Monthly Archives: December 2015

First, the facts:

Title: Family-Friendly Knits: Seasonal Knitted Garments and Accessories for Children and Adults

Author: Courtney Spainhower

Published by: Interweave Press, 2015

Pages: 143

Type: Garments for the whole family

Chapters:

Not so much chapters as a list of patterns

The In-Depth Look:

This is the kind of book you want to climb inside because everybody looks so happy and cozy.

The author starts,

When I first conceived this book, I had clear inspiration from my time living in Oregon … Each day we wore boots and long johns and our natural curls were left to grow long and untamed. I had with me only one sweater through that time, a pale blue, gray, and white Lopi cardigan with pewter buttons that my mother gave me as a long-distance embrace and as a reminder of her own youth spent in the mountains.

… I have wondered what my life would look like if I could fold it like a piece of paper, joining then and now, collapsing my quiet, nostalgic youth onto my bustling adult life with my charming husband and spirited chilren; that is the place where this collection was born. Each piece carries either a slice of life then, a dollop of life now, or a sweet marriage of the two.

It’s no surprise, then, that what follows is a collection that makes you feel warm and coddled. Everything here is designed to be practical and suitable for tromping about with the family, playing with the dog, walking through the woods. Nothing is fussy or frilly or overdone, but that’s not to say they’re boring. There are stitch patterns to add texture and color patterns to add style (and warmth). Wraps to throw on when you leave the house, hats, mittens, and lots of snuggly sweaters.

The collection says it’s for “Family,” though, and she means it–there are patterns here for all the two-legged people in your family. (Well, okay, the mobile ones. Nothing for babies or little toddlers, but they’re not going to be hiking in the woods on their own power yet, anyway.)

I like this bit of wisdom: “I’ve done some very careful planning for men and children here because they are both famously difficult to knit for, squaking at the first sign of itchy wool, constricting necklines or sleeves, and overworked stitching. Because color is extremely personal, I stress using hues and tones that kids will love to show off and that men will feel comfortable in. The women’s pieces are more daring, peppered with rich colors and textures with construction and style reigning.”

You can find your own copy of this book at Amazon.com or your local shops.

Want to see bigger pictures? Click here.

This review copy was kindly donated by Interweave Press. Thank you!