Kay Gardiner

I've had this book for years and it's a favorite. Beautiful color photographs, witty writing, and the story of a magical friendship between two women who met on the internet. I would say this is a book best for novices who know the very basics but are ready to move on from boring garter stitch squares. The patterns are simple, but not boring and the color selections are spot-on.

Their blog is pretty great too, with the unique format of them addressing their posts to each other. It's like show more reading letters, both intimate and informative. Highly recommend swinging by there.

The first pattern I made from this book is the Ballband Dishcloth, which is fun and easy and looks great with bright colors. I learned how to create a Log Cabin blanket from this book as well, and learned about "calamari" knitting and its endless possibilities. The Baby Kimono is super easy and super cute. I have also made the rippled hand towel.

Eventually I want to make the other hand towel, the Bubbly Curtain for my kitchen window, the nightie and robe for when I drop a few more pounds haha, the Big Dotty Cushion for *something* (it just looks like a fun pattern), and the Superfancy Potholder Loop Rug because it looks cool as shit and would be a lot of fun to make. show less

In 2002, Kay Gardiner and Ann Shayne met on the Rowan Yarns online forum and a legendary correspondence was born. Yankee Kay and Tennessean Ann are the personalities behind Mason-Dixon Knitting and over the years they have developed a dedicated following of knitters who enjoy their irreverent correspondence and breezy guidance through Knitopia.

Mason-Dixon Knitting: The Curious Knitters' Guide: Stories, Patterns, Advice, Opinions, Questions, Answers, Jokes, and Pictures is a superb collection show more of thirty-four patterns that has knitters around the world obsessively knitting Baby Bibs O’ Love and Mitered Square Blankets.

The projects here are useful, sure to inspire beginners and experienced knitters alike. Beginners who are tired of scarves can choose from washcloths, towels, bibs and rugs, as Kay and Ann tell us “Remember: No project is too ambitious if you crave the result enough.” To that end they’ve included patterns for beautiful nightie and robe set made from linen yarn, log cabin bedspread and an elaborate lace lining for Moses baskets.

Kay and Ann provide knitters permission to experiment and play with yarn. Their Mitered Square Blanket proves that playing with colour is the “most fun part.” This basic pattern can be knit in anything from two to forty colours, as a blanket or bedspread. The project is limited only by the knitter’s imagination.

Full of Kay and Ann’s trademark wit and style, Mason-Dixon Knitting is a must have for all knitters. Expect it to quickly bear all the signs of a well-loved favourite. show less

I loved the authors' first book, but this one is far better. There are still the slightly wacky kitchen accessories (a mop cover? I love it!) but these are joined by absolutely stunning lacy mohair in the form of a layered "plaid" shawl and a "cardigan cozy" of all things -- this being a diaphanous sweater to wear over another sweater (or not). I can't wait to get started -- the yarn is on order.

Yes, I'm geeky enough to have read this book cover to cover in one sitting. Yes, I'm becoming a serious yarn addict. Yes, I have two projects going now, and I don't really even know what I'm doing.

I really liked the patterns in this book. Love the idea of the log cabin blankets. That's my kind of knitting, I think, something that you obviously spent a lot of time on, that looks beautiful, that's really useful, that you can use a lot of great colors in, but that requires almost no stitch show more counting and very little fancy needlework. I like that the patterns are for very practical things.

I also liked the recommendations for where to find inexpensive natural fiber yarns. I'm sure I'll be buying some cones of Peaches and Creme soon.

I was not so wild about the layout of the book. There were several times I felt like entire pages were out of place. And the text was pretty disjointed, but seemed like someone had made some attempt to organize things. They just weren't very successful at it.

All in all, because of the useful patterns and the fact that Kay and Ann encourage people to grab their needles and yarn and experiment, I think this is a pretty decent knitting book and I'm glad to have it in my collection. show less