Finally: a teen knitting book actually written by a teen who understands what’s hot and what’s not, what’s chic and what’s for geeks. Sarah Paulin loves fashion and she’s created a closet’s worth of patterns that will add flair to any hip chick’s wardrobe. With knitting so popular now, what girl could resist making the lacy shrug in bright melon, accented with eyelash yarn? Or a stylish chunky scarf with a loop detail and a kicky knitted tube that does double duty as either a top or skirt? In addition to the cool clothes, trendy knitters will find a journal cover with a fun flower closure, a cozy throw in sherbet shades, and purses that range from flirty clutches to retro totes with pompom embellishments.

Just open a magazine or turn on the TV and it’s clear that moms-to-be are proud of their "baby bumps.” No more hiding those growing bellies; today’s pregnant woman wants to wear stylish, modern, even edgy fashions. And these 22 gorgeous knit projects, created by a pool of talented designers, fill the bill. Expecting mothers--and the friends and families who want to knit them a gift--will be overjoyed to find so many attractive possibilities. A truly luxurious cashmere car coat features bell sleeves and ribbed cuffs, while a v-neck tank design (made from a simple stockinette stitch) uses pleats that can accommodates an expanding tummy. From a cleverly designed cowl sweater with discreet nursing panels to a dazzling beaded black evening dress, every garment is beautiful.

From An Affair to Remember to Legally Blonde, "chick flicks" have long been both championed and vilified by women and men, scholars and popular audiences. Like other forms of "chick culture," which the editors define as a group of mostly American and British popular culture media forms focused primarily on twenty- to thirtysomething, middle-class—and frequently college-educated—women, chick flicks have been accused of reinscribing traditional attitudes and reactionary roles for women. On the other hand, they have been embraced as pleasurable and potentially liberating entertainments, assisting women in negotiating the challenges of contemporary life. A companion to the successful anthology Chick Lit: The New Woman’s Fiction, this edited volume consists of 11 original essays, prefaced by an introduction situating chick flicks within the larger context of chick culture as well as women’s cinema. The essays consider chick flicks from a variety of angles, touching on issues of film history, female sexuality (heterosexual and homosexual), femininity, female friendship, age, race, ethnicity, class, consumerism, spectatorship, pleasure and gender definition. An afterword by feminist film theorist Karen Hollinger considers the chick flick’s transformation from the woman’s films of the ’40s to the friendship films of the ’80s and those of the "return to the classics" trend of the ’90s, while highlighting the value of the volume’s contributions to contemporary debates and sketching possibilities for further study.

'Naughty Needles' applies homespun crafting know-how, vintage flavour, and step-by-step instructions to modern bedroom culture. Each project features a full-page photograph, along with materials list, tools list, and helpful tips.