book review: A Dark and Stormy Knit by Anne Canadeo

A Dark and Stormy Knit by Anne Canadeo
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Being a big knitter, naturally I had to request a review copy of this book from netgalley. I have not read any of the previous books in this series, something I normally HATE, but was not an issue at all in this series.

I do want to admit that I am not really a fan of cozies - I just don't get the genre. I understand the need for violence off screen, but the whole genre is just too light and fluffy for me.

Of course, I keep trying to read cozies anyway, because I do like crime books/mystery books for an occasional different read.

Like any other cozy, the setting is a small town world, with a murder you have to solve. I figured it out in about 3 seconds. The book is very slow paced - I don't read enough cozies to know if that pace is normal or not, but for me it was very slow.

The best part of the book is definitely the friendship and connection between all the women. Part of me is envious of that, but mostly I just feel it's so far-fetched. I don't have kids, yet I don't have time in my schedule to get together with my friends once a week no matter what, so how are they all having the time to do that? Still, the idea is just so cool that I'm drawn to it all the same.



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Triangle Trellis

Introducing my next design, another shawl using a cotton - linen worsted weight yarn, the

Triangle Trellis.

Started at one side with only a few stitches, and an easy two row repeat, this is another shawl that will be quick to make up and the beautiful  yarn will make this a favorite three season shawl.

Knitting Yarns

Knitting Yarns: Writers on Knitting by Ann Hood
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Anyone who has read more than one of my reviews before knows I'm a crafter and more specifically a knitter and crocheter, and anyone who follows my blog knows I try to review a wide variety of crafting books, so naturally I jumped at the chance.

There's a few similar books out there, a collection of short stories with the common theme of knitting in all the stories. The difference is this collection includes more famous people, like Barbara Kingsolver, Sue Grafton, and Anne Shayne (of Mason Dixon fame). Like any short story collection, some are better than others - my least favorite was about a guy who kept talking about how he didn't knit but yet his story somehow involves knitting anyway. He just kept talking about how he didn't knit, like he was insulting the craft and those who love it. But that's the great thing about short story collections, you spend a few minutes reading a story you don't like, you move on to the next one that you do like.

There's also a few patterns included in the book, which in books like this I always figure they include solely as a way of selling more books (you know, people who enjoy reading will read this book, and people who just want patterns will buy this book, so you get twice as many sales). You have no idea what the patterns look like because you have to go online to see photos - I hope that this is maybe just something in my e-ARC and not in the final book. They are all very basic designs, like fingerless gloves, cabled head wrap, ruffled slipper socks, coffee cozies, etc., and most designed by Helen Bingham.



I received a copy of this book for free through http://edelweiss.abovethetreeline.com/

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book review: Last Chance Knit & Stitch by Hope Ramsay

Last Chance Knit & Stitch by Hope Ramsay
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I read this book right after I read "Dark and Stormy Knit". I always read these types of books, being a big knitter, but these types of books are always just too cutesy and happy and perfect for me.

That being said, this is one of the better knitting fiction books out there that I've read. The pacing is good, you can get into the characters, the storyline moves along at a decent pace. I'm not terribly in love with any of the characters, and I'm not terribly upset when the book ends, either. It's a quick read, great for whiling away a couple of hours (or in my case, read on quick work breaks). Molly's character drove me batty for most of the book, she was just way too weak willed (and immature) for her age, and it did make it difficult to really get into the book.


I received a review copy from netgalley for free in exchange for my honest review

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Quilting With a Modern Slant

Quilting with a Modern Slant: People, Patterns, and Techniques Inspiring the Modern Quilt Community by Rachel May
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

First, I want to say I am not a quilter, but I am a fiber artist and teacher and have long, long been obsessed with quilts. I own a ton of quilt books for their inspiration and even own a fabric stash & a sewing machine, though I can barely sew. I want to be a quilter, but the fiber life has a mind of its own.

The book starts with the basics, explaining how to make a simple quilt (6 parts) and defines what modern quilting is, and what different people feel about quilting and modern quilting in particular. There's a lot of writing from lots of different quilters from all walks of life, talking about how they make quilts and why and how they got started. You'll reconigize some of the names included in the book if you have any interest in quilting at all.

The book also has gorgeous, inspiring photography on each and every page.

I enjoyed the improv section the most, which makes sense because I love freeform the most in my fiber journey.



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Granny Square Love

Granny Square Love: A New Twist on a Crochet Classic for Your Home by Sarah London
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

First of all, let me start by saying I'm a huge fan of Sarah London, have been reading her blog since she first started writing one, & I'm also ravelry friends with her.

The book starts as with so many other crochet books, with a how to section. I really, really, really hate seeing that in so many books, I always feel if you are a beginner crocheter, you'd be getting a whole how-to book out of the library or from the bookstore, you wouldn't just pick up a random crochet book & hope there's a how to section in it. To me, it's really a waste of space in the book & a waste of money, but that may just be me.

As with all of London's stuff, all of the projects in the book are very bright & colorful, which is why she has so many fans. The projects are beautifully photographed, with both full shots & close up views. There are 25 projects included in the book, & they are all very beginner friendly. The focus here is on color, not stitches, and each project includes some tips on picking color.

My absolute favorite project is the Grocer's Tote, which is also featured on London's blog.

I won a copy of this book as part of London's blog tour.

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Great Little Gifts to Knit

Great Little Gifts to Knit: 30 Quick and Colorful Patterns by Jean Moss
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I'm a little confused because I vividly remember reviewing this book, going through all the patterns & adding my thoughts and comments about each one, and I can't find a copy of my review anywhere either online or on my hard drive. So here I am trying to recreate it, playing catch up as I am always doing.

I love Jean Moss's designs and I'm always looking for "gift" related patterns. I only knit for a few people & usually socks, because generally speaking those are the only items that anyone ever appreciates (it's why I knit a lot for charity). This book has a lot of gift giving ideas that maybe, just maybe might actually be appreciated by family.

Patterns are clearly written, terms and abbreviations are explained, and items are well photographed.

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Curvy girl Crochet

Curvy Girl Crochet: 25 Patterns that Fit and Flatter by Mary Beth Temple
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This is another book that I vividly remember reviewing, but yet I can't find a copy of it anywhere.

I downloaded this book to read and go through on my nook and it entertained me all the way on the long drive to the airport and back (we were taking my parents). There is a wonderful variety of patterns in here that you'd come to expect from Mary Beth Temple, from jackets and sweaters to accessories. And of course there's hints and tips on how to make garments actually fit your body and make them flatter.

There's simpler, basic, every day sweater designs, that you'd actually live in all winter long, and more complicated, fancier stuff that you'd make and wear on special occasions.

Crochet garments, even in this day and age, still has the repuation that it's bulky and not flattering on a girl's figure, and this book goes a long long way to change that.

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Soap Craft

Soap Craft: 31 Recipes for Creating Amazing Handmade Soaps by Anne-Marie Faiola
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Years ago - before I knitted, before I designed, before I taught fiber arts, before weaving and spinning and dying, back when I did other crafts that didn't involve yarn, crafts like scrapbooking and latch hook and embroidery and cross stitching, I made homemade soap. I didn't make a ton of it, but I made soap, and it was fun.

When this book popped up on netgalley, I remembered how much fun it was to make soap. I didn't make anything fancy or honestly anything that even looked pretty, but it was fun. And reading this book made me remember how much fun it was to make soap and why I enjoyed making soap in the first place, and makes me long to make soap again (even though honestly, it won't happen because I'm a little too busy with the knitting, crocheting, hopeful weaving, sometimes spinning, always dying yarn and fiber, and oh yeah the designing and the occasional knitting class, too. Not to mention the reviews. And oh, seeing your husband every other Sunday).

Anyone's who's thought of trying a new craft or is looking for a new hobby or perhaps something different to sell at a craft show, should try this book. There's great details and lots of photos, besides amazing end products that you can actually make.

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Mom and Me Knits

Mom & Me Knits: 20 Pretty Projects for Mothers and Daughters by Stefanie Japel
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Any knitter knows the name Stefanie Japel - famous for designs like the one skein wonder and the mini sweater / boob holder and author of countless other knitting books. So even though I don't have a daughter, I had to grab this book from my library and take a look. I happen to be a fan of matching mother daughter outfits, anyway - my mom & I always had matching Easter outfits, and we even had matching "pilgrim" outfits we wore to Plymouth Plantation & Sturbridge Village.

Outfits don't match perfectly, and Stefanie explains her daughters aren't girlie girlie, so she's not designing pretty "pink" outfits, but every day wearable outs that both mom and daughter will enjoy and wear all the time - something I want in a FO.

Patterns are sized through infants to size 50" adults and are all made in Stefanie's usual seamless, top down style.

There's a great mix of styles as well, from lace, cables, aran, etc. - I love the Mother's Lace Cardigan (of course, I love lace!)

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