Monthly Archives: August 2015

Review: Essential Guide to Color Knitting Techniques in Paperback!

Review: Essential Guide to Color Knitting Techniques in Paperback! post image

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First, the facts:

Title: Essential Guide to Color Knitting Techniques

Author: Margaret Radcliffe

Published by: Storey Publishing, 2015

Pages: 319

Type: Fabulous reference.

Chapters:

1. Color Basics
2. Stripes
3. Pattern Stitches
4. Multicolor Yarns
5. Stranded Knitting
6. Intarsia
7. Other Techniques
8. Finishing Touches
9. Design Workshop

Color Knitting Techniques

Pattern Size Range: Not really applicable

The In-Depth Look:

This is a fantastic book–one I’ve gushed about before. But now you’re in luck–because this useful reference is now available in paperback!

So far as I can tell, it’s exactly the same as before and, flipping through it, I’m impressed all over again at the breadth of information here.

Don’t believe me when I tell you how great it is? Well, here’s my review from 2010:

Oh my, may I gush? It’s gauche and unrefined to gush, but … wow. If you like using color in your knitting, you really MUST check out this book.

Entrelac. Stranded. Intarsia. Stripes. Two-sided. There are so many ways to play with color while you knit, but simply because there are so many ways to add different colors to your knitting, it gets confusing. What’s a knitter to do?

Run, don’t walk, to find a copy of this book. It’s an amazing reference.

What? You’re skeptical? You’re thinking, “But Deb, you like almost everything.” And it’s true, it’s rare, rare, rare that I can’t find something to like in a knitting book–and even the not-wonderful ones took as much work as the wonderful ones. Not finding something to like just seems unnecessarily cruel. But, I’m telling you, this book is fantastic.

First, she touches on every method of using color that I’ve ever heard of. (Or, at least, I can’t think of any that she missed.) She discusses color theory and how to judge which colors will go with others. She provides stitch patterns using different color yarns. She discusses ways to use and highlight yarns that are already multi-colored. She provides patterns to highlight various techniques. She gives hints and tips on weaving in ends and avoiding the “jog” at the ends of rows of circular stripes, discusses how to do shaping while maintaining a color pattern. She discusses basic design theory…

This list could get very long. How long? Let me put it another way … to give you an idea how many things are covered in this book? The list of references is four full pages long. The index at the back is six pages long.

This is no lightweight book.

Add to all this excellent photos and descriptive, knowledgeable writing. This book is SO worth a spot in your library if you’re even remotely interested in knitting with colors.

This fantastic reference is available at Amazon.com.

Want to see bigger pictures? Click here.

My Gush: Run, don’t walk to find a copy!

Other posts for this author:

Review: Essential Guide to Color Knitting Techniques in Paperback!

Review: Essential Guide to Color Knitting Techniques in Paperback! post image

011410_color_0001

First, the facts:

Title: Essential Guide to Color Knitting Techniques

Author: Margaret Radcliffe

Published by: Storey Publishing, 2015

Pages: 319

Type: Fabulous reference.

Chapters:

1. Color Basics
2. Stripes
3. Pattern Stitches
4. Multicolor Yarns
5. Stranded Knitting
6. Intarsia
7. Other Techniques
8. Finishing Touches
9. Design Workshop

Color Knitting Techniques

Pattern Size Range: Not really applicable

The In-Depth Look:

This is a fantastic book–one I’ve gushed about before. But now you’re in luck–because this useful reference is now available in paperback!

So far as I can tell, it’s exactly the same as before and, flipping through it, I’m impressed all over again at the breadth of information here.

Don’t believe me when I tell you how great it is? Well, here’s my review from 2010:

Oh my, may I gush? It’s gauche and unrefined to gush, but … wow. If you like using color in your knitting, you really MUST check out this book.

Entrelac. Stranded. Intarsia. Stripes. Two-sided. There are so many ways to play with color while you knit, but simply because there are so many ways to add different colors to your knitting, it gets confusing. What’s a knitter to do?

Run, don’t walk, to find a copy of this book. It’s an amazing reference.

What? You’re skeptical? You’re thinking, “But Deb, you like almost everything.” And it’s true, it’s rare, rare, rare that I can’t find something to like in a knitting book–and even the not-wonderful ones took as much work as the wonderful ones. Not finding something to like just seems unnecessarily cruel. But, I’m telling you, this book is fantastic.

First, she touches on every method of using color that I’ve ever heard of. (Or, at least, I can’t think of any that she missed.) She discusses color theory and how to judge which colors will go with others. She provides stitch patterns using different color yarns. She discusses ways to use and highlight yarns that are already multi-colored. She provides patterns to highlight various techniques. She gives hints and tips on weaving in ends and avoiding the “jog” at the ends of rows of circular stripes, discusses how to do shaping while maintaining a color pattern. She discusses basic design theory…

This list could get very long. How long? Let me put it another way … to give you an idea how many things are covered in this book? The list of references is four full pages long. The index at the back is six pages long.

This is no lightweight book.

Add to all this excellent photos and descriptive, knowledgeable writing. This book is SO worth a spot in your library if you’re even remotely interested in knitting with colors.

This fantastic reference is available at Amazon.com.

Want to see bigger pictures? Click here.

My Gush: Run, don’t walk to find a copy!

Other posts for this author:

1982 August Trip …

August 1982 was my first trip back to the Vineyard in too long a time.  I was excited, anxious and also looking forward to showing my family the place I love so much. Both my teenage daughters were supposed come, however, my older daughter Patty decided she didn’t want to, so that meant my younger daughter, Deb would have to face the vacation alone with her parents.  Not a situation a teenager really looks forward to, especially when your mother turns into a crazy woman for most of the trip. Talk about embarrassing, I was the definition of it in her eyes… and quite frankly, I was a tad embarrassing once in awhile. Deb survived the trip mainly by escaping into her books… she can tell you what she was reading and where we were at the time… she still does that.

Aug 1… We drove to Falmouth and stayed there overnight.  Why?  I don’t know.  The fact of being so close to the Vineyard and not actually on it seemed like torture.  We actually drove to Woods Hole that evening just so I could look at the ferries and see the Vineyard.

Aug 2 – 6… I awoke early, okay, not really awoke since you can be sure I didn’t sleep much at all.  After a quick breakfast, we drove to Woods Hole to await the arrival of the ferry.  I was thrilled to be landing in Oak Bluffs, the town I grew up in as a summer kid.

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 (All pictures in this post are from 1982, the originals are 3×3.. they are somewhat blurry and the colors are not vivid.  I took pictures of them with my digital camera today and have not altered them). 

We drove into Edgartown and checked into the Kelley House.  The Kelley House hasn’t changed much at all but the buildings that we saw from our window definitely have.

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Unpacked, rested maybe 10 minutes and then back to Oak Bluffs to see the sights and maybe do a little reminiscing… maybe a lot.

Lower Circuit Ave… and  Circuit Ave

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Ocean Park… the Flying Horses.. and yes, I did take a ride on them :)

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Then into the Campground where seeing the Tabernacle for the first time in so many years was kind of emotional for me.  Anyone who reads reads my blog or knows me knows I have a deep attachment for the Tabernacle.

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After dragging leading my little group around town for quite awhile I took pity on them and back to the hotel we went to relax.  It had been a long first day and there were still 4 more to go.  Yippee.

The next morning we headed Up-Island to see Gay Head.  Look closely at the pictures to see the difference in the cliffs from 1982 to 2010.  There’s been erosion and the colors have changed but they’re always an awesome sight to behold.

1982

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2013

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On our excursion the next day out to Menemsha we drove past my mother’s relatives house in Indian Hill.  This is where I unknowingly at the time, embarrassed my daughter Deb.  I wanted to get a picture of the house and while doing so notice a man in the backyard I thought I knew.  To get the picture of the house I was standing half in the car and half out… I thought I was being inconspicuous. The man in the back yard didn’t see me but my daughter did and buried her nose deeper into the book she was reading.   I can safely say she laughs about it now, but back then, major mother embarrassment.

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On arriving on the Vineyard I was thrilled to find out we’d be there for Illumination Night.  It had always been my favorite event of the summer (still is) and I was beyond excited to be there for it.  (Cue another embarrassing moment or two) When the community sing began I was amazed at how quickly the words to all the songs came back to me.  I sang, clapped my hands, and was 8 years old again… and my daughter sat as far away from me as she could get… can’t say I blame her, I was a little on the excited side.    I cannot believe I only took ONE picture.

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Our four days on the Vineyard came too quickly to an end.  I was sure that I would never get back again… I still feel that way after each trip.  There have been 46 trips since then and one schedule for October so I think that fear was unfounded.

Was I a little on the frenzied side?  Yes.  I had dreamed about being back on the Vineyard for a long time and the reality of it was intense for me.  Quite frankly I still get a touch of it each trip.  My heart still beats quicker the closer to Woods Hole I get and try as I might I just can’t not burst into smiles.

Has my daughter Deb gotten over the embarrassment of her mothers behavior?  Yes she has.  She and I have made more than 20 trips to MV by ourselves and she smiles at, and enjoys my Vineyard persona.

Did my daughter Patty ever make it to the Vineyard?  Yes, finally in 1996 she, her husband Mike, their daughter Tiffany, and son Tyler joined me on the Vineyard.  I loved showing them everything and passing my love of the Vineyard on to my grandchildren.

I cannot believe the paltry  number of pictures I took in ’82… I mean really. ONE picture of Illumination Night.  ONE picture of the Tabernacle.  ONE picture of Gay Head.  Well, things have definitely changed and now with digital cameras I can snap up a storm… and I do… and sometimes with two cameras.


Weekly Challenge: Inspiration …

The challenge this week is to show inspiration.  Inspirational signs are popular these days so here are a few of mine… plus the words of inspiration on a birthday card to my daughter.

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https://dailypost.wordpress.com/dp_photo_challenge/inspiration/


Scenes From the Farm, Mid-Summer

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Scenes From the Farm, Mid-Summer

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Tagged: Farm, Garden, Seasons