Book Review: A Knitter’s Home Companion: A Heartwarming Collections of Stories, Patterns, and Recipies by Michelle Edwards
Format: ebook
First Published: September 13,2012
Source: an ARC provided by netgalley
Genre: knitting/craft, cooking, memoir.
Synopsis (from author’s website): A Knitter’s Home Companion is an illustrated collection of stories, patterns, and recipes from beloved knitter and essayist Michelle Edwards. This heartwarming title will appeal to knitters interested in not only stitches, yarn, and patterns, but also in the lives of other knitters, the lessons that can be learned from their craft, the ways knitting helps knitters cope during difficult times, and the role of knitting in family life. “Let [this book] keep you company when you need another knitter’s voice beside you,” Edwards writes in her introduction. Like a good friend, A Knitter’s Home Companion will inspire readers to laugh, cry, remember, be thoughtful, cook, and, of course, pick up their needles—sometimes to soothe, sometimes to celebrate, and sometimes to just pass the time. Divided into four chapters—Motherhood, Home, Community, and Legacy—stories range from “But She Doesn’t Have Any Underpants,” about the challenges of knitting for family to “Home Ec Workshop and the Mystery of the Indian Slipper,” about finding community at a local yarn shop. Projects range from mittens and socks to a baby blanket and afghan.
Review:
This book achieved exactly what it set out to do – it was in many ways like a good friend. Michelle Edwards shares tales of her knitting adventures and how knitting interacted with her daily life of being a wife and mother.
There was so much about this book that I loved. I’m a bit of a crafty person and knitting is one of those things that I’ve dabbled in. The patterns that are included are beautiful and well explained. I enjoyed the mix of recipes, book suggestions and knitting patterns that ended each chapter. The photos were lovely and displayed the homemade items off beautifully. I was slightly disappointed that there were no pictures of some of the things Michelle had made and written about – the scarf made with her yarn that reminded her of her mother, her daughter’s stray glove, the patched up green chair.
As someone who doesn’t have anyone to talk about my knitting exploits with, I loved the concept of this book. It is a book that can connect the reader to another who enjoys the art form and understands the lifestyle.
There are many things I will remember from this book long after reading it. I’ve even used one of the tips – my cupcakes are now perfectly iced/frosted thanks to Michelle’s advice.
I recommend checking out: Knitting Goes Digital – a video from Michelle Edward’s website.
Rating:
3.5 out of 5
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