The Knitting Book Tag

Hello!

Today I’m back with a book tag that I’ve just stumbled across and of which I simply could not ignore. It is The Knitting Book Tag, which was created by Cara at Wilde Book Garden over on Youtube, and I initially watched on What Victoria Read‘s channel.

If I’m not reading, I’m knitting or crocheting so it is the perfect tag for me and I cannot wait to dive right in. For those of you reading this who are not knitters, I’ll try to simply explain the terminology before getting into the books, just for context.

Rambling over, let’s get into the prompts.

#1 Cast-on: The first section you scope out in a bookstore/library/online book shopping.
(Casting on is the act of getting your first set of stitches on the knitting needle.)

When I go book shopping, I now start at the front of the shop where all the tables are, showing off new releases, popular general fiction/non-fiction, or the current book trends (that’s how it set up in my local Waterstones anyway). I find there is an interesting range of books on offer that encourage me to broaden my reading horizons and dip my toes into different areas that I would have previously bypassed. However, it is the dangerous area, specifically in Waterstones as that is where all the “buy one get one half price” books are so you always feel obliged to buy them.

#2 Knit: Obviously a staple of knitting! A super hyped book that completely delivered for you.
(It is THE NUMBER ONE stitch that every pattern and project is based on)

I was going to give the same answer as Victoria in her video, which was Legends and Lattes, but whenever I do think of super-hyped books that I love, The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue by VE Schwab always comes to mind. I know it was divisive and it flopped for a lot of people but I really took to Addie and Henry’s connection and the message of what it means to feel and touch somebody’s life to the extent that you’ll be remembered. It stole my soul and reminded me about the importance of living in the moment, which is where you find the magic of life and the human connection.

3. Purl: As important as the “knit” stitch, but probably not as famous. – Name a character you think deserves more love (from the fandom, the author, other characters, etc)
(The opposite stitch to the ‘knit’ stitch. It’s a little awkward to learn, but as the prompt says, just as important)

The first character that comes to mind is Minya from Muse of Nightmares by Laini Taylor, and I think I’m interpreting this is as deserving more love from other characters in the story. I’ll confess that I did not like her at all in Strange the Dreamer. She came across as this annoying child (she’s an adult in a small child’s body) who doesn’t want her circumstances and life in the citadel to change, but the more we learn about her in this book and the trauma she faces, we get to understand her anger and reactions to a lot of things and I just want to protect her.

4. Chart: A book or author you’ve been meaning to read but somehow just haven’t gotten around to (and why).
(A visual representation of a knitting pattern)

I have so many books and authors that fall under this prompt, but I think I will pick The Secret History of Witches by Louisa Morgan. I can’t remember how long it has been sat on my shelves, and I think the only reason I haven’t picked it up yet is that it intimidates me a little. It is quite chunky, it comes across as being a rather slow-paced story, and I’m not always in the mood for this type of book. I do really want to read it as it does interest me and I’m always down for a book about witches, but the timing needs to be right. Also, it’s a book on my shelves that is hidden behind a photo frame so I don’t regularly see and remember that it is there.

5. Double-Pointed Needles (DPNs): Recommend a series you can actually read out of order, AND one that people might think you can but you actually can’t.
(specific needles with points at both ends that you would use to knit in a round to create a tube, needed for things like socks, mitts, and sleeves. They’re also rather fiddly as you’re controlling four or five needles at once, rather than two.)

I’m going to cheat a little because I’m a little stuck on this prompt. The other book in this world hasn’t come out yet (five more days) but I think because the new book will be a prequel, you might be able to get away with reading it first, and that is, of course, A Day of Fallen Night and Priory of the Orange Tree by Samantha Shannon. It’s also cheating because I’m going off the vibes I’ve picked up from people who have read the arc, because as a prequel, it will be setting up the bigger picture for the characters we already know.

A series you can’t really read out of order – I don’t know. I don’t tend to read those types of series.

6. Cables: A book you heard negative reviews for but you ended up loving.
(stitches in the knitting fabric that are twisted and raised up so that they’re quite distinctive)

For this one, I’m going to go with The Once and Future Witches by Alix E Harrow. This book was very hyped when it released and a lot of people went into it with huge expectations, especially if they loved The Ten Thousand Doors of January, only to find it disappointed them hugely. That didn’t happen for me at all. I was completely taken in by these sister witches and the power that is created by this sisterhood and witchcraft. It was as if I was reading episodes of Charmed in a historical setting and I loved it.

7. Skein: Why do we still sell yarn like this?! – A trope you can’t stand
(Depending where you are, it might be known as a hank. When you go into a yarn shop, it is yarn that is coiled and twisted in on itself, which has to be wound into a ball before being used)

I don’t like love triangles to the point where I will now refuse to read a book if it has that trope.

8. Gauge swatch: Share an author who is always a good fit for you.
(gauge swatch – how many stitches and rows you get to a specific set of measurements. They’re important if you’re knitting garments as the swatch will tell you if you need to use bigger/smaller needles to get the right fit.)

I can’t name one. There’s Laini Taylor, VE Schwab, Melinda Salisbury… No book they’ve written so far has let me down. I’ve loved them all.

9. Stitch marker: Share a specific scene that stands out clearly in your mind (no spoilers!)
(in knitting, they’re predominantly rings that slide onto the needles and mark out specific things you need to remember, repeats in a pattern, or the start and end of your work if you’re knitting in the round etc)

The scene in Shadow of Night by Deborah Harkness where the MC Diana is learning how to control her magic with the help of Tudor witches and she unleashes her familiar. I love that scene and sometimes when I’m thinking about it, I will just read it over and over.

10. Yarn weight: Super useful info to take in at a glance. Do you have some bookish taste buddies? This could be someone you have really similar tastes to in general, or for a specific kind of book.
(The thickness of yarn, of which there are many kinds)

Yes, my fantasy tastes often align with those of my friends Rachael, Beth and Sifa, and truth be told they often shape what fantasy books I do read because I trust their opinions and recommendations more than anybody else.

11. That novelty yarn someone gifted you because they heard you like knitting, but it’s IMPOSSIBLE to work with. What’s a book that looked perfect for you on paper, but just didn’t work out?
(Yarn that is rather funky, whether it has adornments or something else to make it novelty and wacky)

I love historical and fantasy and I love it even more when they’re together in the same book, but the one book with these that didn’t jibe with me at all was Sorcerer to the Crown by Zen Cho. I can’t pinpoint why it didn’t work for me exactly, but when I was reading it I wasn’t actively picking it up regularly. It felt a chore to read even 10 or so pages, so I decided to DNF it and give up on reading this and it’s companion novel, The True Queen altogether. I’m really disappointed that it did fall flat, but when I talked it over with a few people in a discord server, it turned that I wasn’t the only person who struggled with it, which did make me feel better about DNFing this.

12. Scarf: The perfect starter project. Recommend a good book for getting into a genre or kind of book.

I really struggle with this kind of prompt because it ultimately depends on the reader, what they’re interested in and what books they want to read. Going with YA but leaning more towards the creepier side of fantasy, you can’t really go wrong with Frances Hardinge. I’ve only read A Skinful of Shadows by her but it was incredible and arguably one of the BEST YA books I’ve ever read.

13. Socks: Handmade socks are WAY harder than they look! Talk about an underappreciated author who deserves more hype.

The only author that screams out to me is Oscar de Muriel who wrote the, now complete, Frey and McGray series, which is a crime/mystery series set in Victorian Scotland with elements of the supernatural woven into every book. So far I’ve only read the first four books and I love them. More people need to read them.

14. Cast Off: A weirdly specific thing you love (could be a trope, something in book construction, etc.)
(The opposite to casting on. You’re taking the stitches off the needles.)

The only one I can think of is books about books, particularly when they reference classic characters and stories, like The Unlikely Escape of Uriah Heep by HG Parry, or Pages & Co:Tilly and the Bookwanderers by Anna James. I get such a kick out of seeing the characters interact with each other and interpreting the situation they’ve been placed in. It’s fun to read and I want more of it.

15. Crafting Party! Honestly one of the best parts of any hobby is sharing it with friends. Tag some people who craft or who might like to answer the questions!

I’ll tag:

Nicole@BookWyrmKnits | Asha@ACatABookAndACupOfTea | Sifa@SifaElizabethReads
and anybody else who wants to join in.

Thanks for sticking with me for this long tag and have a brazzle dazzle day!
xx