Table of Contents
Introduction Ann Hood 1
Knitting Pattern: "Banks" Fingerless Mittens Helen Bingham 6
The Pretend Knitter Elizabeth Berg 10
The Perfect Gift Lan Samantha Chang 16
Blood, Root, Knit, Purl Andre Dubus 23
To Knit a Knot, or Not: A Beginner's Yarn John Dufresne 35
Home Ec Hope Edelman 48
Knitting Pattern: "Bingham" Cabled Head Wrap Helen Bingham 61
Soft, Warm, and Fuzzy Janice Eidus 65
Looped Yarn Martha Frankel 70
Teaching a Child to Knit Sue Grafton 77
Knitting in Kathmandu Jessi Hempel 88
Ten Things I Learned from Knitting Ann Hood 98
Knitting Pattern: "Bowden" Coffee Cozies Helen Bingham 114
Judite Kaylie Jones 118
Where to Begin Barbara Kingsolver 127
The One-Year Marriage Jennifer Lauck 135
Knitting a Family Anne D. LeClaire 152
Knitting: Epic Fail Marianne Leone 159
I Bought This Pattern Book Last Spring Elinor Lipman 166
Knitting Pattern: "Ashworth" Ruffled Slipper Helen Bingham 171
The Supernatural Power of Knitting Alison Lurie 176
Straw into Gold Joyce Maynard 184
Failing Better Bernadette Murphy 194
How Knitting Saved My Life. Twice Ann Patchect 204
The Clothes Make the Dog Taylor M. Polites 211
Knitting Pattern: Clevis's Perfect-Fit Sweater Taylor M. Polices 223
High-Strung Knitter Elissa Scbappell 227
Knitted Goods: Notes from a Nervous Non-Knitter Elizabeth Searle 237
What Are You Making? Ann Shayne 246
Crafty Critters Suzanne Strempek Shea 255
Found Objects Anita Shreve 266
Why Bother? Jane Smiley 275
Knitting Pattern: "Fisher" Lacy Wrap Helen Bingham 284
Contributors 289