Converts and inspiration

How exciting! I checked my Twitter timeline this morning and what did I see? This tweet from venerable yarn store Lions Brand. The tweet includes a link to a blog post on shaping garments, in this case a sweater, on a knitting machine. Since I'm not actually knitting garments anymore (just swatches and accessories, thank you), you might wonder what I find so interesting about this post. It's that it's written by an admitted hand knitter! This hand knitter uses a single bed machine and elects to do ribbing by hand. I am assuming the writer started out as a hand knitter? Hmm... a convert?

Speaking of hand knitters, I'll be taking a hand knitting class in two days! Last Monday I started Knit Design & Technology at FIT . I really wanted to review the technical side of knitted fabric structure and to become familiar with the latest in industrial CAD workstations.  Our wonderful and generous professor, Ann Denton, is not only an expert in her field; she is also a longtime hand knitter. She has offered to teach the non-hand knitters among us some hand knitting moves before our regular class (a plus for me as my hand knitting skills are sooooo rusty).

So perhaps I'm the convert here? It so happens that two weeks ago, I purchased a copy of the Big Book of Knitting Stitch Patterns, translated from Italian by Deborah Folaron and Cosimo Calabro. Yes, this a hand knitting book.

Big Book of Knitting Stitch Patterns

I bought the book to inspire me as I reconnect with my knitting machine.... Maybe after my hand knitting classes I'll actually be able to hand knit something from the book.

Ok, I'm joking about the converting thing.  We know that a knitter does not have to be one or the other -- a hand knitter or a machine knitter. A knitter/designer/artist can find inspiration in many places and many disciplines.  One inspirational book, on the recommended list for Knit Design & Technology, actually has "inspirational" in the title. It's The Art of Knitting:  Inspirational Stitches, Textures, and Surfaces by Francoise Tellier-Loumagne and Sandy Black.

The Art of Knitting:  Inspirational Stitches, Textures, and Surfaces

I got the chance to thumb through a copy after class. It's exquisite! It is not for the hand knitter who is looking for a stitch pattern book. The beautifully photographed, dramatic fabrics were knitted on machines and a technical view of some fabrics is provided. This book, however, can stimulate the creativity of any kind of knitter or textile artist. I ordered mine. It arrives next week.

Ed. Feb. 8 2011
Note for hand knitters:  The Art of Knitting just arrived at my door! Besides the technical view of the knitted fabrics, charts with standard hand knitting symbols are provided for many fabrics. I don't know if this is new for this edition or if I missed the charts on my initial glance through the book.