The Knitter's Curiosity Cabinet - Commentary and Giveaway

When I recieved Hunter Hammersen's book, The Knitter's Curiosity Cabinet, I was immediately intrigued, probably not because I don't have a curio cabinet of my own, although my grandmother did have one.

Years later, like 20 years later, I can totally see in my mind's eye what she had in her curio cabinet because as a child, I used to stare in there for hours. There was one nude that my grandfather sculpted and other than that, lots of china, some doo-dads and years later, a cake topper that I scultped for them for their 50th wedding anniversary.

I always admire people who have purposeful collections. Not a crap load of stuff, but you know, collections of items that are kept free of too much dust and that are thoughtfully arranged or re-arranged on a pretty regular basis. Girlfriend has a collection of these tiny erasers that are shaped like hot dogs, triple-dip ice cream cones and the like. She takes them out of this big box and arranges them here and there and then admires them. She shows me and at first I think she's just a kid and then I recall all of the stacks of fabric that I take out of a big bag and arrange and re-arrange on my bed while I lay there at night some times and realize that I guess we all have our stuff. 

As for Hunter, she has taken botanical illustrations and admired them and used the inspiration to create a pair of socks from each of her collected illustrations plus another item. I've been studying stitch patterns lately and from what I can tell, she has very carefully selected patterns that invoke the mood and sway of her botanical prints.

Mood and Sway?

I think you know what I mean.

There are 20 patterns in this book. They are all charted and not all are written out line by line. So, if you like to work from charts, this would be a good book for you. I particularly like the cover pattern, the Chrysanthemum Frutescens Sock pattern.  Most of the yarns in the book are easily found online and substituted with light-weight yarns.

Hunter wants to give one of my readers a copy of this book.

You know the drill: Leave a comment and this time, tell me what you collect in your comment. Today is Tuesday and on Friday I'll do a random drawing.

 COMMENTS CLOSED

Congrats to Kate who won a copy of this book!

 

Comments

[Rilana]

I collect tea pots. Simply love them.

[Sylvie]

I collect yarn, does that count?

I tend to think of collections as being made up of things one doesn't use, but merely catalogs and admires. The things I have arguably-too-much-of are all things I /do/ use - yarn, books, kitchen knives, dance shoes, etc.

[Diane in Northern California]

I collect cookbooks; my collection is over 100 books. Some have sentimental value like my grandmother's cookbook that she received in the late 1930's as a new bride; while others have stories woven among the recipes.

[Jeanine]

Thanks for the chance to win this lovely book. I collect soft t-shirts in a rainbow of hues, nail polish and pretty rocks!

[Fiona]

I collect heart-shaped rocks from the beach.

It may also be said that I have a fair collection of kitchen gadgets and tools. Not nearly as fun or challenging as collecting the rocks, but very handy to have!

[Cheryl Ruiz]

I don't collect anything, but I too used to stare into my Nani's curio cabinet. There were a lot of birds. But the thing I remember best is that there was a big sugar Easter Egg, and it was hollow, and had a scene inside (also out of sugar). Kind of random now that I think about it, maybe one of her grandkids gave it to her! She kept a poster of a cat on the door from the dining room into the hallway for years because I gave it to her :)

[Deb]

I collect knitting bags! I am addicted to them and when I feel like I have yarn overflowing from my closet, I can satisfy my knitting fix by buying another bag!
This book really intrigues me--I'd love a copy!

[Jani]

Besides yarn, you mean? Green depression glass - I've got a greenhouse window full of it and I've always got my eye out for new & unique pieces. Thanks for hosting - I've had my eye on this book for a while, also!

[Renee Anne]

I used to collect Harry Potter stuff. I had toys, school supplies, figurines, wall hangings, bumper stickers, all the hardcovers (US versions), all the softcovers (UK version), random things that you can't find anywhere (like a HP:OotP apron that was required attire for the employees for that book's release at a bookstore in Florida called Books-A-Million or the AOL CDs that came in the mail)...I was forced to get rid of a significant amount when we moved :(

Now I just have my yarn collection.

[Dee]

I collect yarn and fabric and beads and cookbooks and...

[aliceq]

What do I collect? Aside from yarn, my closest thing to a collection is sock books. Really. Especially books with innovative techniques.

[Katie s]

I collect pretty old prints of books (and some new) and anything hello kitty that isn't ridiculous to purchase for a grown woman. This is how I have a HK waffle maker, toaster, and S&P shakers, though most of the things I get now are gifts from friends. (the toaster, by the way, burns the face of hello kitty into the bread!)

[AmberSwansong]

I collect finches, mostly artwork but I do have three live ones. I also collect knitting books, and yarn, of course! The yarn feels more like a supply than a collection, though - I don't really "collect" yarn any more than I have collected food in my pantry. Perhaps if I had more space I'd own yarn for its own sake.

[gris]

Ive been collecting coins from countries that either myself or my immediate family has traveled since I was about 12.

[Jen]

I have several -over 100 trashy westerns by J.T. Edson, lots of Terry Pratchett, and luckily the Kindle is helping keep down the volume of trashy novels going forward. The collection that actually gets an airing and arranged/admired is my Lego men. I used to have them out on my desk at work but had to put them away so they are now in a flower pot at work and I take them out when I am stressed.

[Belinda]

I collect cookbooks. I take them out, flick through them and rearrange them on a regular basis. What I don't do very often is cook from them!

[www.google.com/accounts/o8/id?id=AItOawmh7WU4Zqg2lSSF5pTqVePA3zVd7QuttAc]

When I was growing up, it wasn't Christmas for me until I saw my Grammy's Christmas tree. She had several sets of Dept. 56 doves that clipped over a light. As my cousins and I got married, we each received a set of 2 of the doves. A few years ago I started searching Ebay for them, and have purchased several sets. My goal is to have enough to fill a small tree.

[MelodyJ]

I collect craft magazines and books. The cook books are starting to add up as well. Nail Polish has become addicting. I love computer games.

[Pauline]

I have deliberately collected duck figuines, but now with no intention I find I have accumulations of pretty porcelain mugs, teapots, yarns, and even books of knitting!

[cruz]

I love magazines! They are so pretty that I can't bear to "get rid of them" after I look through them. I haven't figured out a good way to store and display them.

[Amanda]

I collect books. I've been hooked on reading ever since I learned how, and I probably have well over 1000 books at age 22 (but I haven't counted in several years, so I really don't know). I've got a floor to ceiling bookshelf full of paperbacks, a 3ft tall bookshelf full of hardbacks stacked sideways so they fit, another 4ft tall one full of textbooks and overflow books, about six stacks of books on the floor that are 2-3ft tall, and that's just what's at my parent's house. My apartment has got another 3 bookshelves of various sizes full of books.

[Vicki]

I have collected many different things over the years from fabric to teapots, now, I find it difficult on my walks to pass up feathers, driftwood, old bones and rocks especially heart or Australia shaped ones. Plus since moving to Iceland and taking up knitting I definitely have an over supply of wool.

[bloepper]

erm, i collect yarn, but it's less of a hobby and more of a calling...

[melissa]

tiny little owl statues .... one .each christmas

[Catherin Gilbert]

I seem to be collecting linen skirts from Marks and Spencer; I now have about 25, all the same pattern but in different colours. I'm in the UK so I expect I can't be included in this draw but I thought I'd tell my stuff anyway :-)