I was recently sent an audio book of Mason Dixon Knitting Outside the Lines written by Ann Shayne and Kay Gardiner and produced by Knitting Out Loud. In addition, I was fortunate enough to have a long car trip to listen to it on. The audio book is an abridgment of their very popular book and selected entries from their blog and I was thoroughly entranced.

One of my favorite fiction books of all time is A Woman of Independent Means by Elizabeth Forsythe Hailey . A Woman of Independent Means is written as a collection of letters between the main character and her family, friends, and acquaintances. This audio book has the same flavor. Ms. Gardiner and Ms. Shayne write each other through their shared blog and we get to read their entries. The topics of their blog entries and the abridgment of their book allows to hear their views on life as experienced through knitting. They are inspired by their families, art exhibits such as the Quilts of Gees Bend, and the lives they lead.

The quality of the audiobook is fabulous, clear, paced well and resonant. The authors voices are pleasant to listen to, and the selections they have chosen to share are alternately funny, witty, insightful, entertaining, and useful. At this point you may be wondering how they explain the patterns they are knitting, and instead of actually giving you the pattern, they paint a picture with words of the items they are inspired by and what they create from those inspirations.

Although I started listening to the book on a long car ride, I'm finishing it while working on a sock and a separate lace project. It is like having friends in the room with me while I am knitting. I am alternately inspired and amused by the audio book. I find audio books a great way to get both reading and knitting done at the same time, I feel more productive and often very soothed by this process. Audio books and knitting make great companions and I am a true believer. Happy knitting and listening.