Vicki Stiefel (KnittingNews, LaidBackKnitter) emailed me a couple weeks ago to see if I’d like a copy of her new book, 10 Secrets of the LaidBack Knitters, a book she wrote with Lisa Souza (LisaKnit). It took me approximately 24 seconds to respond affirmatively. Naturally this book was on my to-read so I wasn’t going to pass up an opportunity to get it dropped right on my doorstep!

10 Secrets of the LaidBack Knitters

10 Secrets of the LaidBack Knitter is about KNITTING. It’s about knitting for the love of knitting and for the love of yarn. Vicki and Lisa spend a lot of time talking about your relationship with knitting, from the yarn to the finished product, and how it’s not really about the finished product at all.

There is a lot of fiber talk in the book. They go through the different fibers that make different yarns, how those fibers work alone and blended together, and how they work with your finished knit. I’m not a fiber-y knitter. I LOVE knitting and for me the yarn is secondary to the actual joy of moving stitch to stitch, so I learned a lot from these chapters. It’s good to know, as both a designer and a knitter, how your yarn is going to work for you.

Very Cute Patterns

On top of working through all 10 secrets to laid back knitting Vicki and Lisa offer up, there are tons of patterns exemplifying these secrets, like Vicki’s pattern Amber Waves scarf, which is pretty easy to love!

Prospero Hoodie

And this adorable baby hoodie, Prospero Hoodie, by Justine Turner. You can see the line up of patterns included in the book on the 10 Secrets of the LaidBack Knitters site and here on ravelry. And while the patterns are obviously very beautiful, the sweaters aren’t my style. And why would they be? As laid back about knitting as I feel, I need a serious challenge or I lose interest, and that just is not Vicki and Lisa’s philosophy. Enjoy the yarn. Enjoy the experience. Stop stressing, lean back, and ENJOY. I don’t think I truly enjoy things unless I’m fighting them.

MELVIN!

But since reading 10 Secrets of the LaidBack Knitters, I’ve tried to calm down a little bit, however hard that is to do with knitting deadlines looming and classes to teach. I can identify that slowing down and enjoying the things I love is a good thing! I’d like to turn this book into a series! Next up? 10 Secrets of the LaidBack Baker. Quickly followed by 10 Secrets of the LaidBack Baseball Fan and 10 Secrets of the LaidBack Fantasy Football Enthusiast. I’d love a guide to holistic biking. Although I can’t exactly incorporate all of these 10 secrets into my knitting life immediately, I read them. I absorbed them. And someday soon I’ll get to them. And I’ll be a better knitter for it.

This sounds like a book you want to get your hands on, right?! Well today is your lucky day! For a chance to win a copy of 10 Secrets of the LaidBack Knitter:

  1. Leave a comment on this post!
  2. For an extra entry, tweet this: “Run over to @sweatshopoflove for a chance to win a copy of 10 Secrets of the LaidBack Knitter! http://bit.ly/qm4LyY”, come back and leave another comment telling me you did.
  3. For an extra entry, share this post on G+, come back and leave another comment telling me you did.
  4. For an extra entry, share this post on Facebook, come back and leave another comment telling me you did.

That is four chances to win! This contest closes Sunday, August 28th at midnight. Good luck!

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