Knitting Books--What's on the Horizon?

So I've been away the past three weekends. First there was the trip to PA to check on my cow and christen a new one (such is the way of farm life--that picture of Norah the cow commemorates what was probably our final encounter before she's sold).

Then I spent a long Memorial Day weekend in Portland, OR, watching my little brother graduate from Lewis & Clark Law School. P.'s response to J.'s graduation? "Lawyers are bad guys!" Don't know where he picked that up, especially since my brother, who concentrated on environmental law and wants to work for a nonprofit, is most certainly one of the good guys.

Scarcely had I set foot back in Boston before I was off to NYC on Thursday night for BookExpo America, the largest book publishing event in the US. I was there to make contacts for the work that I do, but I also managed to pick up a lot of information about what new books are being published through this fall and winter. So what's new in knitting books?

Apparently knitting for men (and by men) is the new trend, with at least three books focusing on patterns for men (and an emphasis on books men won't be embarrassed to buy). One of these is Debbie Stoller's next Stitch 'n' Bitch volume.

Another theme? Amigurumi, the Japanese dolls and figurines. Sterling has a crocheted Amigurumi book coming out in September, and Chronicle has just launched a new series of Japanese crafts. The first two volumes are Amigurumi (both knitted and crocheted) and Lacy Crochet, a book of accessories for the home.

Follow-ups to popular books are also in the works, with Fiona Ellis's Inspired Fair Isle Knits, Susan B. Anderson's Itty Bitty Nursery, and the next two volumes of Interweave's series, Folk Style and Bag Style. Judith Durant also returns with another volume of One Skein Wonders. Vogue's Stitchionary is back with a fourth volume, this one on crochet. Can you tell crochet is big? Not being a big crocheter myself, the only volume I'm really looking forward to is a collection of crocheted edges (can't remember who's publishing that one, but it looks like it could have uses even for us knitters). Vogue is also coming out with a sock pattern/instruction book that could be promising.

Retro knits are also big, with Sterling doing a pair of books, Toilet Roll Covers and Tea Cozies, some of which actually avoid looking (too) kitschy.

As for newcomers, Yahaira Ferreira (of www.pureknits.com) is coming out with Sensual Knits, which appears to feature classic patterns with fitted shapes and lovely details (and really expensive yarns). The people behind www.theanticraft.com also have a book coming out in November. I got the t-shirt, but not the book, at BEA. I'm also interested in Kat Coyle's Boho Baby Knits and Jane Gottelier's Artwork Blue, both being published in November by Potter Craft.

As usual, it looks like there are some exciting things on the horizon just in time for fall knitting!