KnitLit (too): Stories from Sheep to Shawl . . . and More Writing About Knitting (Paperback)

by Linda Roghaar (Editor), Molly Wolf (Editor) "Our knitting heroine is a Canadian..." (more)
Key Phrases: star sweater, been knitting, knitting projects, Aunt Shirley, New York, James Taylor (more...)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly
A warm, good-hearted collection of short pieces about knitting, knitters and the fiber arts world, this follow-up to last year's KnitLit is a perfect volume for knitters who love to read or readers who love to knit. The book's strength lies in the diversity of its pieces, which range from folksinger Christine Lavin's meditation on knitting in a post-9/11 world, "Learning to Knit at Fifty," to Dawn Goldsmith's ode to her knitting husband, "Real Men Knit." Other pieces-such as Laurie Clark's humorously frank essay "What Do You Do with A Dead Sheep?"-discuss knitting arcana or explain how knitting has become part of the author's spiritual practice or worldview. Some pieces stand out for the beauty of their prose: Kay Dorn's lament for her broken family, "A Different Time"; Leslea Newman's sharp, bitter story, "Sweaters"; and Stephanie Pearl-McPhee's funny, linguistically inventive tale, "Our Knitting Heroine." There are a few duds, but overall the quality is excellent; by selecting such high caliber non-fiction and fiction, this niche collection masters the difficult trick of intriguing a broad audience. In fact, even readers who might never pick up a pair of needles are likely to enjoy this collection. Knit one, purl one, read one. Why not?
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Product Description
Knitters are a breed unto themselves. They speak their own language, and they harbor a passion for their craft that takes a strong hold, blocking out troubles and worry, whenever they pick up the needles. But knitters are not exclusionary—all are welcome into the warm circle once you appreciate the beauty of hand-spun and dyed yarn, the sense of focus that comes with starting a new project, and the joy of creating something beautiful to share with a loved one. In their first book, KnitLit: Sweaters and Their Stories, Linda Roghaar and Molly Wolf brought together a heaping stash of stories by knitters and for knitters that spoke to the power of knitting in people’s lives. Now, without a single dropped stitch, here is KnitLit Too: Stories from Sheep to Shawl.

Featuring another rich array of contributors, KnitLit Too includes folksinger Christine Lavin and writers Perri Klass, Lesléa Newman, and Suzanne Strempek Shea. Featured as well are stories by a third-grader who picks up the needles for the first time, a mother waiting to wrap her soon-to-be-adopted child in the blanket she made for him, a sister upstaged by her Merchant Marine brother who just so happens to be a natural knitter, a man who is forced to admit to the new woman in his life that, yes, he knows how to knit, and a young girl living with her mother in a battered women’s shelter who is brought back from the brink when she learns to knit. Rounding out these heartwarming true tales are original poetry, meditations, fiction, and even a mystery, all about knitting. KnitLit Too features more than 70 pieces, some sweet and touching, others inspirational or hilarious, and all woven together by the dedication and devotion that knitters feel for a cherished hobby that is for many a way of life.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 288 pages
• Publisher: Three Rivers Press (February 24, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1400051495
• ISBN-13: 978-1400051496
• Product Dimensions: 8.1 x 5.2 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 7.5 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #278,431 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

16 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars better the second time, May 23, 2004

By	Grace (Warwick, RI United States) - See all my reviews

I loved this book, finding the selection and variety of stories funny and interesting. So I bought Knit Lit One and was very disappointed. Skip the first one and go straight to Knit Lit Two!

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Put the knitting down and read for a few minutes, May 26, 2004

By	FAS "FAS" (Boston, MA) - See all my reviews

I thought this book was excellent, a great read for any knitter. The editors did a nice job selecting a wide variety of essays. I especially enjoyed the vest for a boyfriend story.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Amazingly diverse little book,, September 18, 2005

By	Hervian Rose - See all my reviews

Given the somewhat narrow topic, the variety of stories really surprised me. Great stories about the lives of knitters from just about every walk of life. Some of them make great family read-alouds.