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Have I ever mentioned before that I knit? I don’t knit as much as I used to, mostly because I have tendonitis in my wrist and if I am not careful I can very easily make it flare up and give me all kinds of unhappy pain. But I still knit, if only for short periods of time at sometimes widely spaced intervals. In spite of the fact that I don’t knit a lot, I still enjoy reading knitting magazines and collecting patterns for things I will very likely never make. But that doesn’t matter really because I get great pleasure in imagining the whole project.
Recently I was perusing the latest issue of a knitting magazine I borrow electronically from my public library and saw an advertisement for a book called The Best of Jane Austen Knits. Whaaa? Of course I immediately checked to see if my library had it and they do. Yay Hennepin County Library! I love you so very much!
The book has patterns for 27 “regency inspired designs.” That translates to lots of shawls and shrugs. But there are a few cardigans, a couple of bags, some baby clothes, a tea cozy, some elbow-length gloves, some super-cute stockings, and a few other items. I can’t imagine Austen herself wearing any of them, maybe the stockings, or her heroines, but the idea is still fun. There are a few of the shawl designs I like very much from a filmy lace to a solid cute number that is long and designed to wrap over the shoulders and tie behind the waist. And did I mention the stockings? They are just below the knee and have a pretty lace and heart pattern up the side and are held up by a satin ribbon.
There is also a “love and loyalty pin ball.” These were popular projects to make and give to friends (so the book says). They have a medallion-like motif on each side. It is stuffed and sewn together and trimmed with a ribbon or twisted rope. It is made with a very fine cotton and calls for size 0000 (1.25mm) needles. I have used size 1 (2.25mm) needles before but nothing that small. It seems like it would be something really fun to try. I promise if I manage one I will take a photo to share.
For all you bookish knitters out there, I recommend you take a look at this book. It’s got some super-fun patterns in it.
Do any of you have some favorite literature-inspired knitting patterns to recommend?
I love all the fabric arts…sewing, knitting, crochet, needlepoint, cross-stitch. I worry about them dying out (who does macrame anymore? It was such a rage.) Making something with one’s hands is so rewarding. Even if it’s just a simple loaf of bread.
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Grad, I sew and knit, know many people who knit, Bookman crochets, and I know a few people who do cross-stitch, and one who quilts by hand. I don’t think you need to be concerned about the fabric arts dying out, at least not for a long time 🙂 My mom was a bit macrame nut. And Bookman and I both make bread the old fashioned way 🙂
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I’m a knitter, too—and will try to find this book—and my
granddaughter is an avid fan of both Jane Austen AND
knitting, so will pass this along! thanks
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booksandbuttons, I hope you find the book. It sounds like it might be prefect for both you and your granddaughter!
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Thanks so much for this post! There’s also a Jane Austen crochet book that’s out recently; I’ve been meaning to check it out. Or maybe it’s the other way around – maybe the one with crochet in it is older?
As you can tell, I’m a crocheter. Crochet Ever After is new, and based on fairytales. And Knitting Wizardry.
Meanwhile I am working up some non-literary baby things, and a cowl 🙂
I did participate in Nerdy Swaps on Ravelry one time with an LOTR theme. That was wonderful. You should join sometime!! 🙂 You get a secret buddy and find out their preferences within a theme and then make them something small, like wristlets.
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everydayhas, you bet! My husband crochets. I’ve been on a campaign to get him to make me a granny square skirt but he seems to believe the sweater he is making himself is somehow more important. I just don’t get it 😉 Knitting wizardry huh? I’ll have to check my library for that one! The Ravelry swaps sound like fun but it takes me so very long to make something because of my tendonitis I’m afraid it wouldn’t fair to my secret buddy 😦
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Thats it!! This year I start…I have planning to learn knitting for a while…now you and Jane Austen…it’s God’s way of saying …Go girl…gather some wool and try and knit something!!!
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cirtnecce, I’d offer to teach you how, but you are too far away. It’s best to learn in person but if you don’t know anyone who knits, there are lots of great videos on YouTube. Have fun!
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Awwww….Thanks a ton!!! You Tube was my idea as well 😉
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Oh fun! Knitting defeats me (I do the scarf and that’s about it), but I have to wonder if there is a similar Jane Austen Stitches, in which case I’d surely take a look!
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Smithereens, well, shawls are like big scarves so maybe…?
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Love the Love and Loyalty Pin Ball … Unfortunately I’ve never been a knitter. I do enjoy patchwork and quilting, and crocheted once upon a time BUT somehow I just never took to knitting. So, I’ll just sit and wait till you post photos of your work.
A member in my Jane Austen group has been working for some years on replicating the Jane Austen Quilt. That’s not my think either because it’s the paper piecing style. Not my idea of fun, either. I’m very picky about handwork!! And getting pickier as I get older.
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whisperinggums, and as much as I would like to, I have not taken to quilting. A Jane Austen quilt? Sounds like fun but a lot of work.
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It is … My friend has put a huge amount of research into it … The exact geometry of the pieces as well as sourcing appropriate fabrics. She’s a retired librarian … School librarian in the end … And has created what she calls a bibliography of fabrics for it!
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wow, that’s really impressive. A work of art and a project of passion.
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Oh love it! What fun! I did some knitting as a teenager, but halfway through my greatest achievement, a black bat-winged jumper (I mention it here but will never speak of it again) I pulled the muscles up near my neck rather painfully, from having stuck my elbows out at angles that were unusual to me. So I agree that knitting is an extreme sport. Who knew?
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Litlove, so what happened to the jumper? I know, it got shoved in a bag that got shoved in the back of a closet and has gone to the land of unfinished projects. Knitting is extremely dangerous and then add cats to the mix and you find yourself contorted into all sorts of weird positions! 🙂
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I knit a lot! I find working with delicate yarn and colors vitalizing & fun, but also very relaxing. AND Knitting goes very well with audiobooks.
🙂
http://www.ravelry.com/projects/sigrun
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Sigrun, what a gorgeous sweater! I tend to zone out when I knit and so lose track of audiobooks so I tend to knit while the TV is on or while “watching” a movie or listening to music.
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That pin ball is so pretty! I hope you are able to try that pattern out. I don’t knit but it’s one of those crafts I would really like to try. I honestly think I would enjoy it but I need more time for more hobbies 🙂
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Iliana, I’m thinking I might try the pin ball out over the summer. It seems like a perfect warm weather project. I know what you mean about needing more time for more hobbies!
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Whaa! This seems so perfect. I used to knit, but then I left my needles in storage (at the ‘rents house) when I moved. I miss those needles… I had a bunch of beautiful vintage ones that I searched tirelessly through used stores for.
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Alisa, the book has lots of fun patterns in it. Knitting needles are easy enough to get and pretty inexpensive unless you really need to use those vintage ones 😉 It is too bad you could not find them in storage. I hope they turn up eventually!
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I may still be an avid book buyer, but I rarely buy stitching supplies these days–at least no new patterns and only occasionally fabric or floss in order to work on a project. If I actually WAS stitching regularly (I really need to get back into my ‘good habits’ like stitching) I might need something for a new project. I have more charts all kitted up and ready to begin working on than I have years in which to stitch them. Scary. Do share if you knit something from that book–sounds like fun, even if it is only really Austen-inspired!
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Danielle, since Bookman crochets we have a huge yarn stash and I have no idea how we managed to end up with so much! I have loads of knitting books too but have managed to pare those down over the years and not buy any new ones. It is much easier to save individual patterns as a PDF on my computer, not clutter! No space worries! No guilt! I will definitely share if I make any of the patterns. I am keen on trying the pin ball, it seems like it would make a nice summer project.
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