Weird...

Remember that Monarch Knitting book I found in the used book store? Well, I was looking through a list of upcoming knitting books at Amazon, and what do I find: they're re-printing it. And it's supposedly "hard to find". Moments of knitting coincidence like this frighten me.

Also, Véronik Avery's book is scheduled for release in September. I'm really looking forward to this one- I can't think of a dud Avery design. Annie Modesitt has a book coming out too, a little earlier in August. I have mixed feelings about Ms. Modesitt- sometimes her designs can be innovative and lovely, and other times they are... not so much. I'm still recovering from the baby onesie she design in the latest Vogue, which kind of reminded me of a Tyrolean flour sack. But then there's this corset top, which is gorgeous. Although I may be wary of her, after an ill-advised attempt at the Pin-Up Queen sweater from Stitch and Bitch. It was my fault, really, and I doomed it from the start. To be flattering on my figure, the pattern would have required a few alterations. Alterations that I didn't have the skills at the time to figure out. I did a stubbornly half-assed job on my swatching, a bad idea for Classic Elite Lush, which blooms prodigiously with wear and blocking. Actually, the yarn choice, while certainly luscious, was a bad choice for the garment I had in mind. I wanted a sweater I could just pull on and trot off to school in, one that would be flattering any day of the week. Instead, I ended up wearing a wee fuzz factory, one that sent puffs of fiber skywards with every moment, and matted with anything more than gentle use. Eventually, I conceded defeat, and hid it in the closet. I've been slowly frogging it over the last year, for a better purpose. And maybe Ms. Modesitts pattern will find a purpose too- with a better yarn.
One that doesn't cause a sneezing fit.