Knitty designer and columnist Donna Druchunas has always been interested in knitting history and stories, and she and her friend Ava Coleman have recently launched a project that’s about just that.
Stories In Stitches is a book series featuring stories about knitters and their lives, traditions, history, and travel, all tied together with knitting patterns and projects. Each volume includes projects from a far-away time or place. In the words of Donna and Ava: “It is our desire to inspire and empower knitters of all skill levels to move beyond the line-by-line pattern into the realm of creating their own modern folk-art designs.”
The third volume is launching this week, and the focus in on knitting around the world during World Wars I and II. You can order it online.
The first was all about the knitted counterpane – bringing to life stitch delicate and decorative stitch patterns, including some originally used in a bedspread knitted by US First Lady Grace Coolidge. The second was all about knitted samplers, and featured an interview with Meg Swansen. The projects included some truly stunning lace designs.
Full disclosure: I’ve been working on the project as a technical editor, and it’s wonderful and fascinating stuff. I love that Donna and Ava aren’t just focused on North America and Western Europe – they have a truly global perspective. The articles provide a lovely intimate view into the lives of knitters in other times and other countries. The projects are sometimes charmingly retro, and sometimes perfectly modern – but always beautiful and interesting.
Because we love this project so much, we want to share it with you! Leave a comment on the post to be entered to win a set of all three volumes.
The usual contest rules apply: leave a comment on this post between now and midnight eastern time, Monday May 5th. One comment will be chosen at random to answer a skill testing question. If the commenter answers correctly they will win the books. If you have already won a prize from us in the past year, please do give other knitters a chance. Thanks!
I love stories! It does look like a fabulous project.
These books look fascinating.
What a great idea for a book series! They look interesting.
Love knitting history! Would be so delighted to win!
So interesting! I’d love to read all of them. Thanks!
I love reading about the history of knitting and look forward to reading the new book!
I think that the idea is great to pair patterns and stories.
I didn’t realize that there were 3 books in the series. I’m going to have to check them out.
I’m a history teacher AND a knitter (or is that knitter AND a history teacher). So love the idea of the history of knitting! Thanks!
I love learning about how things came to be, especially how techniques and methods are nuanced with the culture and customs of the people who developed them.
Thank you for this wonderful contest. The books look fascinating, and I am eager to read them.
That sounds fascinating!
I’m an anthropologist and very excited to read this book.
Knowing history is important. Love the idea of combining patterns and stories.
Wow! I love KnitLit! I’ll definitely be ordering these if I don’t win. bren7na on Rav
I’d love to read these!
Oh, wow! This sounds like a great set of reading!
Thank you for highlighting Stories in Stitches series of books. A great concept: I haven’t come across them before, and they sound just my sort of thing.
Wow! This looks amazing. Can’t wait to see it in print.
I knit the Pi Shawl from SIT2 and I loved it! These are terrific!
That’s really interesting.
What is it about the World Wars that makes them both endlessly intriguing time periods and yet completely horrific? Still, I can’t stop watching any TV shows set during those times and I am sure I wouldn’t be able to stop reading this either!
fascinating book set – thanks for the giveaway!!
This latest book looks really fascinating! I would love to add it to my library.
Ooh, great prize. I’d love to win!
Wow, these look fascinating! I’d love to read them.
I’ve had these on my wish list since I first heard about them…
I love reading about different countries, cultures and people to see the differences as well as the similarities. Add knitting to the mix what could be more perfect. The books sound amazing.
Sounds very interesting.
Wonderful project–thanks for the chance to win a copy!
This book series sounds fascinating! Thanks so much for the opportunity to win the books.
These books sound fantastic!
I love vintage knitting patterns and history. Thanks for the chance to win these books.
What a fabulous prize! Thanks for the contest!
These sound so amazing! Really appreciate all the wonderful information always found on this blog, the contests are a lovely added bonus to the content.
These look like wonderful books. What a great idea!
This is the first I’ve heard of this series. This one is of particular interest to me. Can’t wait to take a look.
I love history! These look fantastic.
Oh my! I’d LOVE to win this! What a gift!
Den här måste jag bara ha = a must have!
What an absolutely marvelous concept for a series. Love it!
So interesting! I think these would be a fascinating read!
I love vintage knitting–skinny, skinny needles, amazing craftsmanship. Must be what the women who liked math did before they could go to engineering school
What a fabulous giveaway!! Combining knitting with historical information is a brilliant idea! I will likely purchase all three volumes! (If I don’t win, of course) 🙂
Sounds like a great set of books.
I won V.2 of this set in a raffle. It’s such an interesting mix of history, commentary, technique, and patterns. Looking forward to seeing the other volumes, especially WWI & II.
The books sound wonderful.
I am so interested in the history of knitting, and I would be so keen to win these books. Here’s hoping!
Sounds like a wonderful idea.
These sound fascinating! I’m particularly interested in the second volume, about knitted samplers, since that’s a special interest of mine. I’ll have to check them out!
So neat! going on my wishlist
These books would make a great addition to any knitter’s library.
I love history! These are certainly a great set of books.
Wish list, meet Donna Druchunas and Ava Coleman…
Thanks for another great giveaway 🙂
I love reading about historical knitting and would love these books. Thanks.
Mmmmm I do love a good story and knitting as well.
You can learn so much from these books. Hope I win!
What a fun project and giveaway. Stories linking past and present like this are so important. Thanks!
What a neat giveaway!!
Sounds like a lovely read!
These look very interesting! Thanks so much for the chance to explore them.
Sounds like a wonderful book – thanks for giving us the chance to win one!
Another winner of a give-away. They sound like terrific books.
This looks like an absorbing read AND knit!
Sounds like a really neat project
Look like very interesting books!
I love the chance to participate in this interesting give-away! Thanks so much. Katie V in NC
I love WWII stories and knitting so this looks perfectly awesome.
Volume III will be so very interesting. I love this idea for knitting readers! (reading knitters?) I can’t decide which I prefer so they rotate in my world. Thanks for the chance to win ‘Stories in Stitches’ triology!
Well, this concept is very intriguing! I would love to win this. I might even be able to get my history loving daughter to get motivated to knit again. 🙂
I love to hear the stories and reasons behind things, whether they are everyday items or something heirloom worthy. Sounds like great reads.
I LOVE knitting history! I can’t wait to see this at my library!
I’m sorry that I’m just now reading about these books! I would love to have them and read them and I’d even share them with the world’s best daughter-in-law who is a terrific knitter.
I hadn’t heard of this series but it looks fascinating. Will this time be the charm???
We are so lucky to have these scholar/knitters in our midst to bring us our own history.
What a great giveaway! Thank you for the opportunity
I love to read about knitting history! Thanks for diving this.
Love this kind of knitting exploration.
Thanks.
WWII is my favorite era to learn about, and I’d love to learn about how knitting played a role in it!
These books look great – I’d love to win a set!
I would love the chance to win these volumes!
Thanks for letting us know these books are on the horizon.
There is few better ways to show the history and common stories of and between people than through fiber. I would love to win these books.
P.s. Should have read “are” rather than “is”. Sorry.
I love reading about the history of knitting and seeing history carried forward to the present in vintage patterns. I’d certainly like to add these three to my bookshelf.
That looks really cool!
Looking forward to this project coming out.
These sound wonderful.
This looks like an interesting set of books. I’d be very interested in reading them.
Thank you for continuing to remind us of the bigger craft world beyond our immediate projects. This series sounds like something I should read whether or not I win it.
I’m always interested in learning more about the history of knitting.
What a great giveaway!
This book sounds great. I look forward to reading it.
That looks so interesting! I always enjoy knitting history; I’d love to read this set.
I would love to with these volumes! History and patterns? Who could resist?!
What a great collection. This is going on my birthday list. Thank you!
Sounds like a great read. Would love to win these books. Knitting and reading – wonderful.
Fascinating! Johnston4kids on rav
May the knitting gods be with me for this entry. I would love these books.
beautiful books! i love the feeling of being connected to the past when i knit!
This looks like it was an amazing collaboration. I’m looking forward to buying the books and knitting the projects.
Thanks for a chance to get these books!
I already have several of Donna’s books and love reading her articles in Interweave Magazine.
I could always use more knitting books for my shelf! 😀
Love the stories behind everything! The world is driven by story! What a great way to combine two things I love: knitting and story!
Oh, these look lovely. Would love to add to my collection.
History and knitting: two of my favorite subjects!
This sounds so cool! WW2 and knitting together!
I love the vintage patterns. What a great idea!
Knitting always connects me to a different place and time. How wonderful that this collection does the same. The craft of knitting has such a wonderful and varied history that one can’t help but be inspired.
I love books to read, reread and study. Thank you for your wonderful gifts.
Books and knitting, together, at last.
Oh, you had me at “counterpane” — sounds like a fascinating book. Thanks for the give-away!
Sounds fascinating!
This would be an awesome gift to win. I would cross my fingers for luck but it would be very difficult to knit that way 🙂
This is so wonderful. I think I may have to buy this if I don’t win. Super cool!
These books would be great additions to my knitting library!
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What a great giveaway. I’ve been wanting these for a while. It’s such a fascinating project! 🙂
What a great giveaway! Thanks for doing this.
This series looks very interesting.
They look like lovely books! Thanks for the chance to win them .
That book series sounds very interesting! I have a feeling those stories would be fascinating, and would totally captivate the anthropologist in me…
Wow! What a great idea. So many of the old, old patterns and their history are lost in time because some of the terminology has changed leaving them difficult for the modern knitter to read. Most of the books I have seen do not have pictures and few people want to use their time and yarn making an item sight un-seen.
I’ve been wanting to get my hands on these books. Sure hope I win!
reading about other knitters from the past and around the world makes the knitting world connected…
Thanks for a chance to win something awesome!
Fascinating, and definitely right up my alley!
I love reading about knitting history! Or just knitting!
Looks fascinating indeed. Thanks for the contest!
Great books!
cool premise
These look wonderful!
These books look so incredibly interesting! I love reading personal stories, especially from times before. I love that these stories are all about knitting!
My husband’s cousin and I are always looking for modern WWII patterns, so these would be a fun set of books to have. Thank you
Great reading and great patterns, sounds like a great prize! Thank you for the chance!
I love reading stories about actual knitters (and other crafters). The stitches we do have very real meaning in our lives, even though we no longer knit as a necessity to clothe ourselves and our families.
Those books sound so interesting!
What’s a fascinating subject. Thanks for the chance to win one!
Ooh, I’m obsessed with knitting history!
I love history and I love to knit. What could be better than the history of knitting. Thank you.
Sounds really interesting!
I love this! I buy old, sometimes even mildewed, knitting magazines and pamphlets whenever I see them, just to mull over — and try to knit — the old patterns. I love that these books are preserving the old and faraway patterns in crisp, new pages!
These look like lovely books. What a great prize!
What an amazing giveaway! If love to be chosen!
What a great idea – I would love to win. Thanks for the giveaway
Thanks for the chance to win these great books!
I love learning about knitting traditions all over the world! I always find something I want try.
I find the history of knitting fascinating and would love to read these books.
So much of the history of knitting has been an oral history, it’s fantastic to find some history is recorded for the future.
This looks like an excellent series. Win or not I will be reading it!
I love the concept of this series. The what, the why, the who, and the how we knit over the centuries has always interested me.
This sounds fascinating. Would love to read it!
sounds really interesting — thanks for letting us know about it!
This sounds fascinating. I’d love to win the copies.
The history of knitting makes it all seem so worthwhile! I’d love to read and knit these books.
Books and stories, fiction and non, have become one of my favorite reading subjects. I will be getting these whether I win or not!
What an interesting project! I’ll definitely have to look that up and add it to my library if I don’t win it here.
These seem like very interesting books…hope I win:)
What a great idea for books. they sound so interesting.
Sounds like a wonderful read.
This sounds like such a worthwhile project. I’d love to win these!
Sounds fascinating. I’d love to read all three! (And knit from them, too.)
Love books on the history of needle arts!
Donna’s writings are always fascinating and I hope to read these soon. What a great giveaway and I really hope I win! Thanks for the opportunity!
Oh, I hope I signed up in time! Great giveway!
What a wonderful project! I am definitely putting these volumes on my wish list!
What a great idea!
What a fascinating series! I’m crossing my fingers, though that makes it hard to knit…
This series looks very interesting.