Annemor Sundbø's "rag pile" discoveries, which she recorded so beautifully in Everyday Knitting, have led her far beyond the rag pile, this time into the heart and soul of folk knitting and the people whose lives were poured into the crafts their hands produced. Invisible Threads in Knitting is simply a splendid book - I have never read a crafts history that told me as much about how those who came before us, and who created the pathways we now walk in modern knitting, thought, lived and created. Sundbø has managed to carry into each an every passage a quality of warmth, of kindness even, as she decribes with a depth of understanding that is sometimes startling the lives of those whose hands created our knitted heritage.

Her section titles will give you a glimpse of the breadth of her discoveries and reflections:

• Strands of Thought and Memory Spinning
• Spirit and Symbol
• Creativity and Striking Power

Delightfully, Sundbø has also slipped little patterns of some of the more charming and useful items she has encountered in her travels throughout the world of knitting. There are slippers, hats, mittens, coffeepot cozies. edgings and more -- all of them charming and inviting. My prediction is that you will often find yourself setting your reading aside in favor of participating in Annemor's discoveries with needles and yarn.

This is a book that already has an honored place on my bookshelf and in my life - it is a book that I have loved deeply from the moment I first saw it. Sharing it with you is truly a privilege.

What a delicious book this is! Terri Shea, a knitter and designer from Seattle, has captured the heart of this beautiful Norwegian knitting tradition and done so with enthusiasm coupled with a historians eye to wonderful detail. Here we learn that what became one of Norway's most prominent cottage industry - in this case the making of richly patterned mittens and gloves - had its beginnings in a challenge between two farm girls. The challenge to create designs on mittens in two colors was met and when the two girls wore their new creations to church, well, one thing let to another and Selbu became world famous for its extraordinary mittens.

However, this is not only a history book, not by a long shot. In addition to reproducing original instructions and contemporary material from Selbu, Terri Shea has added over 30 mitten and glove patterns from both Annemor Sundbø's private collection and that of the Nordic Heritage Museum in Seattle. There are photographs, charts and just everything you want in a pattern -- including clear, accurate instructions! Knitting just doesn't get any better - this is a book to work from and to treasure for the heritage it passes along.

Annemor Sundbø (author of Everyday Knitting, below), a native of Setesdal in Norway, has created a fascinating history of a region, a garment, the makers, and the details that place these sweaters in the pantheon of traditional folk garments. Opening the pages of her book is like stepping back in time, with local characters and events of a bygone era. In fact, her photographs of people, places, and advertising are joy to pour over -- you'll find yourself dreaming about these sweaters, so vivid is her presentation of the life behind the design.

Sundbø not only gives us the history of the "Louse Coat," but she ends the book with detailed instructions on for the characteristically embroidered plackets and cuffs and a long section of patterns from the historic sweaters throughout the book. If you are an experienced knitter, you will have no trouble converting these patterns into sweaters.

If you have less experience, but still long to make your own Setesdal sweater, all you need to do is follow Elizabeth Zimmermann's Percentage System (EPS) to calculate the specifics of your sweater. Her most refined presentation of the EPS is in Knitting Around, though her other books also have good sections on it. Knitting in the Old Way is another treasure you can mine for the information you need, and one that will place you in the heart of traditional, pattern-free knitting. And, if you've never done this before, you have my assurance that it is not at all difficult and that you will be delighted with your results.

Setesdal Sweaters is a rich and wonderful feast for any knitter - I love it more each time I take it off the shelf.

From very simple to absolutely splendiforous, Inger Fredholm's wonderful book presents the world of Swedish and Fair Isle knitting from its most traditional to its most amazing possibilities. In doing so, Fredholm reveals herself to be a designer of remarkable capacity and creativity. Anyone interested in color pattern knitting or traditional design or how traditional design can transform to match or even lead modern tastes and sensibilities will not just want this book, but once possesed, will barely be able to set it down. It is just that exciting and inspiring.

Beginning with a series of "Simple Swedish" sweater, cap and afgan designs, all easy to knit, lovely and practical to wear, she quickly moves into (again, still simple) some innovative textured and lace garments. Once she has your attention, however, she moves quickly into the less simple (think "intermediate"): an elegant lace jacket, a lace jacket & skirt ensemble; and the not-to-be missed "Tango Dress".

And from there she pulls out all the stops with color, from simple two- or three-color patterning to fantastic and phenomenal 16 or 20 or 21 (or whatever - you get the picture) colors. Now, we all know that the use of many colors can either be kaleidoscopic or catastrophic - I can assure you that in Fredholm's case, her results are exquisite and scintillating. They also take Fair Isle knitting into realms few have travelled and are inspiring and exciting.

There's more: She offers instruction on her own method of carrying two colors, serves up a mouthwatering recipe for Swedish Cinnamon Buns, and tucks bits of history and design considerations throughout her book. This is one book that is a treasure, a classic the moment it left the presses. I guarantee you'll love it, too.

Everyday Knitting is a treasure trove of knitting patterns and cultural history. The author unravels the fascinating history of traditional Norwegian knitting, a story that sprang to life as she explored the storage bins of a wool recycling factory (which she had just purchased in what must have been one of the more amusing real estate transactions in Norwegian history. She was a weaving teacher and had wanted some experience in a full-scale woolen mill -- the owner said he'd happily provide the training if she would buy the mill first!)

The mill produced batting from recycled wool obtained by shredding old woolen knit garments. As Annemor went through her new holdings, she realized how much history was being lost in those shredding machines and how very important it was to recapture some of it.

The result was this wonderful, beautiful book which has everything a knitter, garment designer or cultural historian could every want. There are patterns that go back to the beginnings of Norwegian knitting and beyond; a thorough discussion of all stages of knitting in Norway; there are photographs of some rescued knit treasures -- amazing socks, gloves, caps, sweaters; old photos showing these sweaters in daily life; instructions and advice on how to go about recreating these masterpieces of beauty and practicality, or using the motifs and patterns to create something new with something old.

A beautiful book to treasure, learn from, and use.

Filmed on location along the spectacular Oregon coast, Cardigan Details concentrates on knitting a Norwegian style drop-shoulder, scoop neck cardigan in the round. Meg covers every single technique you need, and does so in her usual warm, engaging and ultra-clear way. It's like having an expert knitting buddy helping you along, right in your living room.

The sweater construction is classic for the style: the body is knit in the round from lower edge to shoulder, with a steek up the center front. The sleeves are knit in the round from the cuffs, and a lovely Norwegian color-pattern (from Traditional Scandinavian Knitting!) tops the shoulders. Armholes and center-front are cut open and the sleeves sewn in. All of which ought to give you a good idea of the vast array of techniques Meg covers every so beautifully and completely.

Among the many, many things you can learn or revisit are:

• k1b, p1 ribbing
• increasing - this particular technique was new to me and is the most graceful I've seen
• short rows
• steeks
• color pattern knitting
• machine-stitching for cutting
• cutting
• attaching sleeves
• I-cord cast-off
• 1- and 2-row buttonholes
• finishing the cut edge
• and much, much more

Imagine all the things you really love about traditional Scandinavian knitting - the color, the textures, the style that is at once rugged and beautiful. Now imagine cutting-edge knitting designers taking those same elements and using them in ways that take your breath away, where texture, color and line meet with such energy and in such unexpected ways that you can't take your eyes off the resulting garments because they are so alive with beauty and joy.

This is what you'll find in Norsk Strikkedesign (which, contrary to the impression the title gives, is in English). The garments range from elegant to whimsical, from high-fashion to practical-yet-amazingly-beautiful. I think I learned more about garment design from gazing at the photos in this book than in any other single place. If garment design and the fusion of style elements interests you, this book is a must-read.

This is another one of those books that I have referred to countless times -- only recently reprinted after years of languishing in the nether world of out-of-print books.

Sheila McGregor is a master of both Scandinavian knitting and writing about it-- the book is filled with clearly explained techniques, hundreds of knitting patterns, and garment instructions for sweaters, gloves, mittens, stockings and caps. She also gives us an in-depth treatment of the different styles of knitting throughout the Scandinavian world - from Norway, Sweden and Denmark to the North Atlantic Islands of Faeroe and Iceland.

A great resource that you'll go back to again and again.

What a wonderful book and what wonderful techniques! Myrna Stahman has explored the furthest reaches of those magnificent Faroe shawls and created an approach that yields up beautiful shawls with any size yarn you choose to use. She thoroughly discusses everything you need to know about designing and knitting these shawls, including innovative approaches to construction and even blocking.

And then, there are the seaman's scarves, the only form-fitting scarves I know about. They are so elegant and so inviting of your design creativity. The shawl section is followed by a section devoted exclusively to seamen's scarves -- this is like a luscious dessert after a glorious meal. Myrna even gives information about the Christmas-at-Sea Program of the Seamen's Church Institute, should your knitting enthusiasm leave you with Seamen's Scarves to donate. This is a lace book that you'll not only treasure, but use again and again.

The first shawl I ever knit was a Faroese shawl -- I just loved the graceful shaping and the touches of lace that caught the eye and moved with the drape of the garment. This book is where it all started -- the real item from the Faroe Isles. In it are 19 shawl patterns for every shape, size and purpose -- from grandly long and formal to practical, shorter shawls. Each shawl is illustrated with one or more color photographs in the Faroese original, and the instructions are clearly and warmly translated in the accompanying booklet. You'll also find an article about the History of Faroese Shawls and a good introduction to the craft of creating them. Marilyn van Keppel also provides an additional Preface discussing how the English translation came into being. This is a book for any lace knitter to treasure - a joy to page through and work with.

In my opinion, is one of the most resourceful and interesting techniques to appear in any knitting tradition. The art of using two two strands of yarn simultaneously is not unusual and can be found in every knitting tradition where people had access to dyestuffs. What is done here, though, takes the process a step further by twining the yarns as they are knit. The result? A fabric that is wonderfully warm, sturdy though soft, with design characteristics that embody both color pattern knitting and textured knitting at one and the same time.

If you haven't already tried it, the technique does take a bit of getting used to -- the yarns are carried over one finger of the right hand and then the finger is moved to present alternate strands in a way that twines them as you knit. It's well worth the effort of learning something new as the results are both gorgeous and practical -- and it isn't all that difficult once you get the rhythm of it. Try it, you'll love it!