Knitting Books

• Take back the knit
• I knit, therefore I am
• Knit happens
• The Rules of Engagement: What Not to Knit for Your Boyfriend

One pattern that I think every knitter should do, just to get over a basic fear, is the "Accidentally On-Purpose Drop-Stitch Vest".

One pattern that, honestly, is not my style (I'm over 60 years old) is the Itsy-Bitsy-Teeny-Weeny Purple Polka-Dot Tankini. (Of course, being over 60 years old, I now hear Bryan Hyland singing in the background of my mind!)

OK - back to being a bit serious. There are several categories of projects in the book, and no matter what your age or level of daredevilness, there is likely something in here for you to make:

• Scarves, Hats, and Mittens
• Sweaters and Ponchos
• Sexy Summer Knits
• Legs, Bags, and Beyond
• Babies, Dogs, and Cats
• Gifts and More

One really useful section is Resources.

And if you need a bit of a reminder about a certain aspect of knitting, there is Refresher section.

All in all, a fun and useful book.

It starts with an introduction to knitting, and then presents the patterns, classified as either Classic, Weekend, Casual or Glamorous. Many of the garments are made with fat needles and fun yarns (like chenille, mohair, tape, and cotton), while others use mid-size needles and basic yarns. The patterns cover a large range of adult sizes, and a schematic is included so that you know the shapes of the individual components of the garments. There are interesting trims and embellishments (beads, fringes, stripes, and more). You can get a lot of inspiration out of this book.

The book offers patterns in three categories: knit-only, knit-and-purl, and multi-colour knitting. Each section begins with a workshop that describes the techniques used in the patterns in that section. The book covers fold out to provide quick references, both for basic knitting and some of the more interesting techniques.

I was quite fascinated by the knit-only booties - they require no shaping stitches (increases or decreases), and can be done by someone who only knows cast-on, knit, and cast-off. They are made from just a large and a small square.

I recommend this book.

The first almost 100 pages is a detailed reference on knitting, targetting the beginner knitter or someone who has done some basic knitting and is ready to learn some interesting new concepts.

The next 125 pages or so contain an assortment of interesting patterns, grouped as follows by somewhat self-explanatory chapter titles:

• Heads Up!
• Playing Footsie
• Full Fluffy Jacket
• Bag Ladies
• Rug Rats
• Home Buddies

The last 25 pages or so contain additional reference material.

As indicated above, I really enjoy reading someone who has a wonderful way with words, and Heather certainly fits the bill. I also like being able to show my knitting students some really modern and fun items to knit. The projects in the book would appeal to a variety of tastes.

This is a fairly recent book, published in 2005.

The variations in this book include texture, colour, and shape. The instructions are clear, and there are lots of comments.

There is sufficient variety in this book to appeal to a wide range of tastes.

This is a fairly recent book, published in 2002.

The book called my name, in a large part because I have a multi-ethnic ancestry (and I am a proud Canadian). I have always been fascinated by the needle arts of those countries with which I am somewhat associated - and those that I am not! It is amazing what the folks of previous generations did with needle and yarn, and how different geographies (even neighbouring countries) produced different types of garments and patterns.

Cheryl has written a captivating book. She provides background stories and histories of the various regions that are represented in this book. And the geography that she covers is wide: Scotland, Germany, Africa, Nepal, Ireland, Peru, Japan, Scandinavia, North America, Switzerland, China and England.

The patterns are clearly written, with photos and diagrams to complement the writing.

It is just such a neat book!

My first challenge in writing this book review was to find the author's name. I failed! It appears that this was originally published in Italy in 1990, and then translated into English by Sterling Publishing.

The book is very definitely a Reference book. It covers many topics, from the basics for the absolute beginner, to more advanced techniques like neck openings, darts, cables, mittens/gloves, socks and more. But it does not contain patterns.

It is an excellent reference book. There are an amazing number of clearly drawn diagrams, and the explanations are well written (especially given that it is a translation - they must have found an experienced knitter to help with the translation). There are no photos.

This book would really help a newer knitter to take the next step.

• Volume One: Knit and Purl
• Volume Two: Cables
• Volume Three: Color Knitting
• Volume Four: Crochet

The subtitle of this book is "The Ultimate Stitch Dictionary from the Editors of Vogue Knitting Magazine". Wow! That's a pretty grandiose subtitle. But the book does live up to that description.

The basis of this book is the archives of Vogue Knitting magazine. The editors dived into the archives, and retrieved a set of stitch patterns that had been published in the magazine. Then they knitted swatches of each stitch pattern (that must have been a lot of fun).

This book just contains patterns that are based on the knit, purl, and yarn over stitches.

Their desire is that you take a basic sweater pattern, pick one of these stitches, and create your own unique design.

There are 265 different stitch patterns in the book. This provides a lot of opportunity for you to unleash your creativity.

Why, you might ask, is this my favorite?

Because it offers almost 50 different ways to cast on!

And that's a neat thing to be able to tell my knitting students. So many times, I get students that have learned one way of casting on, and they want to know if they are doing it correctly. I reassure them by saying that there are so many ways of casting on, and that the correct method depends on what they want to accomplish.

Of course, the book also contains numerous methods for binding off (casting off), decreases, increases, and more.

This is not a book for light bedtime reading - other than to remind you that there are other ways of doing something that you may have been doing the same way for years (or even decades, like me!).

But if you're really not sure about how to do something (like pockets, buttonholes, seaming, and so much more), this is the book.

There are no patterns in this book, just discussions about various aspects of designing hand knit garments and individualizing them. Many of the examples shown would look right at home in the 21st century.

Ferne talkes about the Parts of a garment: Hems, Shoulders, Armholes, Sleeves, Necklines, Collars, and Buttonholes. There is a whole chapter on skirts. And a chapter entitled "Don't Throw It Away", which would definitely fit in with the Greens among us.

Yes, it is an old book, but it is also still useful.

The book starts with 10 pages of what it calls the Basics - however, there is an assumption that the reader already knows how to knit - these Basics talk about gauge, charts, colourwork knitting, blocking, finishing, and more.

Many of the projects are fairly easy. Several have cables. Many do interesting things with colour. And one is an entrelac pattern - an advanced technique.

But it is a handy little book!