This is a list of books that contain references to knitting. These are not knitting reference books! This list was compiled from suggestions from the knit list and from various catalog listings. It is by no means a complete listing of all knitting references in books. General fiction Art Work, A.S. Byatt Knitting plays a major role. At Home in Mitford (from the Mitford Years series), Jan Karon The first in a series depicting everyday life in a small North Carolina town. Knitting is described at one point as a comfort to the soul. Bag of Bones, Stephen King The hero's wife is a knitter. Cheerfulness Breaks In, Angela M. Thirkell Plus other titles including The Brandons, High Rising, Marling Hall. Each of her books contains at least one knitting reference, often more. Cold Mountain, Charles Frazier Describes a sweater knit of unwashed fleece. Coming Down from Wa, Audrey Thomas Knitting at an African girls' school in the 1960s. Coming Home, Rosamunde Pilcher England during WWII with mention of Red Cross knitting. Country of the Pointed Firs, Sarah Orne Jewett A young woman's life in a New England seaside village, based on a diary from the late 1800s, with knitting references. The cure for Death by Lightning, Gail Anderson-Dargatz Mention of wartime sock knitting. Death and the Oxford Box, Veronica Smallwood Features knitting as one of the book's themes. Fall On Your Knees, Ann-Marie MacDonald Brief mention of sock knitting for the war effort. The Fever Tree and Other Stories, Ruth Rendell "A Needle for the Devil" is densely packed with knitting. Green Dolphin Street, Elizabeth Goudge Knitting. High Island Blues, Ann Cleves Very brief mention of knitting. Independent People, Haldor Laxness, trans. J. A. Thompson 1946 Nobel-prize winner, mentions Icelandic knitting. Jacob's Room, Virginia Woolf Full of knitting references. Lambs of God, Marele Day Spinning and knitting in a cloistered religious community. The Last Continent, Terry Pratchett Knitting that doesn't fit is discussed in this novel set in Australia. The Last Resort, Alison Lurie Knitting mentions, including Kaffe Fassett sweater. London Transports, Maeve Binchy Includes an enlightened knitter. The Man Who Loved Childen, Christina Stead Knitting is a part of the characters' lives. The Matisse Stories, A.S. Byatt One of the stories is about someone obsessed with knitting. McNally's Gamble, Lawrence Sanders The main character's mother is portrayed as a ditzy knitter. The Miss Read series, Miss Read Many mentions of ladies' knitting, both good and bad (knitting, not the ladies!). Mister Sandman, Barbara Gowdy Entertaining knitting scenes. Odd Woman, Gail Godwin Knitting and recycling. Persuasion, Jane Austen Knitting for charity and as an amusement. Plain Jane, Joan Barfoot Main character is a knitter and book is full of knitting mentions, particularly sweaters she's knitting for a friend in prison. Random Passage, Bernice Morgan Mentions of knitting with rags in outport Newfoundland. Roman Fever and Other Stories, Edith Wharton A daughter's views of her mother's knitting. The Shipping News, E. Annie Proulx Lots of knitting references. Small Ceremonies, Carol Shields A mystery is created around a quantity of yarn found in a character's husband's desk drawer...since no one in the family knits. Some Tame Gazelle, Barbara Pym Many mentions of knitting as a part of ordinary life in her earlier books; fewer in the later ones. Staggerford, Jon Hassler Knitting and small town life. Storm Tide, Elizabeth Ogilvie Maine lobstermen talk of knitting bait bags and trap bags for lobster traps. A Tale of Two Cities, Charles Dickens Arguably the most well known knitting reference; not unusual for non-knitters to refer to a knitter as a Madame Defarge. The Twisted Sword (The Poldark series), Winston Graham The last book in this series includes a description of handknit stockings and gloves. Was It Something I Said?, Valerie Block Mention of knitting as therapy after a plane crash. A World without Wool Shops, Dulan Barber A wonderful description of wool shops. Mystery A is for Alibi, Sue Grafton Description of a very intricately knitted mauve Aran sweater. Aunt Dimity's Death, Nancy Atherton Knitting mention. The Beekeeper's Apprentice, Laurie King In Sherlock Holmes style; also A Letter for Mary where a suspect makes mistakes in her knitting. The Bookman's Wake, John Dunning "The night was young, the game wasn't over yet, I was more focused with each passing block. I wasn't going to sit in my room all night knitting an afghan." The Brother Cadfael series, Ellis Peters At least one mention in Potters field of an old lady knitting. Buried in Quilts, Sara Hoskinson Frommer "'I still can't believe it,' said Annie Jordan, knitting without watching. Like Edna, she couldn't bear to sit idle -- and she didn't count mere meetings as work." Candle for a Corpse, Ann Granger Delightful mention of hand-knit sweater given as a gift. Carpool, Mary Cahill One of the main characters knits, and another quilts; the book has numerous mentions of their projects. "The nice thing about knitting is, you can do it anywhere. And you can do it faster when you're away from your own phone." C.O.P. Out, Nancy Herndon A seniors' knit-in in front of the police station. D is for Deadbeat, Sue Grafton Knitting as an aid to learning patience and an eye for detail. Dead Winter, William G. Tapply Nice description comparing knitting to solving murders Deadly Appearances, Gail Bowen Brief mention of knitting. Death of an Expert Witness, P.D. James One of the characters is a knitter. Deception on His Mind, Elizabeth George Comment that knitting is a usual part of a woman's possessions. The Devil's Workshop, Kate Gallison Knitting mention. Doomed to Die, Dorothy Simpson A suspect is a knitwear designer. Everywhere That Mary Went, Lisa Scottoline Knitting mention. Farewell to Yarns, Jill Churchill Numerous knitting mentions. The Grub-and-Stakers Spin a Yarn, Charlotte MacLeod writing as Ailsa Craig Zany book with some scenes set in a yarn shop. The Hand of Death, Margaret Yorke The wife of the main character knits, including charity knitting. Hasty Retreat, Kate Gallison Knitting figures into the plot. Ho Ho Homicide, Corinne Holt Sawyer Brief mention of knitting by a night-shift nurse. Holly Jolly Murder, Joan Hess Somewhat snarky comment about knitting. How to Murder the Man of Your Dreams, Dorothy Cannell The vicar's husband knits. Ice, Ed McBain The main character's wife knits him a watch cap for Valentine's Day. Impact, Stephen Greenleaf Another murder with a knitting needle. J. Alfred Prufrock Murders, Corinne Holt Sawyer Knitting mention. The Miss Marple series, Agatha Christie Lots of knitting by Miss Marple in this well-known series. Mrs. Malory: Death of a Dean, Hazel Holt Mentions yarn stashes. Mrs. Malory wonders, Hazel Holt Main character owned a yarn shop. Murder Among Us, Ann Granger The murdered woman ran a wool and craft shop -- you'll have to read the book to see if this caused her death. Murder Gets a Life, Anne George KIP at an airport. Night of Four Hundred Rabbits, Elizabeth Peters Main character is a knitter. "A Needle for the Devil," Ruth Rendell In the short story collection The Fever Tree and Other Stories. Several knitting references, but the details are inaccurate. The Red Scream, Mary W. Walker Knitting mention. Sadie Shapiro's Knitting Book, Robert Kimmel Smith Also other titles including Sadie Shapiro, Matchmaker. A zany senior has adventures, solves mysteries, and knits. Serpent's Tooth, Faye Kellerman Mention of favourably-received handknit cardigan. The Silent Cry, Anne Perry Brief mention of knitting socks using bone needles in this William Monk/Hester Latterley Victorian mystery. Stitches in Time, Barbara Michaels Sock knitting. Thrones, Dominations, Dorothy L. Sayers and Jill Paton Walsh Knitting under stress. Tourist Trap, Julie Smith Brief mention of male knitting baby clothes. The Trouble with Going Home, Camilla T. Crespi Dreaming of murder with a knitting needle. The Veiled One, Ruth Rendell Considerable knitting content; the murder weapon is a knitting needle. While the Patient Slept, Mignon Eberhart The narrator is a nurse who knits during home-nursing work; the author is a knitter and knows what she's talking about. Science fiction and fantasy Friday, Robert Heinlein A menacing knitter. Drums of Autumn, Diana Gabaldon Sock knitting in 1700's, including description of males learning as children. Queen of the Summer Stars, Persia Woolley Heroine knitting on her queenly throne. The Unknown Shore (Aubrey-Maturin series), Patrick O'Brian Pirates teach a captured child how to knit. The Very Thought of You, Lynn Kurland An 11th century tapestry-destroying bard learns to knit when transplanted to 20th century Scotland. Fairy tales Angelita's Magic Yarn, Doris Lecher An Andean folk tale, where the heroine is the fastest and finest knitter in the village. The Mitten, Jan Brett A Ukrainian folk tale where a young boy begs his grandma to knit him snow white mittens -- and promptly loses them in the snow where they become a home for animals. Children's fiction Amos' Sweater, Janet Lunn Anne of Green Gables, Lucy Maud Montgomery Also Rilla of Ingleside. Various knitting and crochet references. Apple Tree Christmas, Trinka Hakes Noble A young girl knits during a blizzard in the 1880s, using wool from one of the family's sheep, Mrs. Wooly. Boys Don't Knit, Janice Schoop Or do they? Christmas Trolls, Jan Brett A Scandinavian story with knitting mentions. Daisy and Her Needles, Keith Balding Delightful story about a granny knitting a fire, tea pot, husband... Derek the Knitting Dinosaur, Mary Blackwood Rhymed couplets of a dinosaur who knits during the onset of the ice age while his pals frolic. Five Little Peppers and How They Grew, Margaret Sidney Plus other titles; knitting mentions. Homer Price, Robert McCloskey Features a giant ball of yarn and a knitting teacher. Knitwits, William Taylor A boy learns how to knit so he can make a sweater for an expected sibling -- without the knowledge of his hockey team. Lottie's New Beach Towel, Petra Mathers Lottie, the chicken, knits a sock. The Lorax, Dr. Seuss A knitting frenzy causes environmental damage. The Mitten Tree, Candace Christiansen An old woman secretly knits mittens and hangs them on a tree for the children waiting at the school bus stop. Mr. Nick's Knitting, Margaret Wild A male knitter makes friends with a female knitter while commuting by train. No Roses for Harry, Gene Zion A bird unravels the unwanted sweater that Harry's grandma knit for him. The Queen's New Clothes, Tom Dunsmuir Dotty the Queen cat has an unsatiable appetite for yarn, and knits weird garments for everybody in the kingdom. Safe Return, Catherine Dexter A young girl pushes herself to knit mittens to will her mother's return from across the sea. The Saturdays (Melendy books), Elizabeth Enright Kids' knitting. Scaredy Cat, Joan Rankin Knitting. Sheep in a Jeep, Nancy Shaw Plus others; with a knitted lamb. Sunny's Mittens, Robin Hansen Grandma teaches a young girl to knit; includes patterns. Tale of Alain, Arnold Zimmerman Time travel tale; includes directions for making the hero's striped sweater. Thomas' Snowsuit, Robert Munsch The Tusk Fairy, Nicola Smee A little girl's knitted elephant unexpectedly unravels and the tusk fairy comes to the rescue. Children's non-fiction Wool, Annabelle Dixon Describes how wool is made into a sweater. Poetry Auntie's Knitting a Baby, Lois Simmie Zany rhymes about a bad knitter. Biography At Home in the World: A Memoir, Joyce Maynard Known because of her affair with J.D. Salinger; Maynard's mother was a knitter and the book includes knitting-related anecdotes. Birds, Beasts and Relatives, Gerald Durrell Amusing description of knitting by his mother. Jenny Walton's Packing for a Woman's Journey, Nancy Lindemeyer Includes many references to her knitting. My family and Other Animals, Gerald Durrell Hilarious description of author's mother knitting in a car. No Ordinary Time, Doris Kearns Goodwin Biography of Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt; includes photo of Eleanor knitting. Personal History, Katharine Graham The author, longtime editor of The Washington Post and Newsweek, mentions her mother-in-law knitting as a decoy on the back of a rum runner in the Florida Everglades during Prohibition. A Schoolteacher in Old Alaska: The Story of Hannah Breece, Jane Jacobs Knitting in Russian Alaska in the 19th century. Voyage of American Promise, Dodge Morgan Solo long distance sailor describes mittens handknit by his wife. A Welcoming Life (the M.F.K. Fisher scrapbook), Dominique Gioia Photos of the author knitting on the beach. What Fresh Hell Is This?, Marion Meade Biography of Dorothy Parker, an avid knitter who carried her knitting bag everywhere. Non-fiction And Now All This, A.W.C. Sellar The practice and fury of knitting (woology). Born at the Right Time: A History of the Baby Boom Generation, Doug Owram Mention of postwar shortages of knitting supplies. The History of Hand Knitting, Richard Rutt The Knitting Sutra: Craft as Spiritual Practice, Susan Gordon Lydon Knitting and meditation as contemplative aids. Notes from a Small Island, Bill Bryson "Am I alone in thinking it odd that a people ingenious enough to invent paper, gunpowder, kites and any number of other useful objects, and who have a noble history extending back 3,000 years haven't yet worked out that a pair of knitting needles is no way to capture food?" Prevention's Your Perfect Weight Knitting as a dieting aid (!).
Movies A Cry In The Dark 1988, Meryl Streep, Sam Neill. Meryl knits while discussing the trial where her baby is carried off by a dingo in Australia. A League of Their Own (Geena Davis, Madonna, Tom Hanks) A Star is Born (1937) A Tale of Two Cities A Tree Grows in Brooklyn Addams Family (Morticia knits a 3-legged bodysuit!) Addams Family Values After the Thin Man America's Sweethearts - (Julia Roberts, John Cusack & Catherine Zeta Jones) - Thanks, Monica And Then There Were None - 1945 - Agaths Christie Whodunit Anne of Green Gables Babe (implied) Babette's Feast Battlefront (men knitting) Beware of Blondie (Penny Singleton, 1940'2?) (Thanks Pam!) Blues Brothers 2000 Boogie Nights (2000?, 10 secs of J. Moore knitting a ?sock?) Bless the Child (K. Basinger, J. Smits) The Bliss of Mrs. Blossom (Shirley MacLaine, 1986) (Thanks Pam!) Breakfast at Tiffany's (1961, Audrey Hepburn) Breathing Lessons (Joanne Woodward, James Garner, 1994) Breathless Bridges of Madison County (Meryl Streep knits briefly) Brighton Beach Memoirs (Anne Bancroft knits, winds yarn) Calendar Girls - (Helen Mirren, Julie Walters, Jay Leno) The Cannibal Women of the Avocado Jungle of Death (we kid you not!) Captain Corelli's Mandolin (Nicholas Cage) Carrington (men knitting) Chicago (Catherine Zeta Jones, Renee Zellweger) Renee Zellweger (Roxie Hart) knits during her murder trial. New! Chicken Run (2000, animated much like Wallace and Gromit) Christmas Vacation City Lights (1931, Charlie Chaplin, skein winding) Cousins (Ted Danson) Dancing at Lughnasa (1998, Meryl Streep, sock knitting) Daughters of Darkness (1971 vampire flick, aka "La Rouge aux levres" Dead End Demolition Man (1993, Sylvester Stallone knits!) Diabolique (Simone Signoret) Don't Say A Word (2001, Michael Douglas) (Thanks Annie!) Alex & Emma starring Luke Wilson and Kate Hudson - Kate's character "Emma" knits on circulars. Fargo (1996) Foul Play (1984, Goldie Hawn) knitting needle used as fatal weapon The Full Monty The Ghost & Mrs. Muir (implied) Girl, Interrupted (1999, Winona Ryder, Angelina Jolie, Whoopie Goldberg) Gone With The Wind (When Melanie is reading while the women are waiting, one of them is crocething). The Hand That Rocks The Cradle (Rebecca De Mornay, Matt McCoy, Ernie Hudson) Evil nanny/psycho-killer Rebecca de Mornay character knitting something long and burgundy (a noose perhaps?) Halloween Heavenly Creatures (Kate Winslet knits) History of the World, Part 1 (1981, Mel Brooks) Holiday 1938, Katherine Hepburn. Katherine knits while listening toCary Grant. Houseboat How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying (Robert Morse knits in office, scene sometimes edited out when movie shown on TV) Icebound (Blanche Dubois, 1924) (Thanks Pam!) Idle Hands The Incredible Melting Man (1977) It's A Date 1940, Deanna Durbin, Walter Pigeon. Grandma knits with chunky white yarn. Joan of Arc (Mary Steenbergen, Joe Mategna) God has Joan start a knitting project (scarf) to show how life is like a stich. Small on it own, but important to the project as a whole. New! Kimberly (1999, S. Astin knits a baby blanket, but it looks crocheted!) Lady and the Tramp (Lady's owner is knitting a baby bootie and Lady grabs the yarn and runs away -- Bad dog!) The Last Homerun (HBO movie, man knitting) Lemon Drop Kid (1951, Bob Hope) Les Diaboliques (1955) Let's Make Love Lost in Translation - Scarlet Johanson's character tries on a scarf in progress near the beginning of the movie (and boy would I love that pattern!). Thanks Denelle The Letter Like Water for Chocolate Little Annie Rooney Little Women (1995) Miss Marple (PBS movies, heroine knits while solving mysteries) Mr. Lucky (1943, Cary Grant, men knitting) Mixed Nuts (1994, Steve Martin) Moll Flanders (awesome scene per Pam) Mrs. Miniver Muppet Treasure Island (1996) Murder Ahoy (Margaret Rutherford as Miss Marple in an Agatha Christie movie Murder Most Foul (1964, Margaret Rutherford knits in jury box) The Music Man Never Been Kissed (1999, Drew Barrymore) No Escape (1999?, Ray Liotta, Kevin Dillon) (male prisoners spinning/knitting) November Now, Voyager (1942, Bette Davis knits on cruise, Paul Heinreid) The Old Dark House (Tom Poston) http://www.hammerfilms.com/vaults/horror/1962_olddarkhouse.html New! One True Thing (Merryl Streep, William Hurt) Orchestra Wives Phone Call from a Stranger (Bette Davis making socks on DP's) Pillow Talk The Playhouse Pluto's Sweater (1949, animated) The Poseidon Adventure (Shirley Winters knits) The Prince of Pennsylvania (Keanu Reeves, an old man knitting) Radio Days - (Thanks Varant!) Raising Helen (Kate Hudson, Joan Cusak, John Corbit) Joan Cusak's character is knitting in one scene, a couple of references about knitting being the new hot thing to do, that famous actresses are knitting now New! Repo Man (1984, Emilio Estevez) Robin and the 7 Hoods (1964, Sammy Davis Jr., Frank Sinatra, Bing Crosby) Runaway Bride (Julia Roberts, Richard Gere) Sarah Plain & Tall Spellbound The Secret Code (1918, a spy cleared by knitting) The Secret Lives of Dentists(not Dennis) (Dennis Leary) Wife is knitting scarf The Secret of Roan Inish (1994) The Seven Year Itch (Marilyn Monroe) Shake, Rattle and Rock (1956 musical) Shall We Dance The Shipping News Sleeping With the Enemy Snow Falling on Cedars (heroine's mother knits) Solas (Thanks, Andrea!) Something The Lord Made - (Alan Rickman, Mos Def) Spiderman Peter parker'a aunt is crocheting using an afghan hook Stalag 17 (William Holden, Peter Graves - one of the POWs knits) State and Main (R. Piegon,W. H. Macy,A. Baldwin,S. J. Parker) - Thanks, Kitty and Bethany! Sweet November (Keanu Reeves & Charlie Theron) - (Thanks Monica!) Tammy and the ??? (anybody know which one?) Terminator 2 Tender Comrade (1943, Ginger Rogers, Robert Ryan) Thomas and the Magic Railroad (animated children's film) Tomorrow Is Forever (C. Colbert, O. Wells, G. Brent - Older aunt is knitting) The Wedding Singer (Adam Sandler, Drew Barrymore) Undercover Blues -- Kathleen Turner and Dennis Quaid Up The Down Staircase - (Thanks Varant!) The Village Movie Info:: directed by M. Night Shyamalan, Sigourney Weaver's character knits and winds yarn, Joaquin Phoenix's character holds hank Wait Until Dark (Audrey Hepburn, Richard Crenna) Richard Crenna picks up an unfinished sweater (with needles) while he's wandering around Audrey's apartment. Wallace & Grommit; The Curse of the WereRabbit (Claymation ) Grommit knits a scarf while waiting in the car for Wallace. New! Westward the Women Whatever Happened to Baby Jane? (1962, B. Davis, J. Crawford) Wild, Wild West (1999, Kevin Kline, Will Smith) Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory - Grandma knits a scarf for Charlie's birthday that he wears in the movie. Winter's End Witness (Kelly McGillis knits) The Wizard of Oz The Women (R. Russel, J. Crawford, N. Shrear - Roz knitting a garter stitch something or other on big wooden needles during the fashion show) Yanks (reg.,V.Redgrave, V knits a sock) ??? (some Peter Cushing horror flick, anybody know which one? ) Television Are You Being Served? (a British TV sitcom, Mollie Sugden as Mrs. Slocombe knits) CSI - New York - >At a dog show one of the handlers is impaled on knitting needles that another handler uses to knit outfits for the dog she shows Dead Like Me (showtime series) - A lady stabbed someone with her ndls on a bus after being fondled on the bottom! Dead Like Me Episode: Unfinished Business 8/29/03. Ms. Herbig ("Millie's" boss at Happy Time) knits and only knows how to make baby booties and hats (though she has no kids). She makes "Millie" a knitted pencil sharpner cozy (baby hat!). Desperate Housewives (ABC Series) Episode: MIL of Eva Longoria's character knits madly as she suspects her DIL of dabbling in an affair while they are chatting. Eva's character looks frightened by MIL's frenzied knitting needles going back and forth. Dragon Hunters (TV-series for kids, cartoon) Lian Shu, one of the dragon hunters knits socks in his free time and also talks about it once in awhile. The Blue and The Gray (TV movie about the Civil War, one heroine knits) Friends (Monica knits and teaches Joey) Frontier House (Kristen Brooks knits with double pointed needles)Thanks, Karen! Golden Girls (Sophia crocheting and knitting) The Irish R.M. A UK series from the eighties. The wife in the show knits. Judging Amy (Tyne Daly knits in the round) M*A*S*H* (the tv series) (Alan Alda) Hawkeye (Alan Alda) is seen winding yarn into balls. New! Northern Exposure (Marilyn knits in most episodes...) Six Feet Under (HBO television series): (Frances Conroy) Ruth Fisher (Conroy's character) knits often and is a regularat a knitting circle at her local yarn shop (this season) That's So Raven - her dad is part of a knitting group Wallace & Gromit (British cartoon series) Will & Grace (Starring: Debra Messing, Megan Mullaly, Eric McCormack Karen knits rosario a bag, while jack is making a commercial. Vicar of Dibley - Liz Smith plays the crocheting character named Letitia Cropley. Books Balzac and the little Chinese Seamstress contains an important knitting character, she knits thruout the book for a particular statement. Drums of Autumn by Diana Gabaldon. Aunt Jocasta (aunt of male main character Jamie Fraser) knits. Female main character Claire (Jamie's wife) knits and spins--talks about circular needles, too. Their daughter Brianna also knits and spins. Goodnight Moon by Margaret Wise Brown "The little old lady whispering hush" is knitting. New! Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone (Hagrid knits and Ron Weasley's mother knits a sweater for Harry. Harry Potter The Order of the Phoenix Hermione knits hats for house elves Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince Professor Dumbledore spends extra time in bathroom, when someone inquires if he has an upset stomach he replies, "No, I was merely reading the muggle magazines, I do love knitting patterns." pg. 73. Knitting by Anne Bartlett Unlikely friendship between 2 women as they explore mutual loss, grief and a love of knitting. New! Miscellaneous Comic strip Hagar the Horrible (Mrs. Hagar knits)
