score!

Our local library has a section run by the Friends of the Library that sells used books.  Most of the books are donations, some are out of circulation copies pulled from the library shelves.  The hardcovers are $1, paperback $.50.  Over the past few months I have been lucky enough to pick up scads of local field guides for Youngest Daughter.  She loves the things and most have been .50 a pop.  The past two times I have been in to the library, there have not been any field guides, but knitting books have been on the shelf.  Last week I grabbed the out of print Wendy Knits for .50, and yesterday I stumbled up on a real gem.  The Complete Book of Knitting, published in 1947 by The Spool Cotton Company.   I did a quick flip through the book while in the library, dropped my $1 in to the money box and practically skipped all the way home.

The book itself is hardcovered and filled with classic patterns.  These are not the funny vintage patterns brought to us by Stitchy McYarnpants. These things are classic. 

However, the timeless patterns are not my favorite things about the books.  My favorite things begin with the cover, before the book is even opened. 

The cover has had a drink spilled on it, maybe more than one.  Why do I care?  It means the book was not kept on a shelf, but on the table, next to the couch, in heavy use.  There are some notes, written in large letters so as not to be forgotten, on the pages of the basics section.  The only other notes in the book are on the pages for argyle socks. 

Argyle Socks are a current obsession of mine.  As I read through the book more carefully I found that a page was missing.  It took a bit to figure out what would have been on the page.  Guess what it was?  More socks.  Women’s cabled ski socks.  I can picture the page being torn out just as she was leaving for a trip.  The knitting packed, but the book too big to take along. The person who previously owned this book was into socks and not afraid to spill a drink.  How cool is that?

Comments

[kate]

What a great treasure!

I love finding old knitting books.

[Julia]

Love that! Of course, I have a fondness for historic knitting books - I'm sure you will enjoy it!