Coffeehouse Knits

by Tammy Honaman

[annieb123]

Originally published on my blog: Nonstop Reader.

Coffeehouse Knits is a new pattern and essay collection edited by Kerry Bogert. Due out 12th March 2019 from Interweave, it's 144 pages and will be available in ebook and hardcover format.

It's become a lot trendier and more socially acceptable for younger people to express their creativity in social situations. I absolutely love the trend of knit-togethers. When I was younger and involved with fibre arts groups/guilds, I was almost always younger than the other members by at least a couple of decades (often more). These days at our knit-togethers, I see all ages. I also have seen a trend toward more socially aware knitting and donation knitting, which is absolutely awesome.

The 20 patterns included in this collection are all very attractive, stylish, fashion forward and 'young' looking. The designers who created them are from many countries and there are some well known names who will be familiar to the ravelry crowd. They are not heavily edited and as such, they retain the 'voice' of the designers. Some of them include both written and charted pattern directions, some include only one or the other. The styles run the gamut from simple to fairly complex. (Pro tip: there's generally a knitting 'guru' to be found at most knit-togethers who will help with just about any problems you encounter, so don't be afraid to go for an advanced pattern which calls to you in a super luscious luxury yarn). There are a number of patterns in this collection which really appeal to me. The types of projects range from smaller accessories like cowls and scarves to more time-intensive sweaters. There are a few unisex patterns, nice hats, socks, and cowls which would make great gender-neutral gifts.

The knitting patterns are interspersed with a collection of short essays on the social aspects of knitting and fibrearts. I enjoyed (and identified with) every single one of them.

This would make a lovely gift for a knitting friend or a wannabe knitter newbie. Knitting is naturally meditative and even when it's frustrating, it's intellectually stimulating and rewarding. It's worthwhile to teach others to knit and sharing a hobby with friends can enhance your friendships and bring them to another level.

Well written and enjoyable. The photography is top notch (as expected for Interweave).

Four stars. Really enjoyed this one. It's not encyclopedic, but it does include some technique illustrations for casting on and off and different shaping techniques.

Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.