SOLVED. Kid's fantasy: Houses on stilts, Combat knitting, ( & a Flying Carpet?) [s]

[Josephine]

Probably read this between 2000 and 2006, but was from the public library, so I don't know if it was a new title at that point.

The bits I remember:

It's one of those plots (if I'm not mixing my books) where magic has been banned but then someone with magic shows up and saves the day.

A poor part of town where the houses were on stilts at the edge of a river/swamp.

The main character girl ( I think there was a prominent boy character, also) knits and works in her aunt's/grandmother's yarn store. Toward the end of the story she battles the bad guys by magical combat knitting at blinding speed.

I think there was a (knitted) flying carpet.

I have the word "carmody" stuck in my head in relation to this. I think the local people were called the Carmody, or Karmody, or more likely, The Carmody were the people with magic who were supposed to be/have been stamped out/banned. However, I've never been able to turn up anything using that word in a search. (No, it is not by Isobelle Carmody.)

Thanks for your help!

[Ann aka Iftcan]

Ok, I have to say--I hope this is ID'ed fairly fast, as I am totally intrigued by combat knitting. I have no idea what it is, but it will definately be added to my "children's shelf" of books when it found.

[Alycia]

I'm with Ann ... combat knitting sounds fascinating.

[Andria]

Otto and the Bird Charmers. It's the second book in the Karmidee series. The review for this one mentions combat knitting. The first in the series is Otto and the Flying Twins

[Josephine]

Andria wrote: "Otto and the Bird Charmers. It's the second book in the Karmidee series. The review for this one mentions combat knitting. The first in the series is Otto and the Flying Twins"

Thank you so much, Andria! I'll pick up this series from the library. I wonder if I've mixed details from some other books into my memory, but the title sounds right, at least. Amazing that after years of trying to remember this book, you've identified it in under twenty-four hours!

[Andria]

You're welcome! I'm very happy to help!

[Kris]

Okay, combat knitting MUST be investigated!