Staff Picks Blog
Ah, the joys of nonfiction. In stocking our Power Walls, the area at the beginning of the stacks where we display and promote books with beautiful covers, (and interesting text), my eye was drawn to Aran Knitting by Alice Starmore. This book is a revised and expanded edition of the 1997 classic. I love Aran sweaters and and while I don’t knit myself, (well I do, but poorly), my mother used to be an avid knitter and I appreciate the skill and creativity that goes into making a knitted garment. The revised edition of Aran Knitting is an expert guide encompassing the history of not only Aran knitting but the Aran Isles. There are fantastic photographs of the West coast of Ireland and an excellent historical background of the land and the history of the various Aran knits and sweaters.
The heart of the book is a complete workshop in technique and designwith 60 charted patterns for the original 14 designs, many reknit in contemporary yarns. And as an extra bonus the models wearing each of the knit designs in posed in a picturesque location in the isles. And since I am not a knitter that is the part I liked the best. If you are a knitter you will want to challenge yourself to knit one of the classic Aran designs or one of the new Celtic designs. And if you are interested in the Aran Isles you will not want to miss this book.
