Steege.Gwen. The Knitter’s Life List. North Adams, MA: Storey Publishers, 2011.
Recently I borrowed The Knitter’s Life List by Gwen Steege from my local library. For knitters who don’t immerse themselves in knitting TV shows or Interweave products, this is a great overview of the who’s who and what’s what of knitting. I was very proud of how much I was already familiar with. When I gave it a closer look, I realized that it was a great book for inspiration and information.
But let me tell you about my first glance. No one makes life lists for me. I am so independent that I usually don’t like books that tell me where to travel or what to do. I have always had plenty of my own ideas. Often I look at must-do lists only to see how much I have already done.
To give Steege full credit, each section has a place for the owner of the book to add to his or her own list. The author really only meant it as a starting place. There are a few things in the book that I will never try, just as there are some foods that I will never try and some daredevil things I will never do. After spending more time with the book, I know that I will go to the book again when I am in a what-shall-I-do-now mood. I may take it off shelf and glance through it and leave it there, or I may take it out again to get a several fresh ideas for my knitting.
Everyone should have a life list for his or her hobby. I already had one going. On the expensive end, I would like to scout knitting delights in Ireland and Peru and Iceland, and then run tours for others. No, not all in the same trip. One country at a time. On the less expensive end, I want to master sock knitting and knit myself a clapotis. I have had the joy of teaching one knitting class, but I would like to teach more people to knit.
For this week’s new thing, I have cut strips of newspaper so that I can spin some paper yarn. Then have to be dampened before they are spun. I’ll let you know how it goes.
Linda G. Knits 