Author(s): Bruce Weinstein

Crafts

For as long as women have been knitting, they have been knitting garments for men (oftentimes with the maddening result that the men don't want to wear what they make). Bruce Weinstein swears that men aren't intentionally (or unintentionally) running a passive aggressive campaign against the women in their lives. And it's not that men don't want to wear handknits in general. It's simply a matter of understanding what men really want and then knitting accordingly. For starters, skip the fancy sitchwork. If the stitch name has the word 'popcorn' or 'butterfly' in it, forget it. And don't bother with yarns that make men sweat (even if it's cashmere). And when it comes to colour, forgo the rainbow and think dark or neutral - except maybe, sometimes, with permission, if you're making socks. "Unwinding Men" is a collection of 10 humorous (and enlightening!) essays and 10 master knitting patterns for men's garments. These 10 patterns, which include variations and tips for customisation, are all any knitter needs to keep the men in her life happily clad in handknits for their entire lives.