Tuesday, June 05, 2007

Twisted Sisters Knit Sweaters


My authors' copy just arrived and I'm stoked. Ann Shayne (who I had the sheer delight of meeting recently and who hasn't actually seen the book yet, but comments on her blog as per my description, thusly dubs TSKS , "a heroic piece of figuring". She's right. This book is just that. Every pattern here is formatted so that you can knit it to your own dimensions with your own yarn, gauge, proportions. Really it is a guide to help you strike out on your own, to understand the workings of the sweater so that you can alter the myriad of more elaborate patterns available everywhere. Or just start knitting and figure it all out as you go. There is almost no math in this book...I mean knitting wouldn't be knitting without numbers...but for most of the projects, all you need is a cast on number and off you go!
I am amazed at the beauty of this book. Paulette Livers designed this as a labor of love. Content wise it has all the brass tacks of one of those really helpful but not so glamorous self published black and white spiral bound workbooks, but Paulette has brought it into 3-D color, pretty enough to flip through just cuz you want some eye candy. Ann Budd is the content wizard behind the scenes, who helped me turn my spiral shaped spiderweb of puzzlepieces into a simple understandable graphic whole. Joe Coca outdid himself, especially on this covershot...one of my favorite knitting shots of all time...Sandy's sweater too...yeeehaaa, Queen Millenium Enabler of all things Fibery.
I deliberately wrote this book for both spinners and non-spinners...as I believe that knitters are knitters whether they make or buy yarn. Although there is handspun yarn, handdyed yarn, commercial yarn, artisan yarn in here, directions for such are not. TSKS is all about what to do with the yarn once you have it. And there are so many cool books that will give you that kind of information, such as Dyeing to Knit, Color in Spinning, Twisted Sisters Sock Workbook......
This is the book I wished I had when I was a young knitter designing by the seat of my pants. Beautifully appointed, inspiring, full of conceptually founded information. The deconstruction of the sweater. Sneek a peek inside. Order your copy today.

9 comments:

Ann-Marie MacKay said...

oh i can't wait to get my hands on that book--i am LOVING your sock book.

fleecyknits said...

I am so looking forward to this book - I love your first one. My question is do you discuss knitting sweaters with sock yarn? I'm hopelessly addicted to buying sock yarn but yet I'm still limited in the actual number of feet I have to knit for. ;-) I'm always on the lookout for other things to do with sock yarn. I love fine yarn and am willing to make the time commitment to more than a pair of mittens but you don't often see patterns for really tiny yarn. I've done my own designs in the past, but sometimes it's nice to see what an object might look like before you embark on that many hours of knitting. :-)

LORI LAWSON said...

Lynne, congratulations on a job well done. The book cover looks wonderful with Sandy's sweater on it. I can't wait to get a copy. People are going to be drooling all over it at Black Sheep Gathering.

Sandy said...

Lynne! i am totally awe-struck and verklempt. this is the book that knitters have been waiting for! congratulations! and p.s. i love the cover, too... imagine that!

Lynne said...

To answer fleecyknits, there is a project in the book called the Angel Wing Lace Float. This romantic lacy pullover is knit in a fine yarn the same weight as all of the merino sock yarns I've been dyeing as of late. Although you could knit it in a variegated yarn, this is one piece I prefer in a solid, or nearly solid yarn iMHO.

Meg said...

Hi Lynne -- I just ordered the book at TNNA. Are you interested in teaching a class and/or having a book signing in Huntsville at Yarn Expressions? We'd love to have you come visit!

Meg Manning
Yarn Expressions
Huntsville, AL

Unknown said...

mmmmmmmmmmmmm now why would Sandy love the cover? Impressive girls, really impressive!

J. C. KnitNStuff said...

Bravo!!!! I was listening to the latest L&V podcast and they mentioned your book. I've been waiting for it to come out since I love the sock workbook. My LYS (not THAT local with the Seattle traffic) had copies and told them to hold it for me. I loaded up the minivan immediately with my brood of 4 and boogied on down there. Its everything I was hoping for. When is the next one coming out? LOL!!!!

JoAnne
Renton, WA

Love2Knit said...

Hi Lynne,
I just saw your wonderful new book, The Twisted Sisters Knit Sweaters, and am absolutely jonesing for one pictured at the back of the book: the Friendship Sweater. Will you be making the pattern available anytime soon, and can you tell me what yarns you used? I absolutely loved it! The richness of the fall colors, the vertical design, the asymmetrical neckline -- it's beautiful!
Bernadette