10 Secrets of the LaidBack Knitters: A Guide to Holistic Knitting, Yarn, and Life (Knit & Crochet)

10 Secrets of the LaidBack Knitters speaks to all levels of knitters who want to enhance and expand their knitting experience in joyful and substantive ways. With humor and insight, authors Vicki Stiefel and Lisa Souza illustrate how to become a laidback knitter--one who enjoys the process as much as the product. Join in and be inspired by the mix of people, patterns, and places in their knitting world; follow the steps they took; and discover the secrets that set them along this path. 10 Secrets contains a wealth of other valuable and fun information including profiles, websites and other resources the authors can't live without, information on fibers, spinning, and crochet, and much more!

Additionally, an amazing collection of twenty-seven patterns--complete with instructions and charts--fills the book with elegant shawls, chic sweaters, and colorful scarves from a spectrum of designers, all beautifully photographed in full-color.

This is a book that gives knitters permission to relax and have fun; to see that knitting can be as much about process as about the finished product, and know that the stitches they knit can express the inner joy they feel. The exciting patterns--aimed at knitters from beginners to experienced--complement the books exuberant purpose and style.

VICKI STIEFEL is a writer, photographer, and passionate knitter. She is a contributor to Wild Fibers magazine and teaches writing at Clark University. She has published four novels, Body Parts, The Dead Stone, The Bone Man, and The Grief Shop, which won the Daphne du Maurier prize for Best Mainstream Mystery in 2006. Her writing and photography has also appeared in New Woman, The Harvard Post, The Improper Bostonian, and other national and regional publications. Vicki formed her local knitting group called Cindy's Knitters, as well as the LaidBack Knitters group on Ravelry along with coauthor Lisa Souza.

LISA SOUZA is an artisan dyer, colorist, handspinner, and creator of art-to-wear garments. Early in her career she and a partner started Knitwitz, where they knitted one-of-a kind garments and traveled the craft-fair circuit. Lisa then branched off to begin her own company, Lisa Souza Knitwear, creating finished garments that were sold in boutiques around the country. Soon after that, she learned to spin and began hand-dying yarn. Lisa started to offer her hand-dyed fibers to other knitters through her website lisaknit.com in 1999 where she continues to sell her hand-dyed yarns, handspun luxury yarns, and hand-dyed roving. In 2007, after moving to rural California, Lisa opened a large showroom and workshop. Lisa regularly participates in yarn fairs and festivals around the country.