Books with sewing/knitting/craft theme

[NightOwl]

OK, bit of a strange one, but can anyone help me find some works of fiction based around the theme of knitting, sewing, quilting or other craft, please? I've got Kate Jacobs' 'Friday Night Knitting Club' - any more ideas? Thanks!

[chrysalis_stage]

Have you looked up that book title on the website amazon and looked at the customers who have bought this item also bought, other titles there seem to be of a similar theme such as books by Gil McNeil, Mary Kruger, Debbie Macomber (not read any myself but having a look there seems like a good start)

 

One book I came across while looking for you sounded quite good:

 

Yarn Harlot by Stephanie Pearl-Mcphee

Synopsis:

The Secret Life of a Knitter moves beyond instructions and patterns into the purest elements of knitting: obsession, frustration, reflection, and fun. Stephanie Pearl-McPhee's humorous and poignant essays find humour in knitting an enormous afghan that requires a whopping 30 balls of wool, having a husband with size 13 feet who loves to wear hand-knit socks, and earns her "yarn harlot" title with her love of any new yarn - she'll quickly drop an old project for the fresh saucy look of a new interesting yarn. Since the upsurge in knitting began in the early '90s, the number of women under 45 who knit has doubled. Knitting is no longer a hobby for just grandmothers-women and men of all ages are embracing this art. Describing its allure is best left to Stephanie who explains: "It is a well-known fact that knitting is a sparkling form of entertainment, as spiritual as yoga as relaxing as a massage, and as funny as Erma Bombeck trapped in a PTA meeting."

 

There are some 5 star reviews on it on amazon, hope some of this helps.

[Chrissy]

The site, fantasticfiction.co.uk is a really good site to find similar books / authors. There were a few listed under Kate Jacobs.

[murphybrent]

Gil McNeil is brilliant and the two I have read are both based on her running a wool shop!........Divas don't Knit

needles and pearls (I think that is title)

[Kell]

How to Make an American Quilt by Whitney Otto:

Interweaves the stories of the members of a California women's quilting group. From grief to stolen passion, youth to age, scandal to solace, the book portrays the nature of women, and the power of love and friendship over half a century.

 

A Stitch in Time by Penelope Lively:

Maria comes to spend the summer holidays with her family in Lyme Regis. She finds a sampler stitched by a girl, Harriet, in 1865 and it becomes clear that something odd happened to Harriet - but what?

 

Knitting Mystery series by Maggie Sefton:

1. Knit One, Kill Two (2005)

2. Needled to Death (2005)

3. A Deadly Yarn (2006)

4. A Killer Stitch (2007)

5. Dyer Consequences (2008)

6. Fleece Navidad (2008)

7. Dropped Dead Stitch (2009)

8. Skein of the Crime (2010)

 

Black Sheep Knitting Mystery series by Anne Canadeo:

1. While My Pretty One Knits (2009)

2. Knit, Purl, Die (2009)

3. A Stitch Before Dying (2010)

 

Embroidery Mystery series by Amanda Lee:

1. The Quick and the Thread (2010)

2. Stitch Me Deadly (2011)

 

I'll hasten to add, I've not read any of these books, but I may well have just persuaded myself to look into some of them!

[NightOwl]

Kell, you are an absolute star! Some of the books you've suggested have got me quite excited, and I'm going to print out the list and leave it lying around for DH to find: we've just had an anniversary and he owes me a pressie!

Thanks to everyone else for the suggestions, too.

[Julia]

I really love the "Someday Quilt Mysteries" by Clare O'Donohue.

 

1. The Llover's Knot (2008)

2. A Drunkhard's Path (2009)

3. The Double Cross (2010)