Knitting the Plot –Books that Feature Knitters

Books and knitting seem to be a match made in heaven. They are great fun on their own, reading and knitting, but when put together, a lot of wonderful things tend to happen. That is probably why knitters and knitting are featured in novels so often. And not any kind of novels! It seems crime, mystery, and thriller are the prevalent choice when a character who’s knitting is involved. Sure, there are a few general fiction and romance books, but the number of mysteries and detective stories are the overwhelming majority.

Let’s take a look at some of the most popular such novels so that you can enjoy knitting in all its forms while reading a book!

Let’s start with the most iconic series of today’s mix, Agatha Christie’s Miss Marple. Knitting is featured in quite a few of the books, but if you’re an Agatha Christie fan, I recommend you read them all.

The list of books in the same genre that revolve around knitting is quite impressive. These series tend to have a lengthy life span and quite a bit of popularity. Let’s start with the series Black Sheep Knitting Mystery by Anne Canadeo. Knit, Purl, Die was my favorite headline in the series. I should mention now that some of these titles are very creative and smart, in case you needed another push to check them out, other than the knitting theme.

The Needlecraft Mystery series by Monica Ferris contains an impressive number of novels – seventeen of them to get you hooked and keep you entertained. If you like series with lots of books already published, another good choice is Maggie Sefton’s Knitting Mystery. Another title that caught my eyes – Knit One, Kill Two.

Now, after all that murder and mystery, let’s move to a different line of fiction: romance, life stories, and more knitting. Because there is more in the city than sex, let’s start with the Knitting in the City romance series by Penny Reid. Kate Jacob’s Friday Knitting Club series brings you women whose passion and friendship mix to bring you touching life stories. If you’re already craving for more romance, then we have the Cypress Hollow Yarn series by Rachael Herron.

Our selection focuses on series revolving around knitting, but there are quite a few standalone novels and stories featuring the same theme, as well as many more series that we did not come across. So if you have read any book that is or isn’t on our list, please share your thoughts and feel free to recommend them to our readers!

10 Free Patterns for the Beach Loving Knitter

Summer is upon us and there is no better way to get away from the heat and enjoy the sun than a day at the beach. The music of the waves, the fruity cocktails, the fun in the sand, and the display of beachwear are but a few of the reasons we all like our sunny days near the sea or the ocean.

As we are also passionate about knitting, I thought a quick list of free patterns for beach related knits would help us all. Nothing like a colorful tote or a quirky hat to fuel our passion and allow us to express our own style! Here goes, a selection for all your beachwear knitting needs, all free, all waiting for you to knit them!

For your head

Stay stylish and safe from too much sun!

1. Windansea

This a beautiful and lightweight sun hat, also relatively easy to knit.

Pattern link

2. Colorful bands

Nothing like the beach breeze to mess up your hairdo. The Three Beach Bands are an easy to knit solution to that problem. They also just happen to be gorgeous!

Pattern link

Pattern and photo courtesy of Rebecca Hope Osborn

Beach bags and totes

Going to the beach implies carrying a lot! Your book or kindle, sun lotion, money, other cosmetic products, a wrap or a sarong, your hat, your phone…. See where I’m going? Here are a few bag and tote designs to help you with that.

3. Chippzan’s Beach Bag

It’s colorful, it’s stretchy, and it only takes a few hours to knit!

Pattern link

4.  Wave Beach Bag

This one is a bit sturdier, perfect if you’re carrying things that need to be kept safe during your day at the beach

Pattern link

Photo courtesy of Grace Alexander

5. Not a Sandy Bottom

Yes, sand getting everywhere is a problem for us all. This particular knitted beach bag solves that particular problem.

Pattern link

 

Wraps, Sarongs, and Beach Parties

6. Splashto

This is a swimsuit cover up that not only is perfect to wear at the beach, it is also easy to knit while you’re lounging in the sun.

Pattern link

7. Playa Beach Cover Up

While it is a swimsuit cover up, to me this looks perfect for a beach party! Well, if it’s the beach party that comes with a nice fire, otherwise you might get cold.

Pattern link

8. Beach Dress for stylish little girls

If your daughter, niece, little sister or cousin is joining you at the beach, she should have her own knitted dress for the occasion.

Pattern link

9. Knitted Sarong for Summer

It’s colorful and sexy, and not very hard to knit. This sarong is just perfect!

Pattern link

Courtesy of Canada Living

And a little fun!

10. Mini octopus

I find octopi funny and sweet. So getting your own mini octopus to remind you of the beach or to have as a toy to distract children sounded like a good idea 😀

Pattern link

That’s it, hope you liked our selection. If you want more lists like this one, let us know. Feel free to also suggest topics, and we’ll get it done.

I’d love to see your beach knits, so if you start any of this projects or you have your own ideas, feel free to share them with us!

I did, I did, I won!

OMG, I cannot believe it! A month ago I entered a knitting contest on Deviantart… and guess what, I WON FIRST PRIZE! Yuhuuu!

For this contest they were looking for anything beach, seashore, or nautical, beach-y, summery colors, animals that live or spend part of their time on the beach, seashell and nautical sailing motifs, etc.

I closed my eyes thinking about the contest’s theme and a romantic dinner heated by the dusk popped into my mind. I immediately picked my needles and my favourite yarns and this is the result:

N2L Seaside Goodies

A Dominican beach, a glass of red wine and the love and company of your other half.
The foamy little waves colour the pink shiny sand into a creamy beige. Algae complete the scenery like a diamond necklace completes a stylish evening dress.
Red, orange, pink, a touch of mauve and a hint of green… the sun is setting.
Close your eyes, can you picture my evening?

A. The N2L Shellfish Backpack Keyring

A very practical keyring, a functional backpack and a cute item to have.

This is not your usual Keyring, it is an actual mini backpack. The finished product measures 10 cm/ 7.5 cm and it can fit all sorts of individual “must haves”: a full size lipstick, an inhaler, a lighter, your hotel magnetic card, several folded notes etc.
Cherry on top, you can use the straps as a belt loop.
Personally, I would attach it to my bathing suit.

It is a fairly easy project that you could finish in a weekend.

B. The N2L Shellfish purse
A functional little purse that will become your most precious item on a night out.
When I go clubbing, I do not like carrying large purses on the dance floor. This little shell proved to be very practical for these kinds of situations.
If worn on the wrist the pearl strap will look like a bracelet and the shell will hang just enough for you to feel it in your palm.
It is spacious and it easily fits several notes, a couple of coins, your lipstick and even a mini perfume. The gap between the closing pearls is small enough to make it safe for you coins.
Last but not least, it is a stylish accessory that will complete your evening outfit.

Patterns now available on Ravelry and in my Etsy shop!

Last but not least, Thank You to all of you out there who believe in me!

Thank You for organizing this contest and for choosing this theme! It really inspired me! 

 Thanks to the sponsors, who have been very generous!  

 Thank You to all the participant! 

Knitters Wanted!

Hi all,

I am looking for knitters to review my patterns on Ravelry and Etsy. In exchange I will offer 20% off on any of my designs.

All my patterns have already been tester both by European and American knitters, so this is not a pattern testing.
As a designer, I am quite new on Ravelry and Etsy and I would like to make my patterns known. A pattern becomes popular when it has comments, stars, pictures, favourites, people talking about it. And this is what I am interested in.
You can chose any pattern you like and I will send you a 20% off coupon code. As well, you can review as many patterns as you want and the discount will apply for every purchase.
There is no timeline , but it would be great if you could finish it in a week. All my items are small and therefore quite quick to knit.
Once you have finished it, please put your pictures, comments, start rating, difficulty level etc on Ravelry/Etsy. (You do that by linking your finished items with my pattern).

If you are interested, please let me know which pattern you would like to review and on which site and I will send you a coupon code.

Thank you in advance,
Alexandra Sim

Get lost in the fire!

Have you ever loved someone so much that you got lost in the fire?

I have! And I am still lost in the fire, it is still burning, more and more every day. I wake up before you and I secretly reminisce all the lovely things you said, you did and you made me feel the day before! I light a match every morning and my fire is growing growing growing!

Barbie by Nothing to Laughing

Yes, I am still a child and YES, I bought myself a Barbie. Ok, there are two valid reasons behind my purchase: 1. I needed a Barbie to see if my keyrings can be used as Barbie accessories (and yes, they are BBy accessories!); 2. I wanted to design some OOK dresses for my still favourite doll. You should have seen my face when I opened the package! A child bouncing around with a Christmas gift :)) So here is the result: OOK dresses!

 

Enjoy and spoil your inner child!

I missed you!

Hi all,

Yes, I know, I have been kind of absent, but for a good reason. I was really busy designing some cool useful stuff for you, my dear reader. You can find my designs in my new page called “N2L Designs“.

I like it, I love it, I enjoy it, so you can be sure that all my designs are made with love and with you in mid. But let’s have a look!

You can now find my patterns on Ravelry, Etsy and Cfratsy.

I hope you will enjoy knitting them as much as I enjoyed creating them!

Swedish Family Bootie Pattern

Yarn, Books & Roses

Wow. This week I was definitely stuck in the baby bootie knitting rut. I went ahead and made two more pairs for friends of my original customer; kind of a ripple out effect. While I was making them I realized that while the pattern is pretty simple and straight forward, it is hard to visualize what is happening. So here is the pattern, exactly the way that it was taught to me, with picture support. The booties in the picture are being made on 2.25mm double pointed needles with Broncos Football colored fingering yarn that I bought at my local yarn store. In case you haven’t guessed, this is Broncos Country since I live in Colorado.

Cast on 10 stitches. Knit each row (this is garter stitch) until you have 18 ridges on each side.

This little rectangle of garter stitch will become the sole of the bootie. Like those…

View original post 821 more words

Quick preview of the next Nothing to Laughing collection

 

Guess what those are!

 

A red, red rose

By Robert Burns

O my Luve’s like a red, red rose, 
That’s newly sprung in June: 
O my Luve’s like the melodie, 
That’s sweetly play’d in tune. 

As fair art thou, my bonie lass, 
So deep in luve am I; 
And I will luve thee still, my dear, 
Till a’ the seas gang dry. 

Till a’ the seas gang dry, my dear, 
And the rocks melt wi’ the sun; 
And I will luve thee still, my dear, 
While the sands o’ life shall run. 

And fare-thee-weel, my only Luve! 
And fare-thee-weel, a while! 
And I will come again, my Luve, 
Tho’ ’twere ten thousand mile!