Best selling novelist Debbie Macomber, a lifelong knitter, says “Peggy Gaffney has introduced a new idea into the knitting realm …you’re in for a real treat.”
Debbie Macomber, who often includes Goldens in her novels, means the new idea of creating a whole book that deals with desig
ning portraits in knitting of a single breed of dog. As she explains in her Forward to The Crafty Golden Retriever – Knits, “Really, what could be better? Yarn, a pair of knitting needles, a good pattern, and a faithful companion by your side.”
The concept starts with stories. These stories about the Golden give the reader a broad understanding of all the activities the dogs enjoy. They are written by Peggy Gaffney with the 
help of those who know and care about the breed most. These stories in turn inspire portraits. These are portraits of Goldens hunting, doing agility, rescuing a child, diving from a dock, and performing a myriad of activities that make these dogs distinctive. Only these portraits are created using knitting stitches. The knitted portraits appear as more than 20 charted graphs that knitters may work into any of the 24 sweater and accessory patterns included.
The Crafty Goden Retriever - Knits is beautifully illustrated with over 75 photographs of Goldens involved in every possible ac
tivity as well as just being dogs. The photographers who illustrate the book are Betty Schmidt, who specializes in photos of dogs competing in field trials or hunting with their owners, and Mary and Joseph MacQueen, who photograph dogs from their own Nitro Golden kennel, Mary shares the experience of her work in search and rescue and drug detection in which she and her dog Ch. Robin are vitally active. Robin is in a leagu
e of his own and story is an inspiration.. The Crafty Golden Retriever – Knits is the third volume in the unique Crafty Dog Knits series from publisher Kanine Knits.
Interesting Week at the Knit & Crochet Show
This was a busy week traveling north to Manchester, New Hampshire to take part in the Knit & Crochet Show sponsored by the Knitting Guild of America and the Crochet Guild of America. It was a first for Kanine Knits. I have spent the last 10 years with booth
s at dog shows and this was my first knitting show. I found that they are very similar, except for the fact that there were no dogs visiting my booth (bummer).I did meet some absolutely delightful knitters, crocheters, designers, spinners, yarn manufacturers and more. I made friends with the gals who had the booth across from mine and we found that we had a great deal in common. Ada, Heather and Jody from Great Knit Design Knitware, based in So. San Francisco, gave me insight into the knit show world.
The yarns that are available are amazing, especially the hand dyed fibers of llama, alpaca, bamboo, silk, and wool. Watching the spinners creating the yarn on the floor with only a drop spindle would inspire anyone.
But the best part was all the wonderful people who stopped by my booth and raved about my designs. What an ego trip!!!! Plus I got to hear the stories of their dogs and see the photos they so proudly displayed. They were delighted to find patterns that looked like their own "best friend" and were looking forward to knitting the likeness into sweaters, pillows, afghans, 
etc.
The books were popular too. Knitters really latched onto the idea of entire books filled with knitting designs on just their breed. They got to purchase the books for the Samoyed and the Labrador Retriever and get a preview of the new Crafty Golden Retirever Knits book that will be out in a couple of weeks.
Well, though I'll still be part of the dog world at shows this fall, I am looking forward to many more knitting and crochet shows in the future. I was inspired, encouraged and made to feel at home by those who love this art as much as I do.
I hope that everyone enjoyed looking at Peggy Gaffney's version of a dog show with all my portraits of dogs in knitting displayed in my Kanine Knits booth and that they will look for me at shows in the future and visit my website at www.kanineknits.com to see even more designs than I had room to display at the show.
ning portraits in knitting of a single breed of dog. As she explains in her Forward to The Crafty Golden Retriever – Knits, “Really, what could be better? Yarn, a pair of knitting needles, a good pattern, and a faithful companion by your side.”
help of those who know and care about the breed most. These stories in turn inspire portraits. These are portraits of Goldens hunting, doing agility, rescuing a child, diving from a dock, and performing a myriad of activities that make these dogs distinctive. Only these portraits are created using knitting stitches. The knitted portraits appear as more than 20 charted graphs that knitters may work into any of the 24 sweater and accessory patterns included.
tivity as well as just being dogs. The photographers who illustrate the book are Betty Schmidt, who specializes in photos of dogs competing in field trials or hunting with their owners, and Mary and Joseph MacQueen, who photograph dogs from their own Nitro Golden kennel, Mary shares the experience of her work in search and rescue and drug detection in which she and her dog Ch. Robin are vitally active. Robin is in a leagu
e of his own and story is an inspiration..
