B is for...

Books.  Lots and lots of books.  Stitch dictionaries.  Pattern books.  Novels with bonus patterns inside.  Big books.  Little books.  Lots and lots of books.

I have a cute little collection of knitting books started and I think that I will start checking out estate sales and markets for vintage patterns and books.  My mama found a couple great ones at a craft fair once.  That season doesn't start until October around here but I am going to keep my eyes out for them.

Knitting Library - another WiP for me

So far, I just have this one bottom shelf and I have lofty aspirations of making it the whole bookshelf one day.  There have been a couple snags in my plan.  The first one is that I haven't found a great pattern book in almost a year.  I don't care for what's out there or it's not in my size.  I won't spend money on a book that would require me altering everything.

The second is that the price of these books keeps going up while the quality of the patterns is either stagnant or going down.  There is one designer who seems to be recycling their previously released patterns under new names but nothing has been done to dictate the title "new" to her patterns.  It was rather insulting to see her latest book and have a sneaking suspicion that I have already seen these works - and then validate it by finding them in other volumes.

Lastly, since there seems to be nothing new and what is around is either too garish, slutty or small, I have taken to designing my own knits.  It's a new endeavor and we'll see how well it goes.  I've created little trinkets, bits and bobs... even a few articles for Lil' Chef Ramsay but I've not done something original for me... well, not until I started this shrug.  If it all works out well, who knows, perhaps the next book that will go on my knitting shelf will be my own.

This is a new series started by An Accidental Knitter that I thought would be fun so every Monday, we'll be learning our ABCs together!  Click here for more information or to join in the fun.