a collection, not of rocks and seeds and gemstones, but of fancy edgings, delicate lace, and captivating stitches all brought together to create charming sock and accessory patterns. You're sure to find something that deserves to be added to your own store of knitted treasures.

Editorial Reviews

Review

Open the door to Hunter's collection and explore the wonders within. As thoughtfully creative in its presentation as curiosity cabinets of old, each pattern features the same attention to detail as the natural history illustrations that inspired the designs. A very clever concept. A truly beautiful book. --Brenda Dayne, producer and host of Cast On, author of Welsh for Rainbow

Hunter is one of those delightful souls who likes to see beneath the skin of things, roll them around in her mind's eye and then synthesize them into a new art form. The Knitter's Curiosity Cabinet takes the joy of seeing and applies it to the joy of wearing. Each pattern is a little curiosity that you'll enjoy adding to your own cabinet or drawer. --Janel Laidman, editor of The Sock Report and author of The Enchanted Sole

With her keen eye and passion for history and botany, Hunter has designed a refreshingly original array of socks and accessories certain to tantalize a legion of knitters. --Cat Bordhi, teacher and author of New Pathways for Sock Knitters and Cat's Sweet Tomato Heel Socks

Hunter is one of those delightful souls who likes to see beneath the skin of things, roll them around in her mind's eye and then synthesize them into a new art form. The Knitter's Curiosity Cabinet takes the joy of seeing and applies it to the joy of wearing. Each pattern is a little curiosity that you'll enjoy adding to your own cabinet or drawer. --Janel Laidman, editor of The Sock Report and author of The Enchanted Sole

With her keen eye and passion for history and botany, Hunter has designed a refreshingly original array of socks and accessories certain to tantalize a legion of knitters. --Cat Bordhi, teacher and author of New Pathways for Sock Knitters and Cat's Sweet Tomato Heel Socks

About the Author

Hunter Hammersen didn't really like knitting the first time she tried it. She didn't much care for it the second time either. It wasn't till the third time, and the discovery of knitted socks, that she was properly smitten. Once she realized she could make up her own patterns, her fate was sealed. She's been busy designing ever since.

Product Details

• Paperback: 126 pages
• Publisher: Pantsville Press (May 29, 2012)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0984998209
• ISBN-13: 978-0984998203
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 8.5 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (25 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #205,732 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Hunter is a knitter and perpetual student living in Cleveland, Ohio. You can find out more about her and her adventures at www.violentlydomestic.com.

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

26 of 30 people found the following review helpful

2.0 out of 5 stars Disappointing October 27, 2012

By truefeather77

Format:Paperback

Others are right when they say this is a beautiful book. Whoever did the design and layout deserves much praise. And it's very high-concept - a tad contrived, but it makes it more interesting, the knitting version of a coffee table book. (Although the illustrations are from 19th-C botany books, not curiosity cabinets.)

The thing that bothers me, though, is it's very disappointing as a knitting book. The patterns are NOT well-written. I'm an experienced knitter; I spent hours, an entire evening, but I've tried two patterns so far, and I have nothing to show for my time. The individual stitches are quite fancy, not the just the usual suspects, and there is really no explanation given to make sure you're doing it the same way the author did. Result: disappointment. I intended to have a good start on a friend's Christmas present by tonight, and I've got nothing.

And it's so spread out! 136 pages, to make you think you're getting a lot -- each of the 20 patterns gets 6-7 pages. But in all of that, no explanation! Just lots and lots of cheesecake photographs of socks, and hats. A lot of explanation of choosing the artwork for the book, very little relation between the art and the stitch, and almost no explanation of the knitting techniques. I'm learning nothing -- except frustration and disappointment.

There's a key to the stitch symbols, but it's way back at the beginning. When you run into something you have to check, you're forced to jump back and forth over dozens of pages. (My edition is digital, so more annoying to do this.) Edited to add: there is a partial chart for each pattern.

The charts are in a newer notation that I deeply dislike, as it's cluttered and more difficult to read.... A knitted stitch, for instance, is usually a blank box in standard knitting notation, but in this, it's a vertical line. And a purl, usually a centered round dot, is a horizontal line. What is a graph but a bunch of horizontal and vertical lines? Makes for optical illusion, confusion, and more frustration. And charts are usually numbered on alternating sides, to cue you in as to which end you're working from -- but these are numbered all up the right side. (At least do both!)

More frustration comes because I ordered the digital download, and it's not well done for reading off a computer screen. My advice: be more patient than I am, and wait for a paper copy.

The author believes I should pay all this money, and get lovely botany prints, plugs for the yarn manufacturers, but absent some crucial technical details: needle size, for one. She plugs the specific yarn used, but refuses to tell you the size of the needle. Yes, one does need to do test swatches, but if the size is at least suggested, one has a place to start. When tackling another pattern by the same author, one can then say, "Well last time I had to go one size smaller with the needles, so I'll use that as a starting point this time." But we're given no clue.

Specific details like cast-ons and bind-offs are not mentioned for the patterns, either (one general reference in the notes at the start of the book), and that I find annoying. With 136 pages, I thought more could be given over to the specifics of the knitting.

My biggest disappointment with this: 136 pages, I'm learning nothing. I splurged because I liked several of the patterns, but at this rate, that will do me little good. Read more ›

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Simply Beautiful June 14, 2012

By Christy Herbert

Format:Paperback

A wonderful book with a great mix of small projects. The best part is that most of them are socks. All of them are top down construction, at least the socks. One or two shawls, 3-4 mitts and the 2 hats and the rest are socks. I wouldn't say anything is overly difficult to knit either, so most skill levels could find something to knit in here.
I enjoyed the history behind the theme of curiosity cabinets.

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Socks and more! June 14, 2012

By Marcia Stutzman

Format:Paperback

I've followed Hunter Hammersen because I love her sock patterns - this book has lots of gorgeous socks AND a lot of other patterns too! She has a great eye for beautiful yarns that show off the patterns to full advantage. These stitch patterns were inspired by ten different vintage botanical illustrations, and each illustration corresponds to one sock pattern and one pattern for another accessory (hat, shawl, mitts, cowl, or cuff). I'm also happy that the chart symbols are a little more standardized than her previous book (Silk Road Socks), so should be easier for me to read. This book is great eye candy and inspiration for any knitter!

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Stunning photos and fabulous patterns! June 14, 2012

By Linda

Format:Paperback

I am a great admirer of Hunter's designs. She doesn't just thumb through a stitch dictionary and plop a couple of combinations on a chart. Her patterns seem to organically emerge from whatever her inspirations are, as in this case with botanical prints.

I also have Hunter's Silk Road Socks book, in which her inspirations are classic elements of oriental rugs. But in addition to the beautiful patterns, Hunter wove magical stories about, in the case of The Knitter's Curiosity Cabinet---wait for it---curiosity cabinets. I bought Silk Road Socks, even though I didn't even LIKE knitting socks at the time, because of her detailed, lyrical, and well-researched back story about the Silk Road and historical textiles. Since that first purchase, I've become a sock knitter and I have Hunter to thank.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Fabulous addition to any knitting library! June 14, 2012

By Mingo

Format:Paperback

Hunter Hammersen doesn't just write "knitting patterns." She introduces you to a whole new way of seeing knitting. Part cultural history, part interpretation, the Knitter's Curiosity Cabinet both instructs and delights with it's array of botanical elements translated into beautiful works of art.

The patterns are clear and easy to follow. Charts are used extensively, which helps you see how the botanical image is translated to the knit fabric. And the variety of projects is a treat - socks for each print, plus another accessory, all well photographed in lovely yarns that bring out the best in each pattern.

Few knitting books make for a "good read," but this cabinet has a lot to say, to teach, and to enjoy.

6 of 7 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Extra special June 27, 2012

By A. Lathrop

Format:Paperback

I've been knitting for a long time, and I have a LOT of knitting books, patterns, files, etc-- and these patterns stand out. I want to knit ever so many of them yesterday! and my fascination doesn't fade. Even better, the patterns are written beautifully, and they even fit when completed. So glad I found Hunter's work, and I can't wait for the next one! PS, I have Silk Road Socks too--equally fabulous.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent pattern book September 20, 2012

By Julie M. Eshleman

Format:Paperback

This is my very favorite knitting pattern book. I have already finished one project, and have a pair of socks on the needles right now. A ball of yarn that I just picked up is destined to be another pair from this book.

The photographs are amazing, the charts are large and clear, and Hunter's commentary on the inspiration images and the pattern designs is interesting to read.

I would recommend this book to any knitter who has the slightest interest in patterns inspired by nature.