I knit some hearts out of tomato red Peruvia last night. The plan is to stuff the the little things, then toss them in the washer to felt. If all goes as planned the hearts will show up as a free pattern in Knitbits in early February. I can’t resist the pun – they’ll be called “Heartfelt” 🙂
I’ll be posting a second list of books sometime in the future – probably titled something like 10 books you should have in your library. Meanwhile I thought it might be nice to start explaining my “indispensable to me” list:
1. I’ve told this story many times before, so forgive me if it’s a repeat for you. My friend Grace Judson taught me how to knit the summer I was 14. When I returned home I promptly bought some lovely locally grown wool at the county fair, found a nice pattern in a magazine and started going at it. Sometimes the instructions frustrated me. I didn’t speak the speak yet and if there is a way of misinterpreting over interpreting directions, well, I did just that. (I had the same problem with my English homework, but that’s another story). My Mom is left handed and didn’t knit at the time, but she was (and still is) great at calmly sitting down, reading carefully and figuring things out. Still, my perfectionist streak got the best of me more than once – resulting in full-on crying jags. How could Mom resist buying Knitting without Tears when she tripped across it in the book store? It was perfect! This is the book that gave me the tools to knit things “my way”.
New Note: The instructions for Heartfelt are ready on our web site – here.
*Completely nosey* What does the little stitched piecebelow the swatch read? I can see ‘knit’ and that it’s in French. *intrigued*
It’s not a repeat for me. Great story! How lucky that your Mom happened to see Knitting without Tears.
The red hearts at first looked to me like flowers. Maybe with a little bit of white and yellow added, they could be bleeding hearts and join the beets in a knitted garden?
(This is off topic, but wouldn’t it be great if somewhere in the world there was a knitted (and crocheted) garden that knitters/crocheters all over the world contributed to?)
I am looking forward to hearing the back story about the rest of your books!
Knitting Without Tears is a “forever” book for me. :O) I read it sometimes just to read EZ’s wonderfully down to earth style and ideas. A cup of tea and EZ. I think it is my all-time favorite book! Heartfelt is the perfect name! I hadn’t thought about stuffing before felting something. Must give that a try!
I read Knitting without Tears as a bedside story. I’m sure EZ would be honored to hear that her book was your first knitting book.
Love the “petit” string of hearts.
Love those soon-to-be-felted hearts!
My husband had a triple bypass a few months ago and my life has been full of all things coronary lately. Looking forward to the pattern!
Maria (who used to knit for you)
Also Norah, the blog is very well-done and you are a very entertaining writer. Can’t wait to see what you come up with next!
I’m glad to hear I’m not the only one who’s literally been brought to tears by their knitting. =}
I look forward to seeing what other books are on your list.
another wonderful ‘keeper’ knitting book is ‘No Idle Hands’, the history of social knitting by J.Macdonald. available at Amazon,Com. it is a good book to bring things into focus for me, knitting now can be a joyous relaxing way of self expression and always has been even when knitting was an absolute must for warmth and comfort for the family.
completely agree with your top ten.
have been knitting for more than 50 years and still going strong.
Kathy
Oh, I certainly hope the February KnitBits comes before Valentine’s day! I’d love to make a whole bowl of little HeartFelts for my sweetie!
I am happy to have found your Website. Have just finished knitting “Show Stopper” and just love it. A friend brought the yarns back from Los Angeles for me. Thank heaven for shopping on the internet, you have started me knitting again and loving it. Virginia in Tasmania, Australia
New to your site and love it . I started knitting during WW11 on squares for afghans for returning veterans. Love this little hat pattern “Cisco” with ears on it. It will go to missionary box to travel to a child somewhere. Felted little little hearts would really dress up a plain child’s hat and also send a lot of love.
I love that story! I’m 44 and I /still/ occasionally dissolve into perfectionist tears when I am trying to learn new things and failing. You have to fail to learn, and that’s so hard. Thanks for sharing!
Made one of the Heartfelt hearts last night but was confused by directions. Obviously, you make two…then sew them together? Seems like the directions could add just a little more info. Could you revise them, please?
When you said said saw seam down to the cast on, did you mean to fold the first hump side way used the 8″ yarn to saw the seam?
I was also confused by how do you pick up 3 stitches from cast on sts and knit 13 sts. from holder.
Hi, I love the hearts and just finished knitting one. I came out with one side of the heart? are the instructions for one side??? Your deflated hearts look like one piece, front and back? I think I did it wrong. I like the heart & it looks symmetrical so I’m going to knit the back and sew to front, stuff and felt. Am I on track?
Pam
Maybe this will help those who are confused about the hearts: You do not need to make 2 pieces. The instructions are for a complete heart. After you pull up the stitches you need to sew the little seam that closes up that bump. After you finish the 2nd bump you sew the seam that closes up that bump and then continue down to the point, stuffing the heart before you close the seam completely.
What a clever mom you have. I can almost see the smile in her face when she found the book…so timely.
Thank you for all the beautiful patterns you have designed.
The best thing I ever did for my daughter when she wanted me to knit her a sweater, was to tell her to knit one for herself. She is now a beautiful knitter and much more prolific that me.
I’m a lefty knitter so I have to ask if your Mom ever learned to knit. For so many years I was told that I “couldn’t” learn because I was left-handed…and I am SERIOUSLY left-handed…can’t even brush my teeth with my right hand without spearing a nostril. Five years ago, while combing through a used book store I found “Left Handed Knitting”, a small book by Regina Hurlburt and it changed my life. I have joined the knitting obsessed and am not afraid to try any knitting project, sometimes unsuccessfully, but with the knowledge that I can keep trying until I do succeed. I hope your Mom had the same experience.
P.S. I just completed your Lite Lopi Pullover and LOVE it! I’m on Ravelry as “Downeastyarnho” and it is pictured in my projects.