book review: 'cause I felt like it

the tools of the trade

"The wool fibers expanded and wrapped around each other, locking together and creating a tight fabric through which no winter wind could blow."

-- Kathleen Taylor, Knit One, Felt Too

I start out the first chapter of my book, Whimsical Woollies, with this quote. I love it! Felting is so magical and unpredictable yet so scientific and predictable as well. The first chapter is entitled: 'Cause I felt like it: The Basics of Felting. I write about the details of felting such as the materials needed (shown in the above photo), the how-to tips and tricks to felt perfectly each time, an explanation on the washing machines available for felting (the front loader, the top loader and the Wonder Washer), as well as how to hand felt those smaller and more intricate items. Each section is sprinkled with my favorite ideas, tools I use, what I like and don't like.

loose and sloppy knitting

Included in this chapter is a section on felting white versus cream yarns (why some work, some don't); what makes a successful felting yarn and how to knit with it; what to do if your project is not felting enough; how to prevent color bleeding; and how to make a project smaller and bigger. 

Do you have questions on how to felt, how it works, why it doesn't work sometimes? I am happy to answer them all in Whimsical Woollies. 

The next chapter for me to review is For the Love of Detail: Embellishing (coming soon).

Happy knitting!

a nice review

Now available!

The great part about social media is the meeting of new friends online all over the world. People that share the same love of fibers and projects as I do. And so it is with my good friend Pam Harris and her blog Gingerbread Snowflakes. Pam got my book, Whimsical Woollies, and wrote a sweet review for me on her blog. I hope you can take a moment to check it out.

Thanks again, Pam. I so appreciate it!

Happy knitting!

 

whimsical woollies, my book

Available June 1, 2015

Well, the time has finally come, and I can hardly wait to have a copy, a real printed copy, in my hands and not a proof sheet with red line corrections scribbled everywhere! My book, Whimsical Woollies, is available for distribution on or around June 1st, 2015, with only weeks away! I am so excited and nervous nonetheless, hoping you'll like it as much as I do. It has been long awaited, that is for sure.

Whimsical Woollies is available for pre-order online with Amazon, Stackpole (the publisher), Barnes & Noble and other wonderful and favorite book outlets. It feels good to have it completed and all those ideas, thoughts and suggestions now down on paper, a great resource even for me. Love that!

I also sell the book through My Website and Etsy Shoppe. I will be happy to autograph it and dedicate it. A great gift idea!

I will keep you posted when it is available in the actual stores. Be sure to tell your favorite yarn stores to carry the book as well. Thanks for making all this possible, for buying my patterns so long ago and loving knit & felt as much as I do.

Happy knitting!

PS - My copy of the book came in the mail today and it is beautiful! The cover is soft, and it opens easily as it sits on your lap while knitting. I am so very pleased. I think you will be too!