Published by: Taunton Press
Pages: 213 with Pictures
Genre: Home and Garden, Crafts
I have to share with you one of the side-bar interesting things about Classic Elite Yarns. It's now owned, managed and staffed for the most part by women! How refreshing, and how appropriate for a company whose focus is to put beautiful yarns into the hands of women who then create gorgeous fabrics, gifts and home goods from them.
In addition to being focused on the distribution of yarn purchased from international and domestic mills, Elite writes and manages pattern designs; and, most interestingly, it's still housed in the historic, original mill site in Lowell, MA, beside the Merrimack River. I've been there, and contrary to what the mind may imagine, this is a relatively small mill building considering, with a mixed history of manufacturing, toil and hardship. I'm glad the Lowell mill has evolved to some good in the hands of women.
As an aside, a really memorable and gothic book about New England mills and a young woman working in them is: "The Madness of A Seduced Woman" by Susan Fromberg Schaefer.
My Review of "Classic Elite Quick Knits":
More than all the excellent directions, pictures of models and patterns that grace the pages of this book, I want to talk about some of the yarns and items knitted. If you're a knitter, the quality and timelessness of Classic Elite Yarns is already familiar to you.
This book is divided into sections having to do with small projects, but they are so beautifully detailed that nobody would imagine they have only taken a few hours to produce. Using the most exotic of yarns, coupled with easy patterns that only look difficult, the results are amazingly quick knits worthy of bragging rights!
Here are some of my favorites, though you'll have to get the book to see them and choose your own.
The "Royal Empress Shawl" knitted from Magnolia a yarn comprised of 70% merino and 30% silk in the color "Persian Orange." (A soft persimmon color, actually) is for me. This is a rather small shawl with primary structure and design. It's classic and sophisticated. This was a difficult choice to make!
Capelets: Gorgeous patterns in such unbelievable yarns. I'm a sucker for capelets as it is, so this book of so many easy to intermediate designs and supple yarn choices is killer. Couldn't we just make capelets all day for everyone we know? Seeing is believing where these are concerned. Check out the blues!
The hats and mittens are made in designs I haven't seen so beautifully
worked in 40 years of experience. The colors of these hats and mittens are keenly selected for contemporary use. The most attractive of all to me is a pair of fingerless mittens that harken back to the historic ones in the Old Sturbridge Village Shop in MA. Obviously, this design was one worn in historic New England for many reasons.
From blankets and bags the stand-outs to me were the "Irresistible Blanket" for babies cabled in pink Posh a cashmere and silk blend yarn. I want one for every single one of my grandchildren! And, the absolutely fabuloso "Sunshine Bag" in 5 colors featured on the cover of this book. Wonder if it would be gorgeous felted!?
In conclusion, I found this book exceptionally good. It's one I would love to have for my knitting library. Wish I could give you some visuals here...you have to go to your nearest book shop and see them yourself!
5 stars
Deborah/LavenderRose
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