Knitting with the Wickeds

Today, the Wickeds are celebrating  Sadie Hartwell’s A Knit Before Dying release! Here’s the description of the book:

Shop owner Josie Blair is finally settling into the pace of living in Dorset Falls, Connecticut. Between running Miss Marple Knits, jumpstarting a blog, and handcrafting items with the help of her knitting pals, Josie’s too preoccupied to worry about her past in New York. And thanks to Lyndon and Harry, the owners of the brand-new antique shop next door, she has another project in her midst—repurposing a box of vintage crocheted doilies adorned with the most curious needlework . . .

But before Josie can formally welcome her neighbors, she discovers Lyndon on the floor of his shop stabbed to death by a rusty old pair of sheep shears. Police have pinned Harry as the killer, but Josie isn’t so sure. Now, she’s lacing up for another homicide investigation—and no eyelet or stitch can go unexamined, lest she herself becomes ensnared in the criminal’s deadly design . . .

Wickeds, the question for you is–do you do knit, crochet, sew, tat, quilt, or do any other crafts? Bonus question–do you ever think about how to kill folks with your craft? On the page, of course!

Edith: Congratulations, Sadie! I can’t wait to read the new book. I sew, quilt, sometimes knit, and always garden and put up food – do the last two count as a craft? I have (fictionally) killed people with a sharpened knitting needle, with a pitchfork, with commonly grown – and poisonous – garden plants. Thinking back on my seventeen novels and dozen short stories, I’ve also used a lethal chemical commonly used by jewelers and dark rooms (not that I do either of those crafts), and both a chef’s knife and a vintage kitchen implement (is cooking a craft?). All the rest of my murder methods couldn’t remotely be considered craft-related.

Liz: Congrats on the new release! So, I am probably the least crafty Wicked. I don’t have the patience for it! My mother tried to teach me to sew when I was a kid and I just wasn’t into it. Then she taught me to crochet. Again, not my thing. I did do some of those needle-hook things (not sure what you call them) where you follow a pattern. Those I could handle!

Sherry: I used to do lots of counted cross stitch. And I made a lot of Christmas ornaments using a folding technique and a heck of a lot of pins. Here are two things that are still in a drawer in my basement!

I love taking pictures — that has become my other creative outlet. And while I haven’t thought about killing anyone with my craft, I do think about what would work as a weapon at every garage sale I attend.

Barb: Nupe, nupe, nupe. Terrible hand/eye coordination and fine motor skills here. I do admire the work of others. I have needlepoint pillows from my mother, paternal grandmother and great-grandmother, crewel work from my maternal grandmother, and knitted goods from my paternal grandmother. I treasure them all. I did manage to work a knitting-related clue into my short story, “Bread Baby,” with help from my amazing sister-in-law, Ann Ross, the manager at the yarn boutique GoshYarnIt.

Jessie: I love to knit. I always seem to have several projects on the needles at any given time. Currently I am working on one sweater, two pair of socks, a Red Riding Hood cape and two different shawls. I find that I am not always in the mood or in the right place physically to work on a particular project so I like to have a choice of what to grab to work on. Throughout the summer I usually work on socks or other small, light-weight projects. At this time of year I start contemplating something heavier to keep me feeling productive as well as to keep me warm whilst sitting at the soccer fields watching my son’s games. I haven’t decided what to choose this year but there is a cable-yoked pullover I can’t put out of my mind.

Julie: I am a knitter as well. Jessie, I need to try your multi project idea. I keep trying to knit socks, but I don’t enjoy it. I am working on a lovely shawl, but I can’t remember where I left off. So obviously, I need to focus a bit more on my projects. I love all sorts of crafts, but knitting is my favorite.

Readers: do any of you knit? Do you do other sorts of crafts? Let us know!Save

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