Member: Faroelace

Good morning,

I see that you recently added Ethnic Knitting Exploration: Lithuania, Iceland and Ireland. I had just been looking at that on Amazon and thinking of buying it. Would you tell me what you think of it?

You do seem to want to acquire EVERY book on your fiber passions. Your library is very impressive. By the way, the "Estonian" scarf I am knitting is going along very well and I ended up using an idea similar to your shawl in A Gathering of Lace. Thank you very much!

If you would permit, I would love to send you an image file of it. Is it possible to post images here?

Sally

posted by sallypursell at 11:06 am (EST) on Mar 8, 2009

'Tis indeed a busman's holiday for me, but it's rather fun flaunting all of the usual cataloging rules and just doing what I want to!

posted by gregorycotton at 3:25 pm (EST) on Jan 5, 2009

I "friended" you because it seems we have similar taste in knitting and spinnig books (all of 'em!). You have a wonderful library.

Jessica

posted by fascine at 11:27 am (EST) on Nov 18, 2008

Thanks so much for your time in helping me. I don't really think I need a how-to book--I have knit lace from time to time without any difficulty--I was just looking to expand my library on the topic without spending too much money. (Our family has joined a lot of people these days in having some money problems. We've been relatively immune to them before this, due to good planning and good jobs, but in the last few years I have been sick a great deal. I have missed so much work that our savings are exhausted [except retirement funds] and we have been operating in the red for quite a while--and that stops now--so no new books for me unless they are really really cheap. I hope I am not embarrassing you.)

I have my eye on the Victorian Lace Today book but it will have to wait until someone wants to sell one used on half.com or alibris or something. What do you think of that classic, is it "Mary Thomas' Book of Knitting Lace"? What about the "First Book of Lace Knitting", etc?

I started to knit lace when I bought Barbara Walker's first two "Treasury" books in first edition when they were originally published. I have been designing and knitting my own patterns for that long, although I take long breaks between knitting frenzies. Sometimes I don't knit for years, then I knit every day for years. I consider myself an "advanced" knitter, but I am quite sure I am not in your league!

I had noticed that your books were in several languages. What were you translating from? I have never translated a knitting book, but I have translated some professional articles from Spanish to English for an internet friend in Spain--they are on her professional website. What an interesting idea--translating a book on needlework! I'm in awe of your skills.

And how cool that you have been recognized by inclusion of your pattern(s)in the work you mentioned. I'll try to find it--seeing other people's work and designs is always interesting.

Sally

posted by sallypursell at 3:48 pm (EST) on Nov 13, 2008

You have an astounding library, Faroelace! I thought I had a lot of books--and of course I have not catalogued them all by any means--but you take the cake. I looked for your recommended lace books without much success. They were way too expensive for my taste, no doubt because they are out of print and the supply is limited. I'll keep looking. In the meantime I'm going to look at your lace library one of these days very soon and ask questions about some of them.

Do you know gregorycotton? He/she shares 203 books with you.

Sally

posted by sallypursell at 1:38 pm (EST) on Nov 9, 2008

Hi Marilyn,

If you were to recommend some lace-knitting books to someone who has few, which ones do you think are the most useful/interesting/inspiring?

Sally

posted by sallypursell at 1:41 am (EST) on Oct 24, 2008

Hi Marilyn,

I do hand-quilt. I'm awfully slow, because I piece or applique, baste, and quilt all by hand. It takes me 1 to 2 years to finish a quilt if I work on it steadily. I quite often put one aside for a while, to germinate, so to speak.

In general I make my own patterns, although I do use a somewhat traditional style.

As far as what I do with them? I made one quilt for our 25th anniversary and gave that to my husband, so I get to enjoy it on our own bed. Otherwise, I have made quilts for the younger members of my large extended family. I started with the youngest nephew (at that time) and then started working my way up the age list, stopping when a new youngest member came along. All of my quilts have been bed-sized, from a twin coverlet to a king-sized one. That largest one I gave to my longest-timed friend--we met an became friends in the late 1960s.

Sally

posted by sallypursell at 8:48 am (EST) on Oct 20, 2008

Hi Maryilyn,

Weirdly enough, I learned to knit at about the same time you did, but I confess I didn't knit anything useful (except rather square doll clothes) for 15 more years.

I learned to quilt at about the same time too, but didn't finish a bed-sized quilt for 20 more years.

I have been knitting lace for over 30 years (not nearly so long as you of course) but I don't have the habit of always knitting lace. What do you knit in lace? I'm not very into scarves or shawls and that leaves out a lot of territory. The shell I am knitting for myself has a lace hem.

I like little yarn and little needles, and I like the way that kind of fabric feels better too. That means I am very very slow. That means more UFOs too, but I always do go back to them eventually. Right now my UFOs are mostly quilts in various stages.

Sally

posted by sallypursell at 1:41 pm (EST) on Oct 12, 2008

Hi, Marilyn,

I've done all kinds of needlework over the years--I'm 56 yo--and right now I'm in a knitting jag. On my needles are a baby kimono, a baby blanket, a silk/bamboo shell for myself (I almost never knit for myself) and an office-type jacket for my sister. I have finished but not yet felted a hat for another sister (7 siblings, 4 boys, 3 girls), with a matching scarf and gloves. I am on a little dishcloth phase too. Some of my oldest son's friends are getting married, and he got married himself in May. I think a kitchen gadget, a little mad money and some hand-knitted dishcloths are a great wedding present for "honorary kids"--the kind who just about grew up in your house but aren't related to you.

The baby stuff is for an upcoming great-niece, who will be the first kid in her generation. I'm hoping I'll get a grandchild one of these years very soon. The mother is "goth" so she wants black baby clothes. The kimono is a self-striping yarn in black gray and off white, and the baby blanket is one of those "camoflauge" yarns in pink gray and black. I've got my eye on an intarsia skull for a coat or something.

Otherwise, I have quilted rather a lot in the last 10 years...

How about you? What are you knitting?

Oh, I don't go to classes or knitting camps but who knows if I might some day!

Sally

posted by sallypursell at 12:41 am (EST) on Oct 10, 2008

Well, Marilyn,

So have I! You have me very very envious.

Sally

posted by sallypursell at 9:04 pm (EST) on Oct 8, 2008

I thought I had an unconscionable number of books on knitting--most of which I have not yet entered--buy you take the cake! How could anyone find purchase and enjoy that many books on textile arts? I think it is astounding. Is this your private collection?

Sally

posted by sallypursell at 11:23 pm (EST) on Oct 7, 2008