Knitting Up Through the Generations

Barbara Abbey, Friends and Knitting Connections One of the cool things about knitting is that while it is an old craft form (yes, art form, too, but that's another blog post), we knitters can take those skills and put a very modern twist on them.

It also means that there are not many new tricks we can learn from the modern knitting literature. New patterns, new yarns, cooler knitting shirts, but the basics really haven't changed that much.

In 1971, Barbara Abbey wrote "The Complete Book of Knitting" (Viking Press, 1971). I picked up this book used a few years back and it was sitting on my shelf (along with just a "few" other books on the topic) when my sister spied it and said "Hey! You have Elan's Grandmother's knitting book!" Way cool, since Elan and I had our first knitting lesson together (thank you Jessica!) around Marty's dining room table.

When I really started reading this book, I realized what an excellent guide it was. Not only to teach the basics, there is a wealth of stitch patterns documented there. Radical that I am, I decided to knit something for myself (a rarity) from the book! I selected "#5 small check" on page 144, a nice soft purple yarn, and got started.

I am very pleased with the result. It was my first attempt to make anything from just a stitch pattern, it's my favorite color to wear, and it's a tie back to a friend AND one of the most thorough books on the topic I have read.

So, Miss Maisy, to answer your question - check out eBay and get a copy of this book for yourself as you learn to knit in the New Year. I would send you mine but there's this great Cockleshells pattern on page 162 that I am anxious to try. . .