When I first met Cat Bordhi, she was deep in the process of creating her new book New Pathways for Sock Knitters, Book 1 She had projects from the book and ideas were already brewing for future books in the series. Her passion for knitting socks (knitting any unusual shape, really) is contagious. I took more sock classes from Cat over the next year or so, and each time, she’d reveal another “secret” or two about the book making her students even more eager for its release.
It’s not surprising that the book quickly sold out of its first printing. It begins with two baby “learning” socks that teach, not only the new knitting concepts, but also how to read the patterns in the new way they’re presented. The book is then divided into eight different “architectures.” Each approaches sock construction in a new way. Throughout each chapter there are beautiful sock designs each taking full advantage of the unusual construction being presented. Each chapter also has a “master” pattern which allows the knitter to create their own sock design using whatever yarn and gauge they’d like. (Search “new pathways” on flickr to see examples of socks being made). You can also try your hand at a one of the patterns in the book–the Coriolis sock which is offered on the Knitty Gritty web site.
New Pathways for Sock Knitters, Book 1 has a clear and easy to understand layout and a novel, lovely design. I have yet to knit one of the new socks from the book (tho I have made a few baby socks in classes, and already incorporated some concepts into my crocheted socks) but I’ve spent hours reading about them and haven’t tired of it a bit. I can’t wait to dig deeper, and as Clara Parkes is quoted on the back of the book, “This is just book one. I can only imagine what’ll come next.”
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