$20.00, including shipping. 

$12.00.  Lion Brand and Potter Crafts...what a *great* combination! This little book has some great patterns, both crochet and knitted. Both Lion Brand and Potter Crafts are trusted names in the fiber and crafts industry and have teamed up to bring projects that are fun to make and fun to wear. No ones is forgotten...Scott the Bear is a crochet toy bear that's sure to delight youngsters

and, when made and donated to the police or sheriff's office, will bring a measure of calm and peace to a young person's heart during trying and difficult circumstances. If you'd rather not crochet (or don't know how) your own bear, why not knit a hat and pair of slippers for a store bought bear?

 

The knitted Girl's Bolero would be beautiful in a pastel mohair or mohair blend and add a special touch to an older sister's wedding. The Braided Shortie Scarf is a great way for beginner's to try their needles at cables and this short scarf makes a lovely gift...both to oneself and to give to a friend.

 

The home front is included with a Bobblette Dishcloth and a Throw Pillow and add a textured dimension to both kitchen and living room. If you choose to use a variegated yarn, as opposed to the solid colors shown, you'll also add some POW to both rooms. The Blue Banana Dishcloth adds both punch and color and you can work on your slip stitch at the same time. Knitting the Cornmeal Cable Dishcloth is an exercise in cable knitting and solid color, two color or variegated yarns may be used for different effects.

 

The crochet Provencal Afghan is very reminiscent of a Granny Afghan but the colors of Provence ensure an eye-catching and eye-turning makeover. The three different easy squares are all it takes to knit this showpiece.

 

Holiday Ornaments and Gift Tags give a gift that keeps on giving. The petite sweater, Santa hat and wreath could be knitted in different colors and used throughout the year as gift tags...cute!

 

Cat toys and beds, dog sweaters, decorative dog collars are all for our companion animals. When made in distinctive colors, your pet will be stylish as well as letting other people know how much you love him or her...or them if you have more than one pet.

 

Jewelry for her includes a Solar System Necklace and Sparkly Ankle Bracelets that are Ever So Cute. With a nod of the head to felted items, a Greek Key Coffee Cozie, Airline Pillow and Newsboy Hat are functional and useful.

 

The mix is increased with the addition of bags -Glitterspun Gift Bag, Starflower Satchel and a little disco purse that doubles as an evening bag. Mittens, gloves and fingerless mitts round out this little treasure trove of enticements; you're sure to find several that will catch your fancy or the fancy of someone you adore.

 

Lion Brand has been around more than one hundred years and are well established in the yarn and pattern world. Their new book, Just Socks, includes knit and crochet patterns for men, women and children and are of varying degrees of difficulty. Included are cables, lace, color work and enough lux yarns to make your feet the best dressed feet on your street. Also included is a nifty 'standard yarn weight system' that Fiber Femmes will find useful not matter how they twist and loop their yarn. If you've ever had a question like "how is DK weight different from sport weight yarn", your answer is here.

 

Techniques and finishing instructions include the Kitchener stitch which should be included in any knitter's repertoire; While it's most used to finish off the toe of a sock, it's a useful tool for joining any two pieces of knitting. Sweet and Simple pattern starts a knitter with an uncomplicated pattern that gives a plain, crew cut type sock. Don't want plain? Use a colorway yarn to add some oomph to the pattern.  Striped Footies mean everyone on your Christmas or gift list will have warm feet when the snow blows. A lot of the patterns are ankle down but the Toe-up Striped Slipper Socks take off on a new direction and give some more tricks to the knitter's arsenal. Cables and lace combine the two and produce a flirty sock that begs to peek out from under a twirly skirt.

 

The Bluebird Lace Sock and Whitby Lace Sock are both crochet versions and the open stitches look like lacework. The Autumn Roadway crochet sock remind me of harvest and frost on the pumpkin; make and wear these babies to the Autumn farmers' market.

 

Want to knit something a bit more difficult? Try the Norwegian-Style Footed Slippers in black, red and white. Beautiful and the striped toe add greatly to the x's and o's motif. The Toeless Pedicure Sock means your feet will stay comfy and cozy while sitting in the chair and Tabi Socks are split toe socks reminiscent of Japanese construction workers.

 

What sock book is complete without a Christmas Stocking and the crochet pattern is large enough for Santa to leave a multitude of goodies...hopefully knitting and crochet related!

 

Barbara Albright was a bright star in the knitting world and we are all sadly decreased by her passing. Her last book, The Natural Knitter, was published shortly after her passing and early in 2007.

 

This impressive tome introduces organic yarns of all flavors - sheep, camelids, goats, rabbits, yak, musk ox, buffalo, llamas, alpacas, vicunas, guanacos and silk. Plant fibers include cotton, hemp, linen and ramie and includes easy instructions for onion skin dyed fibers. The photography, by Alexandra Grablewski, is beautiful and crystal clear...no muddy colors and the lovely patterns are by various producers and knitting divas.

 

The Natural Knitter starts with a basic explanation of the term "organic" and what it means in the USA. There's a useful guide to "How organic is your yarn?" that takes one through the steps of "made with, fully organic, raised organic, organic fibers and ending with 100% organic".

 

Each chapter includes diverse patterns making use of all the yarns mentioned including sweaters, scarves, hats, mittens, socks and more.  The Flirty Ruffle-Edge Scarf promises a quick knit for those time challenged knitters amongst us and even felting gets a nod with the Felted Bead Diva's Flowers.

 

The chapter, Natural Next Steps, take the end user back a step to spinning your own fiber for knitting, crochet or weaving. This is a great primer for someone desiring to dip their fingers into deeper, dare we say, more primitive waters.

 

The yarn resources list is generous and includes both producers and retail operations. The knitting resources list is small but covers websites that both instruct and inform. You'll find old favorites and new ones waiting to be discovered.

 

As always, Barbara Albright has written a lovely book full of useful information, lovely patterns and is beautifully photographed. However, it should be noted the use of the term "organic" is strictly regulated by the USDA. In order for a producer to use this designation, they must not only adhere to a rigorous set of regulations, they must also pay a fee of $700 or more. There are any number of shepherds and fiber producers in the USA and abroad who raise their animals in strict USDA accordance but choose not to pay the fee. Those shepherds and fiber producers use words and terms such as humanely raised, naturally raised, naturally processed, pesticide-free and sustainable agriculture. Please don't overlook those producers when searching out "green" produced fibers and yarn.

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Quilts of Provence

The Art and Craft of French Quilt Making

by Kathryn Berenson

Potter Craft, Publisher

 

$45.00. 

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The Dogs of Windcutter Down

One Shepherd's Struggle for Survival

by David Kennard

St. Martin's Press, Publisher, 2007

 

 

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Never Too Many Handbags

by Prudence Mapstone

Kingswood Press, Publisher