171 Knitting Books... and counting

The Knitting Books
Posted by spinnity

Wow, people. Thanks for all the guesses for my book contest. I am a bit embarrassed that I can't live up to the highest estimate of 287. I suppose a number like that gives me something to shoot for. I did leave out all the Rowan, Dale, Noro, Jamieson Shetland and Elsbeth Lavold single yarn pattern books and "magazines", but I don't think I'd make it to 287 even with those included.

Q: Just exactly how many knitting books books does spinnity actually own?
A: One hundred seventy-one

Yes, spinnity owns 171 knitting books. I've piled all 171 up in stacks for your perusal above. I bet you will recognize many of these books by the colors on their spines. Others may be a bit "before your time"

Some highlights:

• The oldest books are some Golden Hands and Sunset survey books from about 1972.
• The first books I bought were Maggie Righetti's Knitting in Plain English, Vogue Knitting's reference book, and Twined Knitting (all bought around 1990).
• Sometimes I go into collector mode and Must Have certain books just to complete the collection... For instance, I have all the Elizabeth Zimmerman books and one video (not included in the count).
• The newest books in the collection are the Twisted Sister Sock Workshop and the Twisted Sisters Knit Sweaters - a Knit-to-Fit Workbook -- these two were in the mail from Amazon when I posted my question, so I included them in the total. They arrived Wednesday, just in time for the great counting.

The winner of the contest -- the person who came closest to 171 without going over -- is from Gypsy Junk Knits -- and she is owed two skeins of sock yarn. I had picked my Schafer Anne (it's one BIG skein, not two skeins) as the probable prize, but GJK, contact me via email (spinnity bei yahoo punkt com) so we can confer on whether you want any of my copious Koigu instead, since you are planning a Last Minute Knitted Gifts chevron scarf. I might could hook you up!

Now for the geeky librarian part -- I've just figured out that taking all these books off the shelf for the photo op has created a window of opportunity to Reorganize the Knitting Books, woohoo! Hurray for the long weekend!