YOUR PLACE PURLS OF WISDOM.Celebrities like Julia Roberts and Cameron Diaz have discovered what their grandmothers knew all along: Knitting, besides being a practical hobby, is a creative and meditative art as well. Some even call it the ``new yoga.'' With innovative, hip new patterns and a dazzling array of yarns made from a wide range of fibers, a knitter's ability to create a one-of-a-kind work of art is unlimited. And when money is tight, nothing beats a beautiful hand-knit scarf or sweater for the holidays. Can you really learn to knit from a book? Well, yes and no. Many of the new knitting books have good instructions with lavish photos or illustrations to help you along. Still, there's nothing quite like having someone sit down and actually show you how to do it. Beginning knitters also will want to find a friend who knits or get to know the staff at local yarn shops, who often can help out a struggling knitter. If you want to plunge in right away, The Knit Knack Kit ($22.95; Chronicle Books) comes with a set of size-8 circular knitting Circular knitting or knitting in the round is a form of knitting that creates a seamless tube. When knitting circularly, the knitting is cast on and the circle of stitches is joined. Knitting is worked in rounds (the equivalent of rows in flat knitting) in a spiral. needles, stitch markers, a yarn needle and a set of 25 simple patterns printed on lightweight cards. The projects include a knitted bookmark A stored location for quick retrieval at a later date. Web browsers provide bookmarks that contain the addresses (URLs) of favorite sites. Most electronic references, large text databases and help systems provide bookmarks that mark a location users want to revisit in the future. , socks, a beer cozy and a cell phone cozy. Well, you weren't going to knit a tea cozy Noun 1. tea cozy - a padded cloth covering to keep a teapot warm cosy, cozy, tea cosy cloth covering - a covering made of cloth , now were you? The instruction book is well-illustrated. However, you will need to purchase additional needles and yarn to complete all the projects. Debbie Stoller, editor in chief of BUST magazine and founder of the first Stitch 'N Bitch Stitch 'n Bitch is a phrase that has been used to refer to social knitting groups since at least 1988.[1] A New York-based company first trademarked the term in 2002. knitting group in New York City New York City: see New York, city. New York City City (pop., 2000: 8,008,278), southeastern New York, at the mouth of the Hudson River. The largest city in the U.S. , has a new book, Stitch 'N Bitch: The Knitter's Handbook ($13.95; Workman Publishing). If you quickly get bored by the basics, this book is for you. The basics are covered, but the 40 projects featured include a knitted hat with devil horns, a knitted bikini with Wonder Woman lightning bolts, and an ``alien illusion'' scarf created with a combination of color not of the white race; - commonly meaning, esp. in the United States, of negro blood, pure or mixed. See also: Color and different stitches. Stoller also includes a list of helpful knitting Web sites and other resources. Knit Baby Head & Toes! and Knit Baby Blankets! edited by Gwen Steege ($14.95; Storey Publishing) are the books to get if you plan on knitting for infants. Not only do the books include basic knitting instructions and patterns, they also include special safety and laundry tips, such as leaving off any tassels or ribbons that baby could get tangled up in. Many of the patterns here include more-sophisticated stitches and multicolored knitting that might prove challenging for a beginner, but very satisfying, including an Aran blanket with cables and moss stitch, a duckling duckling baby duck. hat with duck-shaped bobbles and a safari parade blanket with elephants, giraffes and ostriches. Knit Christmas Stockings! also by Steege ($14.95; Storey Publishing), isn't nearly as cute as the baby books, but a creative knitter could use her patterns as a starting point Noun 1. starting point - earliest limiting point terminus a quo commencement, get-go, offset, outset, showtime, starting time, beginning, start, kickoff, first - the time at which something is supposed to begin; "they got an early start"; "she knew from the to create his or her own designs. The Winter Wonderland stocking with the snowmen bobbles is clever, but most simply don't seem very Christmasy, including the white-and-green Victorian Flowers stocking. The blue-and-green Snazzy snaz·zy adj. snaz·zi·er, snaz·zi·est Slang Fashionable or flashy. [Origin unknown.] snaz Argyles pattern would be a challenge, but doesn't exactly scream ``yuletide'' either. Simple Crochet by Erika Knight ($19.95; Clarkson Potter) has a Granny-square afghan, here called a ``modern'' afghan, but also has a number of other projects sure to challenge anyone. How about a crocheted floor pillow made out of leather thonging, or a sturdy crocheted leather basket for carrying firewood? The pink Turkish slippers featured on the cover would make an excellent Christmas present. Celebrity Scarves by Abra Edelman ($24.95; Sixth&Spring Books) features the work of such stars as Julianna Margulies Julianna Luisa Margulies (born June 8, 1966) is an Emmy award winning American actress best known for her role as Nurse Carol Hathaway on the NBC medical drama ER. , Portia De Rossi Portia de Rossi, born Amanda Lee Rogers on January 31, 1973, is an Australian actress who is best known for her roles as lawyer Nelle Porter on the television series Ally McBeal and as Lindsay Bluth Fünke on the television series Arrested Development. , Eartha Kitt, Rosario Dawson, Ricki Lake, Daryl Hannah, Parker Posey and Rosie Perez. Instructions for the scarves, including the type of yarn, are included. Many are simple, narrow little creations; Vanna White's scarf is more of a shawl and is crocheted. Unfortunately, the book notes that some of the yarns used have been discontinued or are not available in the United States. - Lisa Sodders LET'S GO SHOPPING: More than 60 decorative arts and antiques dealers from around the world are gathering this weekend in Santa Monica. They've brought with them modern decorative arts such as Mapplethorpe photos, and antiques from Europe, Asia and America, like Victorian figurative napkin rings and French farm tables. You can browse and shop this weekend. L.A. DECORATIVE ARTS FAIR, 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. today and noon to 5 p.m. Sunday, Santa Monica Civic Auditorium Santa Monica Civic Auditorium is a multipurpose convention center in Santa Monica, California. It was built in 1958. For trade shows, the Civic Auditorium features 11,775 square feet (1,094 m²) of space, while the stage adds 4,485 square feet (417 m²) more space, , 1855 Main St. Tickets are $10 at the door. - Daily News CAPTION(S): 7 photos Photo: (1 -- 7) no caption (Book covers) |
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