Stitching in the Stacks: A Review

Stitching in the Stacks: Librarian-Inspired Knits, edited by Sarah Barbour, begins with a foreword by Jessamyn West. No, not the author Jessamyn West, who has been dead for thirty years, but the very-much-alive librarian Jessamyn West. (Full disclosure: I've had some online interaction with Jessamyn West, as she and I are both longtime active members of the MetaFilter community, which she also used to moderate.) Her foreword speaks of how difficult it can be for a librarian to keep her or his body temperature at a comfortable level in a library, where there are many staff and visitors as well as the books and the server to consider, and says that it is for this reason that the twinset is such a librarian cliché. I can believe it, especially when I consider that the branch of the Toronto Public Library nearest to me, which is a tiny storefront, has its checkout desk set so close to the front door that I feel guilty whenever I enter or exit the library in hot or cold weather. Those at the desk get another blast of hot or cold air whenever the door opens, and it's constantly being opened. The librarians who sit there are always properly sweatered in cold weather. Jessamyn West also writes that a lot of librarians knit. Again, this is no surprise given that the librarians at my local library all knit, and that knitters are generally a very literate and literary crowd. And given all the librarian memes and stereotypes (at least ten of which occur to me immediately), a librarian-themed collection of knitting patterns seems like a great idea. It has a lot of scope and is sure to find an appreciative audience of book-loving knitters.

And speaking of book-loving knitters, I have an e-copy of this book to give away. Visit this blog's Facebook page before Sunday, December 14th at 10 pm EST for a chance to win a copy of Stitching in the Stacks.

Let's take a look at the 28 patterns in this book now.

Belle Greene Shawl. This shawl was named after Belle da Costa Greene, a librarian who was instrumental in creating what is now known as the Morgan Library and Museum, and who sounds so fascinating I'm adding her to my list of subjects to read up on. This shawl, which is lovely, uses two lace patterns that were popular in the Gilded Age when Belle began her career.

Hypatia. This top was named after the last librarian of the Great Library of Alexandria. I like the openwork texture, and this item would make a useful summer cover up. The cropped length isn't for every woman, but it would be a simple matter to lengthen it.

Man of Letters. This vest was named for Ben Franklin, founder of America's first lending library. I'm divided on this one. I very much like the letter motif, but don't care much for the shaping, which looks a little odd and unfinished, and I can't imagine even the most sartorially liberal men of my acquaintance wearing this piece. I think I'd be mostly like to use this pattern by borrowing the letter charts to combine with the style used in another pattern.

Ranganathan's Mitts. These mitts are named for and inspired by S.R. Ranganathan, a librarian and mathematician whose Five Laws of Library Science are considered basic principles of modern library science. Two of the laws appears on the back of these fingerless mitts, which have a clean, striking design, are well-shaped, can be knitted in either a male or female version, and also lend themselves to filing and shelving. Very probably S.R. Ranganathan would have approved. In a sidebar, the book also offers a helpful article on incorporating typography into knitwear.

Carnegie Vest. This vest, of course, is named for Andrew Carnegie, a self-educated and very wealthy man who used his self-made fortune to found many public libraries in the United States. I quite like this vest, which is a modern take on a classic men's look. One can make basic stripes look new and interesting by varying the width of the stripes and using a great colourway, and that's what's been done here.

Book Woman Jacket. Very much like this design, which was named in honour of the Pack Horse Librarian Project, the U.S. government's solution to creating jobs for women and getting books into rural areas during the thirties and forties. The idea of a horseback-riding librarian sounds like something out of a John Wayne movie — if the Duke had ever been smart or cool enough to match wits with a librarian. This jacket is very well-shaped (love the sit of the collar), has great texture, and looks like it would look well worn open, which tends to be a problem with double-breasted styles. Do make sure you knit it the right size for the intended wearing, as seeing it pull open a little as it does on this model detracts somewhat.

Gotham City Twinset. This twinset is named after fictional librarian Barbara Gordon, AKA Batgirl. I'm liking the concept of a short-sleeved pullover with a matching capelet, but I don't know if I like this particular example. The proportions used here don't work together all that well and the resulting look with its two horizontal lines isn't too flattering.

Ms. Paroo sweater. This design was named for Marian Paroo, the librarian from The Music Man. Not a fan of this one. The pockets and the gathered sleeves give it a fussy, frumpy look.

Bunny Watson. This piece designed as an homage to Katherine Hepburn's role in the 1957 movie Desk Set. I like the vest, which is well-shaped and has a nice design touch in the form of a half-belt in the back, and I can definitely see Katharine Hepburn wearing it. For a role, that is, because in real life Kate Hepburn never gave a damn about looking well-dressed.

Aurora Teagarden skirt. This skirt was named for the librarian and heroine of Charlaine Harris's mystery novels. It's a lovely and very wearable skirt. This particular colour scheme isn't doing it for me but I am enjoying imagining this piece in all the many other colour schemes that would suit it.





Mystery Novel Cover. If you've been wanting to try illusion knitting, this design might be both the perfect starter project and a good way to tell the rowdy group at the library study table next to yours to pipe down a little.

Name of the Rose Vest. This piece bears the name of the Umberto Eco mystery novel about a mad, book-eating monk, and this vest is intended to be a modern take on the monk's habit, with cabled detailing meant to reference the Book of Kells. I do like the cabled detailing, but this needs better shaping and detailing.

Party Girl. This pretty, lacy snood is named for the 1996 movie, Party Girl. Is the snood coming back? [Checks Ravelry's pattern database.] Hmm, seems like it might be back already, and I am not against it as it does seem to look fetching on some women. Not on me, alas. If I put one of these on I'd look like a high school cafeteria lunch lady of the meanest and most miserable order.

Dewey Decimal Hat. This hat features the Dewey decimal number for knitting (746.43, as if you didn't know!). Super cute idea, and a cute little cap.

Jessamyn Mitts. These mitts, as you might have guessed, are inspired by Jessamyn West (again, the one who is alive and a librarian and wrote the foreword, not the dead one). They're good design. The ribbed cuffs fit well and the detail on the back of the hands is pretty and interesting.

Oranges and Peaches shawl. This pretty spiral shawl's name references a (hopefully apocryphal?) story of the reference librarian who is trying to help a student find a requested book, Orange and Peaches, for his biology class. Now you get to play reference librarian for a minute and see if you can figure out what the title is supposed to be. Buy the Stitching in the Stacks book if you get stuck, as it has the answer.

Nancy Pearl Mitts. These mitts are named after another librarian, Nancy Pearl, who wrote the Book Lust series, is a regular commentator on NPR and has her own local television show. The mitts are very pleasant looking with a good shape and nice lace work.

Metadata Scarf and Cowl. This scarf and cowl again references the Dewey decimal number for knitting by coordinating its rows of colour to the numbers in 746.43. The result is a colour scheme that works well and has a pleasing texture.

Old Reed. This skirt uses the Reed College colours to pay tribute to its Gothic library. Can't say I care for this design. The pleats are too thick to lie well and pleats that don't sit right are terribly unflattering.

Open Book Cardigan. Very attractive cardigan. The texture's great and I especially like how nicely finished the edges are.

LOC Bookweight. This item was designed as a tool to keep books open. I'd rather use whatever's lying about on my desk than something like this, which would be another item to keep tidy and clean.

Study Session. An attractive pencil case for grown ups.

Coffee Press Cozy. This cozy features both the Dewey decimal number for coffee and the Library of Congress classification and will help keep the librarian in your life caffeinated. I love the colours used here.

Stereotypical. This is a pretty eyeglass case, but I don't find soft glass cases very practical as they leave spectacles vulnerable to being smashed. I'd want to adapt this to fit over a hard-sided eyeglass case.

Bibliort bookmark. I've always rather liked finding odd little things in library books that were left behind by previous readers, but I never knew those old bus tickets, receipts, cryptic post-it notes, shopping lists, and bookmarks had a name: bibliorts. This design is supposed to be a garter belt, supposedly left behind by a previous reader, which will leave one imagining the back story and wondering if there was a hip flask to go with it. It is a very fun idea, if a little too obtrusive a bookmark for me.

Ex Libris. Lovely and very witty cover for an e-reader.

Athena's Bookends. These are very prettily designed, but not terribly practical. Bookends need to be dusted regularly, and these would have to be washed several times a year.

Bookworm. How adorable is this bookwork? Every library should have one.