Knitting in America

America Knits (or Knitting in America, in the earlier hardcover) profiles 38 knitters across the US. Many are well known - Nicky Epstein, Norah Gaughan, Barbara Walker, Kristin Nicholas, Nancy Bush, Kathryn Alexander, Meg Swansen - but some I had not heard of. A few profiles are for yarn producers, including Morehouse Farm, Sally Fox, La Lana Wools/Taos Valley Wool Mill, Big Sky Fiber, and Northwest Alpacas Ranch and Country Store. Two are in categories of their own: Penobscot Bay Knitting Cruises and the Waldorf School.

The book is organized in four sections, with 12 profiles in the East, 10 in the Southwest, 9 in the West, and 7 in the Midwest. Each profile typically includes 3 pages of text, a small portrait photo, at least one show more fashion photo of the knitter’s work, and one or more detail photos. The profiles are interesting, and the photography is gorgeous.

Patterns are provided for 30 of the featured knitted items. Most are rated intermediate or expert, and a few include variations. The designs are interesting and varied, but the quality of the pattern section is uneven, probably because each knitter was allowed to present the pattern in her own way. Some patterns include only one or two sizes. Most include charts, but some are presented only in narrative form. The materials lists do not use the yarn weight system; photos are not provided for the recommended yarns, and no guidance is provided for alternate yarns. Most frustrating of all, no flat photos are provided, and the fashion photos do not give a good indication of the actual layout of the patterns.

Anyone planning to attempt one of these patterns would be well advised to consult Ravelry, where the most popular of these patterns (as of this date) are:
Kousa Dogwood Shawl by Selma Miriam (25 projects, with many complaints about the pattern)
Colorado Cashmere Wimples by Priscilla Gibson-Roberts (20)
At Sea Gansey by Beth Brown-Reinsel (8)
Kestrals Alight Cropped Kimono by Sarah Swett (8, but one is an embroidered eyeglass case based on the pattern) show less

Not only are the stories a great read, but the photos are so full of color and texture they’ll make your fingers itch to start your own scarf or afghan.”—Glamour

“With a passion for textiles and a love of travel, Melanie Falick is the perfect writer for [America Knits].”—Vogue Knitting

Acclaimed knitting author Melanie Falick traveled thousands of miles and interviewed dozens of knitters, spinners, dyers, and sheep breeders to create this inspiring and revealing collection of portraits and patterns. With profiles of 38 artisans and farmers,175 beautiful color photographs, and 30 original patterns whose difficulty ranges from basic to advanced, from traditional to contemporary, America Knits is the most complete survey yet show more published on this highly popular and vital art form in America.

First published in hardcover as Knitting in America (Artisan, 1996) show less

Lenore Shepard