Purls of Wisdom | Washington City Paper

Purls of Wisdom
Washington City Paper - November 17 2006

While showing off their fashionable wardrobe to their peers, some men might point out an expensive suit or a rack of power ties. Michael del Vecchio likes to boast about his handmade sock collection.

Del Vecchio, who co-founded MenKnit.net and currently teaches classes at Knit Happens in Alexandria, is taking his sock-making skills one step further. In the wake of books such as Debbie Stoller’s Stitch ’N Bitch—which gave a hip and feminist edge to what many saw as Granny’s hobby—the 28-year-old Logan Circle resident lends a male voice to the craft with Knitting With Balls: A Hands-On Guide to Knitting for the Modern Man. The book’s patterns, which del Vecchio designed himself, include a beer cozy, utility cloths, a laptop cover, and hiking-boot socks. [more]