Ex libris

I've had a recent shopping spree which saw me buying a couple of crafting books. I blame watching the last series of Foyles War entirely for this! When I saw Sam wearing this lovely grey zig zag striped jumper I decided I was going to copy it and have one of my own (because it's winter and I obviously need a million jumpers).

So having tracked down a very similar one on Ravelry I found I had a book to buy (well the pattern wasn't being sold separately, and the rest of the book was so pretty), so off I went to Amazon to find one second hand. Turns out this book is pretty much only available in America, unless you want to pay three times what the Americans are selling it for. So I ordered it to arrive on the slow boat from the USA.

It's not in AMAZING shape I thought, but is is second hand... But then I noticed this...

This is ex library stock, anyone who is fond of a good read will recognise that sticker anywhere!! Then in the back I spot...

I got quite excited about this, is this the name of the actual library that it once belonged to?! Well possibly not, after some googling it looks like this is a library computer system that is used over there... But PLEASE PLEASE correct me if I am wrong about that! Upon closer inspection of the packing envelope it shows that this little book was sent from Toledo from a company called 'Let the Stories Live On'. Now I know I need to really care for this slightly battered book, it's had quite the career as a library book, and now it has reached its retirement as my own personal library stock.

It was this pattern that I really wanted from the book, the only thing I would need to do is to lengthen the sleeves for my Sam jumper...

When I have looked through it, it turns out that this book has much more to offer than I had thought. I have now managed to identify another couple of jumpers, plus socks, plus gloves, and maybe a hat, that I want to try out.

Some of the patterns are accompanied by a photo of the original inspiration like this beauty...

Some of them even have a little artists sketch of how the writer re-imagined the jumper, which is a lovely personal touch...

But they all have a little word about the style of jumper and when it was popular. And to top it off the instructions come as. Written pattern and as a chart, so you can pick whichever you find easier to follow.

Right, I'm off to find me some grey wool to get cracking on that Sam jumper...