Tuesday, September 22, 2009

shelf of shame



I can't be the only knitter with a shelf full of shiny lovely pattern books that are mostly gathering dust rather than being knit from. Not that there's anything wrong with that. I like having them around for inspiration and really, if we can admit that knitting blogs are mostly about photography, we can make the same concession for the books.

Still. I did at one point swoon over each of these sacred tomes in the bookstore and feel like I had! to knit! this! and this! and this! RIGHT NOW! or PERISH!!!!! So I made a list: one thing to knit out of each unused book. A side benefit of the list is that I realized I actually HAVE knit something from a decent handful of the books (I was worried for a minute).

Drumroll, please.

  • From Best of Interweave Knits - Marsailles Pullover
  • Scarf Style - Here and There Cables - check!
  • Wrap Style - Shetland Triangle
  • Folk Bags - Tea House Bag and Monk's Satchel, check and check!
  • Inspired Cable Knits - Gathering Intentions? Putting Down Roots?
  • Tiny Yarn Animals - Hippo - check!
  • Victorian Lace Today - Large rectangle in leaf pattern with trellis border - check!
  • The Opinionated Knitter - Baby Surprise Jacket - check!
  • The Ultimate Knitters' Guide (first knitting book I ever bought!) - Star Tunic and/or Sweater
  • Vintage Knits (major book of swooning) - Demi, Salina, Cherie, Jolie?
  • Knitting Nature - Starfish Shawl, or maybe Swirled Pentagon Pullover (maybe sans turtleneck)
  • Weekend Knits - Cozy Armchair Socks, Fingerless Mitts, Reverse-Bloom Flower Washcloths - triple check
  • Holiday Knits - La Luz Eye Mask? Evergreen Shawl? Swedish Heart-Warmer Shawl? Sugarplum Pullover? Stained Glass Scarf?!
  • Loop-d-loop - Lace Leaf Pullover (no contest here)
  • Sensual Knits - Loop Shawl, Modern Kimono, Demeter Camisole?
  • Luxury 1-Skein Wonders - what I bought the book for - Qiviut Neck Muff!
  • Last-Minute Knitted Gifts - in progress - Hourglass Sweater
  • 200 Crochet Blocks - yeah, they're just blocks, but for consistency, I really like Willow
I was going to add Ravelry links for the patterns, but. Wow. Turns out I have a lot of knitting books. And have knit from a third of them.

Better get crackin'. (Also, the broomstick lace scarf is finished! but I have to block and photograph it.)

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

Good luck knitting from your knitting books! I totally need to do that as well as I've been so neglecting them lately!

Anonymous said...

Wow- what a list! You have a great library. Sometimes it feels like I'll never have time to knit just one thing out of each book. I try not to think about it!

cici said...

impressive list♥ I have quite a list too! But with ravelry I always keep looking♥

Lindsey said...

Haha, glad to know I'm not the only one who worries about the ever growing knitting book shelf. I think I'm a lot worse than you though. In the end most of the patterns I knit with are from online. I should stop buying the books but I just love the feel of books, you know?