The Close-Knit Circle: American Knitters Today

(Hardback)

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Knitting has recently exploded in popularity. Professionals, punks, and feminists are embracing this ancient craft, an activity that was previously relegated to the realm of the traditional woman, the mother and homemaker. While knitting books featuring such hip projects as iPod cozies and yoga mat bags abound, few explore the subculture of knitting in any depth. Who are these people Why knitting, why now Wills takes the reader on a fascinating tour of this subculture, complete with lively anecdotes and revealing interviews. Those who are new to the craft will enjoy a fascinating introduction to the knitting community, while those who have been unable to put down their needles since knitting that first scarf will glean new ideas for their next blog session, online shopping spree, or knitting group get-together. Knitting has recently exploded in popularity. Professionals, punks, and feminists are embracing this ancient craft, an activity that was previously relegated to the realm of the traditional woman, the mother and homemaker. Books that cater to this new generation of knitters are flooding the market with patterns for such contemporary projects as iPod cozies, yoga mat bags, and laptop covers. The attitude of these publications is decidedly hip, featuring models sporting tattoos or piercings. Missing from the avalanche of knitting books, until now, is one that fully explores the subculture of knitting. Who are these people Why knitting, why now Intrepid journalist and avid knitter Kerry Wills set out to find out. She takes us on a fascinating tour through the history of knitting, exploring the lives of such women as the revolutionary Elizabeth Zimmermann, whose strong opinions and classic book, Knitting without Tears, popularized knitting in the 1970s, anticipating current trends. Wills visits knitting groups that meet at such places as a feminist vegetarian restaurant, churches, pubs, and senior centers. She describes political activists who knit tree cozies to protect the trees against developers, groups that knit afghans for Afghans, and knitters who make shawls for people with cancer. She also explores online knitting communities. Those who are new to the craft will come away feeling more connected to the history of knitting as well as to their place in today's universe of knitters, while those who have been unable to put down their needles since stitching that first scarf will glean new ideas for their next blog session, online shopping spree, or knitting group get-together.

Reviews

"For the knitter who is also an armchair traveler, this book offers an utterly fascinating behind-the-scenes journey through centuries of knitting development, and then invites the traveler to mingle intimately with the people, elements, discoveries, media, and methods that are energizing and inspiring today's knitting renaissance. Who knows where it will all lead Years from now this book may be seen to have shown the way."-Cat Bordhi, author of A Treasury of Magical Knitting
"What a great book! Kerry Wills has tirelessly rooted through thousands of sources to unearth stats and testimonials concerning the current state of hand knitting, and how we got here. Her enlightened observations reinforce and augment what we knitters know and love about our craft; a riveting read."-Meg Swansen, author of the book, A Gathering of Lace
"Journalist and knitter Kerry Wills examines the history of knitting through the lives of early knitters, moving to modern times and how knitting became more of the mainstream, and anticipating future trends in needlework. A fascinating history and read."-Midwest Book Review/California Bookwatch
"[A]n interesting read....[i]t really captures a moment in knitting time the knitting groups, the online world of magazines (Go Knitty!), blogs and knit alongs, fiber festivals and knitting charities. There are 5 pages of footnotes, and that alone makes me giddy."-Knitty
"In my dream world, universities would offer degree programs in knitting. The well-rounded curriculum would span not just fibers, yarns, and techniques, but also history and culture. And in the latter category, Wills' book would be one of the textbooks. With the persistence of an investigative reporter and the passion of a Ph.D. candidate, Wills walks us through her own snapshot of the contemporary knitting world. She does so primarily through interviews with dozens upon dozens of knitters, from knitters to shop owners, prominent knitbloggers, designers, and authors. She goes all over the place, from the influence of Elizabeth Zimmermann to Kate Gilbert and her famous Clapotis. She ends her book with a quote from Stephanie Pearl-McPhee, from whom the book's title was taken. Wills does an admirable job of capturing one slice of our broad and ever-shifting knitting ecosystem."-Knitter's Review
"Journalist Wills, who is a member of the unlikely subculture of avid knitters, expands the consciousness of those of us not similarly gifted and explains how punks, executives, college students and others who wish to change the world for the better have discovered this time-honored art to be a logical way to do so. She finds that a yearning for the simpler domesticity of the past links up with activism (tree cozies knitted to deter developers), altruism (shawls for cancer patients and layettes for the poor) and creativity within context (laptop covers and nifty little bags for cell phones). She explores the new feminism, the ever-present baby boomers seeking their spirits and the emotive impact of the hand-made, along with the benefits of Internet communities and blogs."-Reference & Research Book News
"Keeping with the current wave of conversational knitting books and blogs, knitter and journalist Wills interlaces personal anecdotes with her research for a breezy read about the craft. She presents a cheat sheet to modern knitting culture and gives readers an intimate sense of today's knitting world. This is not a rigorous study dotted with graphs; instead, it's a series of conversations and stories complete with candid photos. Knitting devotees will find plenty of familiar territory in her discussions of feminism, the do-it-yourself movement, and political and charitable knitting. Wills is strongest when she lets her interviewees expound on the recent surge in knitting's popularity; less appealing are her leaps in logic-e.g., she credits Oprah with saving both the American novel and the leisure time of young urban women, and she justifies her decision to interview only left-leaning political groups as dispelling a stereotype of knitters as conservatives that is tenuous at best. For well-developed knitting collections where Linda Roghaar and Molly Wolf's KnitLit books have been popular; also for academic libraries with collections on popular culture and trends."-Library Journal
"Well researched and written from the perspective of a reporter who is also a knitter herself, The Close-Knit Circle puts the craft in historical and contemporary context, shedding light on knitting history, its boom-bust cycles of popularity and today's DIY, technology-fueled crafter. For anyone who has ever thought that knitting is about more than making socks and hats, Wills provides a fascinating window into the dynamic, artistic and at times profound world we inhabit."-Vogue Knitting
Journalist Wills, who is a member of the unlikely subculture of avid knitters, expands the consciousness of those of us not similarly gifted and explains how punks, executives, college students and others who wish to change the world for the better have discovered this time-honored art to be a logical way to do so. She finds that a yearning for the simpler domesticity of the past links up with activism (tree cozies knitted to deter developers), altruism (shawls for cancer patients and layettes for the poor) and creativity within context (laptop covers and nifty little bags for cell phones). She explores the new feminism, the ever-present baby boomers seeking their spirits and the emotive impact of the hand-made, along with the benefits of Internet communities and blogs.-Reference & Research Book News
Well researched and written from the perspective of a reporter who is also a knitter herself, The Close-Knit Circle puts the craft in historical and contemporary context, shedding light on knitting history, its boom-bust cycles of popularity and today's DIY, technology-fueled crafter. For anyone who has ever thought that knitting is about more than making socks and hats, Wills provides a fascinating window into the dynamic, artistic and at times profound world we inhabit.-Vogue Knitting
[A]n interesting read....[i]t really captures a moment in knitting time the knitting groups, the online world of magazines (Go Knitty!), blogs and knit alongs, fiber festivals and knitting charities. There are 5 pages of footnotes, and that alone makes me giddy.-Knitty
In my dream world, universities would offer degree programs in knitting. The well-rounded curriculum would span not just fibers, yarns, and techniques, but also history and culture. And in the latter category, Wills' book would be one of the textbooks. With the persistence of an investigative reporter and the passion of a Ph.D. candidate, Wills walks us through her own snapshot of the contemporary knitting world. She does so primarily through interviews with dozens upon dozens of knitters, from knitters to shop owners, prominent knitbloggers, designers, and authors. She goes all over the place, from the influence of Elizabeth Zimmermann to Kate Gilbert and her famous Clapotis. She ends her book with a quote from Stephanie Pearl-McPhee, from whom the book's title was taken. Wills does an admirable job of capturing one slice of our broad and ever-shifting knitting ecosystem.-Knitter's Review
Keeping with the current wave of conversational knitting books and blogs, knitter and journalist Wills interlaces personal anecdotes with her research for a breezy read about the craft. She presents a cheat sheet to modern knitting culture and gives readers an intimate sense of today's knitting world. This is not a rigorous study dotted with graphs; instead, it's a series of conversations and stories complete with candid photos. Knitting devotees will find plenty of familiar territory in her discussions of feminism, the do-it-yourself movement, and political and charitable knitting. Wills is strongest when she lets her interviewees expound on the recent surge in knitting's popularity; less appealing are her leaps in logic-e.g., she credits Oprah with saving both the American novel and the leisure time of young urban women, and she justifies her decision to interview only left-leaning political groups as dispelling a stereotype of knitters as conservatives that is tenuous at best. For well-developed knitting collections where Linda Roghaar and Molly Wolf's KnitLit books have been popular; also for academic libraries with collections on popular culture and trends.-Library Journal

Author Bio

KERRY WILLS, an avid knitter herself, is a journalist and former corporate communications specialist.