I Heart This Book!

Have you checked out the latest book by Kathleen Taylor, I Heart Felt!?  Seems like everybody around blogland and the knitting world is chatting with her and talking about this book.

You might remember that Kathleen Taylor is the author of Knit One, Felt Too, but she is also the designer of the KnitPicks Palette Fair Isle Cardigan, which I (cough) started a (cough) Knitalong for way back in October 2006.   I have the yarn.  Special Addi Natura circular needles dedicated to the project.  And I finished the bottom band of ribbing plus the first stranded motif.  (cough)  But several other dedicated knitters finished their sweaters!  Back to the issue at hand here.

As I was saying, Kathleen is such a versatile designer.  We know she has designed lovely patterns for felting projects.  We know that she is a prolific designer of breathtaking stranded knitting patterns (check out the list of her designs and books on Ravelry!).  In her new book I Heart Felt she takes us by the hand and skillfully walks us through the land of felting our stranded knitting.  It's a delicate art, balancing stranding in the pattern from row to row, resulting in an evenly fulled item.  Kathleen has presented many lovely examples here from pillows to several must-knit tote bags and more.

Not interested in stranding and then intentionally felting your stunning effort?  Kathleen has given us detailed easy-to-follow instructions for the latest popular way to embellish our felted items:  Needle Felting!  A few years ago I Could. Not. Find. needle felting tools and I wanted to explore this technique So Much!  Now we can get the tools anywhere and Kathleen has given us classy timeless patterns to use them.  As I ooh'd and aah'd my way through this pattern book, two things caught my eye.  One was this pair of slippers.  When the moment comes that I need a break from EPS sweaters and writing sock patterns and dyeing dyeing dyeing yarn yarn yarn... This will be what I decide to make for Myself.  Felted slippers seem to be one of the most popular knits to gift and what's better than a gift for yourself?

Finally.  If you're a girl.  If you have a girl in your life.  If you KNOW a girl.  You will want to make these.  You might want to make them for yourself.  Or your daughter sister mother or best friend.  No girls around?  Make a crown for a boy.  Or a man.  He'll love Heart you for it.  :)

As much as I Heart This Book, I really Heart Kathleen Taylor.  She's not only a multi-talented fiber artist but generously shares many many free patterns through her blog.  Thank you Kathleen for giving so much of your talent and yourself.  I really Heart You.  :)

Everybody take good care of every little thing and I'll be back soon to tell about a few exciting Sugar Bunny Boulevard secrets!  XOXOXOXOX