The Joy of Books

I love books.  I was a voracious reader in my early days.  I would read anything.  I loved being transported to a different time and place through books.  That didn't change with my knitting.  I love knitting and spinning books.  I especially love books that cover history as well as patterns and designs.  One of my current favorite books is  Mittens from Around Norway.

I live in Minnesota.  You can NEVER have too many mittens.  We need fall mittens, winter mittens, DEEP WINTER mittens, early spring mittens, and late spring mittens.  So many mittens.  I also love to knit stranded things.  Stranded mittens are warmer since they have a double layer of yarn.  Much appreciated here in the frozen northland.  And they are pretty.  smile. These are a pair of mittens I knit several years ago.  

There are more than 40 mittens in this books.  Not all of them are stranded either, there are some beautiful "fancy" lace mittens.  The author, Nina Granlund Saether has compiled a great variety of mittens from children sized to adult.  She has mittens for every skill level too.  This would be a great mitten primer in my mind to add to your personal library or check out from your local library.  

Each mitten pattern has a wee bit of history attached to it, which I in particular enjoy.  There is also a good tips and tricks section.  I found the directions to be clear and the patterns designs clearly printed.  My eyes are old and I would copy the charts and blow them up larger to make it easier for me to follow along.  I can also write on the pattern then and make notes as I go which I like to do.  Because invariably, I change something or add something and with there being two mittens, ya, I need hints as to what I so cleverly did on the first mitten so I can actually have a matching pair.

Christmas is not that far away by the knitting clock, these would make lovely gifts.  Enjoy!  And what are some of your favorite knitting/spinning books?  Let me know, my personal library always has room for more!