. . . new books and products from Schoolhouse Press . . .

Christmas Past

—Dale Long

Dale's sweater, "Christmas Past," was inspired by the Victorian era and his childhood memories of watching Dickens', A Christmas Carol. Dale said, "I named my sweater after one of the ghosts who turned Scrooge from a misanthropic curmudgeon into a loving human being. I wanted to show Christmas through the haze of memory, so instead of using deep true shades, I chose colors that were soft and muted to suggest shapes we associate with Christmas rather than being too representative."

Dale Long knitted for over 40 years, and became a hand-spinner as well. His designs have been published in several magazines and a number of books. Christmas Past originally appeared in a Land's End publication to celebrate hand-knitting.

The sweater is a modified dropped-shoulder worked in the round. Written instructions, plus charts. Techniques include two methods for cutting steeks, three-needle bind-off and carrying three yarns. 4 pages, $8

Knitted Lace Designs of Herbert Niebling

—Herbert Niebling

The name of Herbert Niebling has become legendary among lace-knitters.In his designs you may find familiar leaves and flowers - but frequently his extraordinary and unique motifs will make you gasp; he seems to bend the "rules" of knitting to near-impossible lengths. Over two dozen patterns are included - edited and revised by Mary Frances Wogec - along with her full English translation. What a treat.

This beautiful book, Knitted Lace Designs of Herbert Niebling is a reprint of Gestrickte Spitzendecken by Eva Maria Leszner. However, the English translator discovered errors in many of the instructions - and has corrected everything she found. Most comforting as you launch into one of these spectacular designs. $28

The Art of Shetland Lace

—Sarah Don

We began to import this "first" book on Shetland Lace knitting in 1980. The Art of Shetland Lace by Sarah Don has been in and out of print for years -- but now you have another chance at it. A bit of history is followed by construction-drawings of a classic Shetland shawl. There are over 30 stitch patterns with line-by-line instructions (no charts; you may want to chart the motifs for yourself before launching into them). Directions for a most beautiful Christening Dress finishes the book. The shawls traditionally use our Shetland Cobweb or Shetland Laceweight wools. Softcover.
$26

Bohus Stickning, Radiant Knits: An Enchanting Obsession

—Wendy Johnson and Susanna Hansson

This past Spring there was a comprehensive exhibit of Bohus knitting at the American Swedish Institute in Minneapolis. The booklet published for the occasion, Bohus Stickning, Radiant Knits: An Enchanting Obsession, by Wendy Johnson and Susanna Hansson, is a wonderful adjunct to Wendy Keele's book. This booklet has scores of new photographs, an interview with Solveig Gustafsson, as well as short biographies of the Bohus designers with photos of their work. There are a few copies remaining; limited supply: 50 pages. $14.95

Bohus Notecards

—Wendy Johnson

In conjunction with the Bohus Exhibit, photographer Wendy Johnson created a series of 6 note cards (with envelopes), shown here. $12.95

Bohus Knitting DVD

From Relief Work to World Success

A Swedish film company has just released a new DVD: Bohus Knitting - From Relief Work to World Success. It is devoted to the history of the halcyon 30-year period in the annals of hand knitting when women in Sweden's Bohuslän banded together to form a cottage industry and ended up producing world famous works of knitted art in the form of sweaters, hats, gloves, mittens and scarves. The DVD is beautifully done (with an English voice-over and sub-titles). I found it very moving to learn about individual women who had worked so hard to help their families, and to see the extraordinarily beautiful knitting they produced.

58 minutes, $25.00

After you've been inspired by the DVD, you can turn to Wendy Keele's, Poems of Color: Knitting in the Bohus Tradition for detailed instructions and charts for many of the traditional and historic garments. For anyone interested in knitting tradition and history, the book and the DVD are, indeed, a gift. Order both together (at left) for a 20% discount.

Sock Innovation: Knitting Techniques & Patterns for One-of-a-Kind Socks

—Cookie A.

An aptly titled book of spectacularly imaginative socks; 15 of them in a wide variety of intriguing textures (no 2-color patterns). An assortment of different toes and heels for you to choose (EZ's Afterthought Heel is one); an altogether great sock book. Softcover. $22.95

Japanese Inspired Knits

—Marianne Isager

A wonderful new book of inventive designs: a sweater for each month of the year - inspired by festivals and traditions of Japan. The garments feature 2-color patterns, lace, cables a, garter-stitch and other textures plus unique garment construction. pb $22.95 (I must say that the cover photo is not representative of the contents.) Isager is author of the splendid Knitting Out of Africa. Softcover. $24.95

A-B-C-SJ (Adult, Baby, Child's Surprise Jacket)

Elizabeth Zimmermann, Meg & Cully Swansen

Elizabeth Zimmermann's Baby Surprise Jacket has become near legendary since its conception in 1968. The jacket is knitted back and forth in garter stitch, then cleverly folded and completed by weaving the shoulder seams. This updated pattern includes Elizabeth's original Baby Surprise Jacket instructions, original Adult Surprise instructions, and instructions for the new Child's Surprise jacket (see below). We've also added row by row instructions for the Baby Surprise Jacket. Both the Adult and Child's Surprise are based on the construction of the baby jacket. Cully has included numbers to knit the Baby Surprise Jacket at different gauges and a chart to enable you to knit different sizes at different gauges. The pattern also includes an options section for adding hood, collar and other features such as EZ's Afterthought Pocket and more. Technique instruction is also included.

Three Patterns, 12 pages. $10

Purchase the Baby Surprise Jacket DVD and the ABCSJ pattern together for a 20% discount (at left). Limited offer, expires June 1, 2009.

The Baby Surprise Jacket: So Many Options

Eli and Ceci wearing Child's Surprise Jackets

Simply Shetland 5

A continuation of the established mode of this series of books: clean, classic patterns for an assortment of garments (16 of them) from their stable of talented designers. Softcover. $24.95

Knitting Goes Large, 20 Designs to Flatter Your Figure

An assortment of jackets, sweaters, stoles and tunics (most are sized to 56" circumference) from five Rowan Yarns designers. Softcover. $24.95

Beautiful Sheep, Portraits of Champion Breeds

—Kathryn Dun and Paul Farnham

Not a knitting book - so we'll stock only a small amount - BUT a lovely present for wool-loving knitters. Portraits and breed information for 40 splendid sheep. Softcover. $19.95

Omas Strickgenheimnisse (Grandma's Knitting Secrets)

—Erika Eichenseer

Here is a welcomed reprint of a unique German book we carried years ago. Scores of stitch patterns are included, many of which I've never seen anywhere else. And, wonderfully, each motif is charted for both circular or flat knitting. Yes, you will find a new set of symbols to learn. At first that seems a bit annoying, but you may choose to re-chart the design with familiar symbols, or look at it a challenge to exercise for your brain. We provide a translation sheet for the chart symbols. $35

Near Solstice

Bridget Rorem

Bridget Rorem, our first guest pattern artist, has designed a series of lace garments to be published throughout 2009. Her first offering is Near Solstice, a triangular shawl, featuring an array of lacy bird's feet, dancing in the snow. Also, knitted in lace across the top of the triangle is an original and very touching haiku.

Bridget is truly an extraordinary lace innovator, never borrowing existing patterns from books, but designing each of her unique motifs from scratch and, when necessary, inventing techniques to realize her ideas.

81/2 X 11 format in a 3-ring sheet protector, 10 pages, $8

Shetland Lace

—Gladys Amedro

Gladys Amedro's Shetland Lace is back in print. The book is full of incredibly stunning classic Shetland shawls, knit in our Cobweb and Laceweight wools; a definitive book of traditional Shetland Lace (with row by row instructions). We are SO glad to have it back (do not be fooled by the new cover; the contents remain the same as in the original edition). 120 pages. Softcover. $45

Country Weekend Knits

—Madeline Weston

A most splendid book by Madeline Weston was published in 1986: Classic British Knits. A few years later it was re-issued as, The Traditional Sweater Book, but has been out-of-print for decades.

I am delighted to tell you that most of the lovely original designs are available once again: re-knitted and re-photographed into the current incarnation: Country Weekend Knits, 25 classic patterns for timeless knitwear.

The garments cover all traditional British styles of hand knitting: Ganseys, Arans, Fair Isle and Shetland Lace. Just leafing through the pages of beautiful, familiar sweaters and shawls has set my fingers twitching to cast on. $24.95

Double Knitting

—M'Lou Baber

The fascinating technique of Double Knitting (which produces a two-faced, negative-image fabric) has been simplified by the author to enable you to work both sides in a single pass. M'Lou's stunning designs for coats, jackets, and shawls are all accessible through detailed charts as well as written out instructions. An extensive technique section and a chapter of assorted practice items will help you to fall into the rhythm of this increasingly popular type of hand knitting. Softcover. $29.95

 Double Knitting Project Yarn List

Knitted Lace of Estonia

—Nancy Bush

Nancy Bush shares her expertise of Estonian knitting in this gorgeous book of lace designs. Square, triangular and rectangular shapes with traditional patterns are highlighted. The book also includes instructions for interchanging patterns within a shawl and how to design an Estonian-style shawl or scarf from start to finish. Softcover. $24.95

Knitted Jackets

—Cheryl Oberle

20 handknitted modern jacket designs inspired by cultures around the world and their textiles from Cheryl Oberle, author of Folk Shawls and Folk Vests. Each jacket focuses on a specific knitting technique resulting in a beautiful garment made to fit and flatter. Techniques include lace, cables, color work and more. Softcover. $22.95

Making Mathematics with Needlework

—Sarah-Marie Belcastro and Carolyn Yackel

A fascinating one of its kind book on mathematics and needlework. The book includes an overview for each chapter and its math ideas (accessible to all readers), mathematics papers for mathematicians, teaching ideas and how to project sections written specifically for crafts people, non-mathematician readers included. Of interest to knitters will be the chapter on (k)not cables and braids, the bi-directional hat project, the torus and the knitted hyperbolic pants, in addition to the intriguing discussion of the mobius and other mathematical concepts.

Helaman Ferguson, a mathematical sculptor, says of the book "A wonderful and validating book: mathematics from your fingertips to your brain and back again."

Norah Gaughn, knitter and author, says, "How exciting it is for this knitting nerd to see a book that combines two loves of my life, math and needlework! This book makes it clear why they were natural partners all along..."

Hardcover. $35

Interested in more math and knitting? Check out Debbie New's book, Unexpected Knitting (at left).

It Itches

—Franklin Habit

Franklin Habit has been entertaining us for years through his blog and the humorous writing and drawings exhibited there. Knitters will find themselves among the pages of his new book and his cartoons through familiar knitting subjects such as buying (then hiding) yarn, holiday knitting and projects which go awry. 112 pgs. 75 illustrations. Hardcover. $12.95

Knit To Be Square: Domino Designs to Knit and Felt

—Vivian Hoxbro

As a huge fan of the Danish designer, Vivian Hoxbro, I rejoice to see her new book available. There are plenty of small projects - with Vivian's delightful slippers at the top of my list; also hats, bags, shawls, pillows and more. Take a look at the intriguing "openwork" in chapter five: incomplete squares united to form a fascinating visual effect - as well as being interesting to knit. As opposed to other small-unit books, these squares are united as you knit to keep sewing to a minimum. Plenty of instructions for knitters who may be totally new to this technique. Softcover. $24.95

Einband

—Védis Jónsdottir

A new lace booklet from the Icelandic woollen mill that provides our Unspun and our Laceweight Icelandic wools. There are photos and instructions for 8 lace designs: a dress, yoke- topped sweater, intriguing-looking large shawl, a pullover sweater, long fingerless gloves, triangular neck scarf and a long scarf. All the garments are from a leading Icelandic designer, Védis Jónsdottir, and are knitted in our Icelandic Laceweight wools. The book is in English. We are the exclusive U.S. distributor for this title. Softcover.

WAS $16 (Now, $14; journey wear and tear discount)

Schoolhouse Press Pattern #1

—Elizabeth Zimmermann's Butterfly Jacket

Elizabeth Zimmermann's Butterfly Jacket was first published in McCall's Needlework in 1956. Meg re-knitted the design in Ultra Alpaca and Unspun Icelandic, giving full instructions in Wool Gathering #78 (Spring 2008) for the 50th year anniversary of Schoolhouse Press. The Wool Gathering issue sold out quickly and the butterfly instructions expanded into this new format to introduce our line of patterns. EZ's intitial article in McCall's was accompanied by her Ribwarmer and the manner of construction in each design is related. $6

Schoolhouse Press patterns are 4-6 pages in length, with color photos, expansive instructions, sizing info and technique images. Pattern leaflets are housed in a plastic sheet protector. More Schoolhouse Press designs will be posted to our pattern page in Fall of 2008.

(We show the Butterfly being knitted on the new Ribwarmer DVD.)

The Lerwick Lace Shawl

—Sharon Miller

The Lerwick Lace Shawl is a study in knitted lace design, from the antique to the modern.

It is a happy day for lace knitters - especially for those who know and admire the extraordinary work of this author (Heirloom Knitting, $65). In Sharon Miller's newest lace adventure, she examines an antique Shetland Lace shawl and gives us intricate and extensive data through her interpretation of the original design. You will see detailed color scans, large charts and life-size photographs; plus some history of Shetland Lace. Imported from the UK. Softcover. $43

Poems of Color

—Wendy Keele

This important book has been in and out of print over the years. We consider it a must have knitting book and, to make it available, persuaded Interweave to re-publish a small quantity.

The Swedish Bohus Stickning period was a halcyon one in the history of knitting. Extraordinary designers were drawn to this cottage industry established by Austrian-born, Emma Jacobsen. Upon Emma's death, the collection of mesmerizing patterns were in danger of disappearing until Wendy Keele - making numerous trips to Sweden to meet with the remaining designers and with the founder's daughter - gathered together the original charts in this lovely book.

Bohus patterns are unlike any other traditional motifs; they are more like landscapes or impressionistic paintings, realized with very fine wool. Try one of the caps to begin with, and see how gratifying this type of knitting can be.

Softcover. $26.95

Cornish Guernseys & Knit Frocks

—Mary Wright

This charming and historic title, first published in 1979, is just now back in print from Polperro Heritage Press. I have knitted many Guernseys using patterns from this dear book; the Polperro Musician being one of my faves. And isn't the cover photo of the patient knitter, waiting for the ships to return, most touching? You will find 30 Gansey charts, complete history of Cornish knitting, instructions for two classic garments (into which you can knit the stitch-pattern of your choice), and scores of wonderful old photos. Softcover. $19.95

Sweater 101: How to Plan Sweaters that Fit

—Cheryl Brunette

I am delighted to see this valuable book back in print and immediately delved into Cheryl's extensive sizing-section to start a new sweater for my far-away granddaughter. Schematics for 30 standard sizes in 3 basic garment-shapes for kids, women and men, from size 6-months to men's size 50. That is a small taste of the useful, practical and unique data divulged by the author. Actually, her More-or-Less Right Formula is worth the price of the book unto itself. Wonderful! Concealed spiral-bound/hc. $32.95

Vatid, Troid, Vamsad - Knitted Jackets from West Estonian Islands

—Riina Tomberg

Even though the English translation is rudimentary, it is enlightening as we look at knitted garments from the West-Estonian Islands from 1880 to 1930. I love books of this kind, concentrating on traditional knitting with plenty of visuals. Many of the old b&w photographs may be familiar to you from other knitting-history books in your collection, but the new color photos of the Estonian garments are nearly all unknown to me.

There are no instructions or charts, but a wealth of inspiration and information. Softcover,182pp, $50

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