As my abilities and confidence have grown, I can also pinpoint ways knitting has brought dear people into my life through two specific examples. I had a knitting group form organically, starting with just two of us at a local coffeeshop and growing to around a dozen friends committed to meeting weekly and sharing the nitty-gritty of our lives together. When I was pregnant, I also joined an online due-date group within the Ravelry forums, and those initial shallow interactions about what we were making for our child(ren) or how our pregnancy was going have grown over the years to be an intimate group that doesn't hesitate to share about marriage difficulties, parenting struggles, job transitions, or moving opportunities. These friendships began over a shared love of knitting and grew deep.
Coffeehouse Knits was a visually engaging book to review, and it's framed around how public spaces like coffeeshops are natural gathering sites for knitting groups. The patterns within have names like Chai Latte Cowl and Latte Swirl Sweater. I've recently been turning my attention to creating cowls and shawls, so I was most drawn to the cowl and scarf patterns. Interspersed are essays reflecting on the value of knitting groups. I found the essays within a little uneven, but a couple later ones did connect with me and convey similar thoughts to the power of crafting to draw people together.
Coffeehouse Knits could be just the gift for a friend in your knitting group.
(I received a digital ARC from F+W Media via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review. I've used Amazon Affiliate links here; should you purchase through these links, I receive a small commission, at no extra cost to you.)
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