Book Review: MINDFUL KNITTING

Posted by Som Tue, 14 Mar 2006 04:35:00 GMT

Mindful Knitting, by Tara Jon Manning.

Tara Jon Manning certainly isn't the first to explore the spiritual side of knitting, nor will she be the last. The knitting section is replete with such titles: Zen and the Art of Knitting, The Knitting Sutra, Knitting into the Mystery, The Knitting Way, The Knitting Goddess. What makes Mindful Knitting unique is that it's both an exploration of knitting's oft-explored spiritual side and an introduction to meditation.

That's not to say that the book is purely philosophical. It's practical, too, with ten patterns of varying levels of difficulty. In particular, I like the patterns for cotton wash cloths and the "Kata" Felicity Scarf. Both are simple enough not to interfere with meditation, but the stitches are interesting and require a certain level of mindfulness - which is exactly the point.

Manning's voice is clear and down-to-earth. This isn't some fluffy nonsense dreamed up by a Professor Trelawney-type. And one certainly doesn't have to be Buddhist to benefit from the book; people of all faiths and non-faiths have benefitted from meditation, and knitting is a wonderful tool for focus.

That said, I wish the book was heavier on the meditation and spirituality content. It's about 50/50 commentary and patterns, and while I do like a few of the patterns, I wouldn't have purchased this book for the patterns alone. Of the patterns I do like, I probably could have looked over them for a few minutes in the bookstore, driven home, and still have memorized them enough to write down once I was home. They're that simple.

So, don't get it for the patterns. Read the book for what really makes it valuable: a real-world, easily applied introduction to Mindfulness Meditation and clear contemplation that will enrich your knitting stitch by stitch.

Patterns included in this book:

  • Deliberate Focus Garter Stitch Scarf
  • A Trio of Washcloths
  • Warm Blankets and Hats for Giving
  • A Simple Sweater for All Ages
  • Aromatherapy Tea Cozy
  • "Kata" Felicity Scarf
  • Cable Cardigan Jacket
  • Lotus Silk Purse
  • Organic Baby Layette

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Frog II: Revenge of the Yarn

Posted by Som Fri, 10 Feb 2006 17:00:00 GMT

*headdesk*

*headdesk*

*headdesk*

I've been knitting this Lacy Serpentine Scarf for a week, and still I have nothing to show for it but the 1500 kinks in the frogged yarn. As I was finishing up Row 5 last night - the first truly patterned row - I came up short two stitches. I double-checked Row 4 and 5, and couldn't find where I'd dropped them - if they were ever cast on in the first place.

So, more frogging. I'm trying to be positive about it, but I'm close to getting discouraged enough to give up. The patterned rows are infuriatingly tricky on these bamboo needles, and stitching a p2tog is a Herculean effort (there are 36 p2togs in Row 5, plus two p3togs.) I think I'll cast on to the metal needles this time, in the hopes that my stitches will be a little looser and the points a little sharper. I'll have to sacrifice something to the Knitting Goddess to ensure that all those tiny stitches don't slip right off. But I've learned a valuable lesson: Never again will I buy a lace scarf pattern knitted along the length.

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YO mistake, lots of frogging

Posted by Som Tue, 07 Feb 2006 19:24:00 GMT

Well, I'm three rows (909) stitches into the pattern, and I just found out that I've been doing YOs wrong the whole time. *headdesk* Still, I'm thankful that I found out before I was even further into the pattern.

For future reference, and any of you who are getting into lace knitting: a YO in a pattern is not an actual, separate stitch. It simply means that you bring the yarn forward; the wrap is incorporated into the next stitch. Thus:

yo, k2tog

comes off as two stitches with no increase on the right-hand needle. And

yo, k1

comes off as two stitches with an increase of one. I did not know this. I thought that YO meant you bring the yarn forward and k1.

Now I have to frog all those lovely stitches. *sigh* At least I learned something...

ETA for posterity's sake: There's an excellent explanation of what a yarnover is here.

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