Sunday, February 14, 2010

Library & Weaving Room Additions


Just because I'm destashing yarn doesn't mean the weaving room and library are stagnant. Heavens no! My list of things to add to the knitting and weaving books is constantly being lengthened. A day of rest quite often means perusing my titles and dragging many books from my library out and day dreaming about doing this and that.

Anyway, during my trip back east I looked high and low for some toy knitting books. I have so much "scrap" yarn left over from both knitting and weaving projects I thought it a good way to use some of it up. The whole of New England must have given toy knitting books for the holidays and not a SINGLE one on my list of two could be found. It wasn't until I got back and tucked into my own LYS that I found them both. Oh click my heels there really is no place like home! Titles added are:

itty-bitty toys by Susan Anderson
Toy Knits by Debbie Bliss
and a new Charlene Schurch sock book jumped into the recent pile too: Sock Club.
Some really nice challenging sock patterns in this one.


Of course I also found a weaving book last summer at Loom With A View in Newburyport that I kicked myself for not picking up at the time. My Dad had some yarn on order that came in while I was visiting and he felt good enough one day for a quick drive out there. Betsy didn't have the book in stock but could order it and have it shipped to OR. So that's what we did. It is:

Zati The Art of Weaving a Life by Susan Barrett Merrill


Now Leigh over at 5 Acres & a Dream is 100% responsible for the next purchase. I have whined for years that finding a suitable book for our funky little mountain micro climate is impossible, but not any more. Her blog and suggestions of places to look sent me on a thorough scan at Amazon which yielded:

A book that covers our short growing seasons and higher elevations. Now I know we aren't in CA but we share the end of our mountain range and we are only 20 miles from the CA border, if that. Our climate is MUCH more like Yreka than it is Portland or Bend. I am doing a happy dance over this book. It is a self published book, spiral bound and with laminated covers and good readable print and drawings. It addresses just about all our problems.

Finally, I would like to direct you to the cart all the books are on.

Hannah ( Louet Hollandia) loom has no shelf, nor a very big bench. (The bench BTW is an AVL . Thanks to Dawn for that information!) So, I am without a place to put my shuttles and bobbins and the usual necessary debris that collects in a castle shelf. I was on the lookout for some kind of cheapy plastic thing but walked into our local Bi-Mart and there, assembled, with a big sign saying last one, hugely marked down to $19.97 was this lovely little reasonably well made rolling wood cart. Score!
The bonus is when it's not in use, it rolls nicely under my little work table and doesn't take up floor space.


I hope everyone is having a delightful Valentines Day, spent with the one you love doing just what you want to be doing!

10 comments:

R. Delight said...

Hey Theresa, catching up on my blog reading. My husband made me a little rolling cart for my AVL loom to hold all the shuttles and what nots so I know the need. Congrats on the score at Bi-Mart!
I am looking forward to reading about what you end up growing with your new book. -Renee

Jennifer said...

Dreaming with books are one of my favorite things! And what a GREAT cart! That is a fine idea and how wonderful that is tucks away whe nit's not in use. Excellent find!

Julie said...

You have some pretty good books there!

Happy Valentines!

Anonymous said...

You have added some interesting books to your library, and thanks to your recommendation found the book on animal tracks. Evelyn

Life Looms Large said...

That's great that you found so many good books! Knitting toys is so fun!!! I have yarn for a stuffed Brittany and the Roxy Fox from Knitpicks is on its way to me. Now if I could just finish up some of the projects already in progress!

Score on that little rolling cart! Too cool!

I'm forever stealing little tables from elsewhere in the house, or stacking up a couple of my plastic storage bins to make tables next to my looms. Not nearly as nice as your setup!!

Sue

charlotte said...

There are never too many books in the library, I think. This cart is really great and just so practical.

Leigh said...

*LOL. Glad to be such a "bad" influence. I sincerely hope that book is a help. I'd be lost without my regional resources.

The toy knitting books look great. I shouldn't be surprised on of them is by Debbie Bliss, toys just seem right up her alley.

The little rolling cart is a real find! It looks good all by itself too.

Sharon said...

I'm going to follow up on that Northern California book - we're just a couple of miles from the border. It's such a fight to grow things - any help would be welcome. I can appreciate the rolling cart. Without mine - thanks Mom - I'd be lost.

Theresa said...

Well, the little cart is proving to be worth it's weight in gold. Using it while getting the blanket warp ready to beam on. Very handy!
Leigh, I didn't say bad! I said responsible...:-) I am enjoying the gardening book quite thoroughly so thank you!
I haven't had time to sit and knit toys but when I do I have so many wonderful patterns to try.
A note, the Schurch sock books is GREAT. I have all her sock books and they are my go to ones.

Sharon said...

I'm so glad you mentioned the gardening book. I ordered mine and since have had several email exchanges with the author. She said it's already shipped. I can't be too impatient since the ground is covered with snow!