Knitting on Circular Needkes: The Gentle Art of Knitting by Jane BrocketThe rush is on.  Christmas is just a few days away and I find myself surrounded by a flurry of activity.  While I have gifts for everyone, there are still presents to be wrapped, groceries to be purchased, and goodies to be baked.  This includes not only gifts and goodies for Christmas, but gifts and goodies for my brother-in-law who, many years ago, decided to make his entrance into this world on the day after Christmas.  So, I have birthday preparations that compete with Christmas preparations for my attention.

In the midst of the hubbub, I took a time out.  Having settled myself on a nice cushy sofa, I reached for my copy of The Gentle Art of Knitting by Jane Brocket and was transported to world of peace and calm.  I bought Jane’s book when it was published earlier this year and I love it.  There are no flashy, cutting edge designs in this book and no fancy new techniques to conquer.  What the book does bring is a simple array of lovely, practical projects to knit and crochet.

From tea and egg cozies to aprons, from hot water bottle covers to covered coat hangers, The Gentle Art of Knitting serves up knitting’s equivalent of comfort food.  With every project, I am reminded of the important role that hand knitted and crocheted items play in making our homes warm and welcoming places for our families.  As I browsed, again, through the projects, any stress that I might have been carrying around with me was replaced with a renewed sense of energy and excitement as I thought about knitting in the New Year.  It struck me that these Wheel of Colour Cushions would look fabulous on the very sofa on which I was lounging, so they will be making their way onto my needles in 2012.

Knitting on Circular Needles: Wheel of Colour Cushions by Jane Brocket

And look at these darling toiletry and cosmetic bags.  There are a row of hooks in my bathroom just waitng for a string of these bags.  Of course, I’ll knit a couple of extra bags for the guest bedroom so that family and friends who visit me will feel right at home.

Knitting on Circular Needles: Toiletry and Cosmetic Bags by Jane Brocket

For now, I need to get on with my preparations for our Christmas and birthday celebrations.  I’m looking forward to those events.  But it’s also nice to know what I’ll be knitting with my circular needles come January 2nd.

If you need a few minutes to regroup and rejuvenate, why not pick up a copy of The Gentle Art of Knitting – you may find it to be just the gratifying experience that you need right now!

. . . Linda, the well-rounded knitter

 

Filed under: Knitting on Circular Needles

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