Knitting Books

Knitted Lace of Estonia: Techniques, Patterns, and Traditions

Nancy Bush

Amazon Price: $16.47 List Price: $24.95 Usually ships in 2 to 4 weeks By: Interweave Press Amazon Marketplace: 3 new & used starting at $16.47

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 9 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Stunning - Lace Lovers Rejoice! 5 out of 5 stars.
5 of 5 people found this review helpful.

I will preface this review with the fact that I got to take a class with Nancy Bush on Estonian Lace at SOAR 2008, and what a great preview to the book it was! I got to see these shawls, and shawls like these first hand, so I can say they really are as beautiful in real life, if not more so.

This book really has everything I enjoy in a knitting book, especially one that is based on a particular area or tradition. The front of the book is full of information on the knitted lace traditions of Estonia, informative without being boring or tedious. The tutorials are well designed to make some of the more "advanced" techniques like nupps something to enjoy rather than dread.

The patterns themselves are just gorgeous, ranging in difficulty from easy to quite challenging. My favorites have to be the Queen Sylvia, Madli, and Crown Prince shawls. There are a range of shapes, whether you like stoles, scarves, squares or triangles you'll find something that suits your style and adventure level.

As an added bonus the stitch dictionary and information in the back make designing your own shawl yet another option. The book is worth every penny, both the wow factor and how much knowledge it packs.

Tip from class: If you want a dark colored shawl, try knitting it in white to give your eyes a break and then dyeing it when you're done!

Editorial Review:

Combining some of the oldest knitted artifacts in Northern Europe with authentic tips and expert advice, this distinctive guidebook demonstrates a wide range of knitting knowledge. Featuring 14 heirloom-quality projects, this savvy reference includes traditional lace-knitting techniques such as the starburst, twig, peacock, and lily of the valley patterns. Modern variations on classic methods and adding lace edges are also explored, and photographs from several Estonian museums beautifully illustrate various completed designs. With accessible graphed and written instructions, the projects include Estonian-style shawls, stoles, and scarves.

Stitch 'N Bitch: The Knitter's Handbook

Debbie Stoller

Amazon Price: $11.16 List Price: $13.95 Usually ships in 24 hours By: Workman Publishing Company Amazon Marketplace: 78 new & used starting at $7.78

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 260 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Editorial Review:

Knitting is hot, with 4 million newcomers in the last few years joining a core group of 38,000,000 knitters nationwide. And these are primarily young, creative, connected chicks with sticks who are coming together in living rooms, knitting cafes, and chic yarn stores, and making everything from funky hats to bikinis.

In Stitch 'n Bitch, Debbie Stoller-founder of the first Stitch 'n Bitch knitting group in New York City-covers every aspect of knitting and the knitting-together lifestyle: the how-to, the when-to, the what-to, the why-to. Writing with wit and attitude (The Knitty-Gritty, Blocking for Blockheads), she explains the different types of needles and yarns (and sheep, too) and all the techniques from basic to fancy, knit to purl to cast-off. She also shares her special brand of corrective surgery for when things go wrong, and offers fun and informative sidebars on such topics as how to find the best yarn for less, how to make a buttonhole, knitting etiquette, and what tools to keep in your knitting bag. At the heart of the book are forty stylish patterns: Alien Scarf, Big Bad Baby Blanky, Mohair Hoodie, Kitty and Devil Hat, Cell Phone Cozy, and Wonder Woman Bikini. And for anyone interested: how to start a Stitch 'n Bitch group.

Mason-Dixon Knitting Outside the Lines: Patterns, Stories, Pictures, True Confessions, Tricky Bits, Whole New Worlds, and Familiar Ones, Too

Kay Gardiner, Ann Meador Shayne

Amazon Price: $19.77 List Price: $29.95 Usually ships in 24 hours By: Potter Craft Amazon Marketplace: 44 new & used starting at $18.45

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 20 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Editorial Review:

Dear Fellow Knitter,

Welcome! Come on in. Have a seat—we’ve been waiting for you.

Ever since our first book, Mason-Dixon Knitting: The Curious Knitters’ Guide, we’ve been exploring techniques and ideas that we once thought were the sort of thing that only brilliant knitters could do.

Our conclusion: We are all brilliant knitters!

None of this is rocket science! If you can knit a garter stitch scarf, you’ve figured out the hard part. Now it’s time for the fun to start. You hold in your hands the result of our odyssey. It’s a new collection of 30 delicious projects that we hope will take you on your own knitting adventures.

Decorating Yourself: A collection of beautiful things to make for your most demanding (and forgiving) client.

The Fairest Isle of All: A simple, quick introduction to a sort of knitting you may not have considered, with surprising, modern projects.

Covering the Small Human: Pint-sized knits, including baby hats, dreamy dresses, and a cool pullover for the ultimate challenge: the Older Child.

Occasional Knitting: Projects for the special occasions in life—holidays, housewarmings, picnics.

The Sophisticated Kitchen: New uses for one of our favorite yarns: kitchen cotton.

We have filled this book with luscious photographs, stories, tips, rules, and hints. You’ll read how we arrived at these projects and the discoveries we have made along the way, and you will discover shocking things about us.

At all times, we have kept in mind Mason-Dixon Knitting Rule Number 1 : Knitting is spoze to be fun. Fasten your seatbelt—it’s going to be a fabulous ride!

Love,
Kay and Ann

The Knitting Answer Book: Solutions to Every Problem You'll Ever Face; Answers to Every Question You'll Ever Ask

Margaret Radcliffe

Amazon Price: $10.17 List Price: $14.95 Usually ships in 24 hours By: Storey Publishing, LLC Amazon Marketplace: 30 new & used starting at $8.69

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 92 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Editorial Review:

Every avid knitter has faced this dilemma: deep into a project at midnight, just trying to finish one more row, and, then . . . oh no, a dropped stitch three rows back! Help! If only there was a 24-hour hotline to answer every question a knitter might encounter. Well, now there is, with The Knitting Answer Book . The expert authors, Margaret Radcliffe and Edie Eckman, leave no question unanswered, no quandry unaddressed. Each book contains detailed, illustrated answers to literally hundreds of questions, from the common to the more unusual:

• Are certain needles better for certain yarns?
• What if I dropped a stitch several rows back?
• Why do my edges tend to curl up?
• Can you use a different weight yarn than the pattern calls for?
• What can I do to keep my yarns from tangling up?
• Oops, I see my ribbing is way too tight. Now what?

Covering the whole range of situations a beginner is likely to face, along with the problems that may arise for those working more advanced patterns, this Answer Book will help knitters and crocheters of all levels. Each book is packaged in a small, take-along trim size, in a friendly-to-use Q&A format, and belongs in the bag of every knitter. Available 24/7, The Knitting Answer Book is always open, ready for yarn lovers to browse and consult to their heart’s content.

101 Designer One-Skein Wonders: A world of possibilities inspired by just one skein

Judith Durant

Amazon Price: $12.89 List Price: $18.95 Usually ships in 24 hours By: Storey Publishing, LLC Amazon Marketplace: 28 new & used starting at $10.77

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 30 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Editorial Review:

In 2006, Judith Durant delighted knitters everywhere with her collection One-Skein Wonders: 101 Yarn Shop Favorites. At last, knitters had a rich array of fun, festive patterns for all those yarn "orphans"— single skeins purchased on impulse or left over from long-finished projects.

With knitters clamoring for even more of these imaginative patterns, Durant has tapped into a wide circle of knitwear designers across the country to compile a totally fresh collection of enchanting projects. Once again, the excitement of small-scale possibility will attract knitters of all skill levels. Like its predecessor, 101 Designer One-Skein Wonders offers patterns for small projects that can be completed with a single skein of yarn.

These designer projects range from the adorable to the elegant. The book includes plenty of patterns for those never-can-have-enough items: hats, scarves, bags, and shawls. It also highlights the unexpected: a useful knitted notebook cover, a fun-to-wear mitered square belt with beads, and an elegant ring bearer pillow. There's something for everyone here — from the novice knitter to the experienced yarn artisan.

With patterns arranged by yarn weight, knitters will easily find broad ranges of possibilities for their particular single skeins. A full-color gallery features detailed photographs of all 101 projects, allowing knitters to browse through all the patterns quickly to find the perfect match for each skein.

The patterns in 101 Designer One-Skein Wonders are practical and fun. They're ideal weekend projects, perfect to give as gifts or wear and enjoy. Because they're small enough to fit in a tote bag, they're great to take on the run. Best of all, they offer simple solutions for that stash of single skeins every knitter has tucked away.

Whether the yarn was picked up on impulse — because it was on sale, or just too beautiful to resist — or left over from a project completed long ago, every skein of yarn cries out to be used. 101 Designer One-Skein Wonders offers the ultimate solution for converting those lonely skeins into knitted wonders.

Free-Range Knitter: The Yarn Harlot Writes Again

Stephanie Pearl-McPhee

Amazon Price: $10.19 List Price: $16.99 Usually ships in 24 hours By: Andrews McMeel Publishing Amazon Marketplace: 46 new & used starting at $7.29

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 7 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Editorial Review:

". . . a sort of David Sedaris-like take on knitting--laugh-out-loud funny most of the time and poignantly reflective when it's not cracking you up." --Library Journal on Yarn Harlot

Stephanie Pearl-McPhee returns to pen another hilarious and poignant collection of essays surrounding her favorite topics: knitting, knitters, and what happens when you get those two things anywhere near ordinary people.

For the 60 million knitters in America, Stephanie Pearl-McPhee (a.k.a. the Yarn Harlot) shares stories of knitting horrors and triumphs, knitting successes and defeats, but, mostly, stories about the human condition that ring true for everyone--especially if you happen to have a rather large amount of yarn in your house.

Pearl-McPhee maintains a popular blog at www.yarnharlot.ca. Divided into sections relating to each essay's content, such as women, politics, family, and overcoming boredom, Free-Range Knitter will entertain yarnsmiths who enjoy sharing in the collective experiences of the woolen and silky skein.

Never Not Knitting! Page-A-Day Calendar 2009 (Original Page a Day Calendars)

Stephanie Pearl-McPhee

Amazon Price: $9.59 List Price: $11.99 Usually ships in 24 hours By: 2009 Calendars - Model: 15060 Amazon Marketplace: 33 new & used starting at $7.34

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 3 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

so its not 2009 yet 5 out of 5 stars.
22 of 26 people found this review helpful.

Never Not Knitting! 2009 CalendarI know its not 2009 yet and YES this is a 2009 calendar but IT IS Stephanie Pearl-McPhee. I have flipped through it and read many of the entries. Very cool stuff and classic Pearl-McPhee. If you are looking for a great Christmas present for the knitter in your life, this is the thing to buy . . . even when 2009 is over, s/he will keep it!

Editorial Review:

For obsessive knitters—and you know who you are—here's a new calendar whose title says it all. Stephanie Pearl-McPhee is a superstar in the knitting world; her bestselling books have sold hundreds of thousands of copies. Packed with inspiration, passion, and practical advice delivered with the author's signature
humor and wit, Never Not Knitting! will appeal to knitters of all ages. Tuesday Tips, including how to avoid knitting those pesky swatches. Knitting personality
quizzes. Plus weekly "Knitticisms," A Stitch in Time (knitting history), and Purls of Wisdom: No one has ever been killed or maimed by being adventurous with knitting, no matter how pointy the needles.

Knit One Below: One Stitch, Many Fabrics

Elise Duvekot

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 2 Average rating: 3.0 of 5

Endlessly fascinating new technique 5 out of 5 stars.
9 of 9 people found this review helpful.

Fortunately for knitters, Elise Duvekot is a curious and persistent investigator. The unique "knit 1 below (K1B)" technique which emerged during her patient explorations inspired her to find ways to use the resulting cushy, non-curling fabric in a wide range of garments and accessories.

The technique is not, as one Amazon reviewer wrote on November 28, the same as slipping a stitch. A slipped stitch leaves a float and the K1B technique leaves no floats. In fact K1B fabric is reversible, with both sides resembling stockinette, although they are easy to distinguish (and both look great). I hope this reviewer will take a longer look at the book so as not to miss the surprising result of the actual method.

Elise presents her K1B technique with clear illustrations, tempting photos, and detailed instructions for using the simple method in many circumstances, including cables, intarsia, edgings, bands, borders, seams, shaping, and working flat or in the round.

But what is most inspiring of all are the hand-painted colorway combinations. K1B fabric tames hand-paint's tendency toward color chaos, leaving it harmonious and calm, as if its tangles have been combed into columns of beautiful drifting colors.

The designs include vests, jackets, sweaters, skirts, tops, a necklace, scarves and shawls, a set of pillows, baby blankets and outfits, hats, wrist-warmers, and particularly fascinating to me, socks. My one complaint about the book is that the sock information is more of a tease than a full set of instructions and designs. Once you see the delicious photos you will know what I mean. There is enough instruction for adventurous sock knitters to use happily, but I suspect that the publisher is going to begin receiving lots of emails from less adventurous sock knitters begging for a whole book on K1B socks. I think they should say yes.

I highly recommend this book.

Editorial Review:

The bright idea behind this guide is to build an entire collection around one simple stitch that creates many intriguing effects. Shown in knitting instructions as "k1b" (knit 1 below), the technique involves knitting into the stitch one row below the stitch on the needle with either a knit or a purl stitch. The result is an easy-to-knit fabric with wonderful drape and flexibility that looks equally good on both sides. The color effects possible are also impressive: by alternating two or more colors, weights, or fibers, flattering vertical columns appear on one side of the fabric and a mottled pattern shows on the other. Making the most of this double-sided characteristic, the projects include afghans, scarves, bags, jackets with turned-back lapels, and hats with turned-up brims, all constructed from simple shapes and requiring minimal finishing. Several designs go beyond the basic stitch by adding cables, felting, and intarsia designs.

Custom Knits: Unleash Your Inner Designer with Top-Down and Improvisational Techniques

Wendy Bernard

Amazon Price: $18.15 List Price: $27.50 Usually ships in 24 hours By: STC Craft/A Melanie Falick Book Amazon Marketplace: 48 new & used starting at $15.95

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 25 Average rating: 5.0 of 5

Editorial Review:

Along with being pleasurable and satisfying, knitting can sometimes be frustrating: the turtleneck that looked so fabulous on the model is too bulky for your body, or the cardigan you spent countless hours on just doesn’t fit right. Herein lies the beauty of Custom Knits, which teaches knitters how to use improvisational techniques to achieve spectacular results—and to unleash their inner designers.

 

Wendy Bernard, creator of the popular blog Knit and Tonic, provides 25 original designs for sweaters of nearly every type, plus variations, most knitted in one piece starting at the top, a method that allows you to try on as you go, alter as desired, and essentially design on the fly. “Make It Your Own” prompts in each pattern suggest easy alterations to suit your style and body type. And an in-depth reference section teaches how to alter key sweater elements, for example, change a crewneck to a V-neck, add sleeves to a vest, and much more. For the truly adventurous, the book concludes with guidelines for knitting sweaters with no pattern at all.

 

Bernard’s friendly writing style and photographer Kimball Hall’s lively images create an inviting book of beautiful designs and key techniques that a knitter can use to customize nearly every garment she knits from now on.

It Itches: A Stash of Knitting Cartoons

Franklin Habit

Amazon Price: $10.15 List Price: $12.95 Usually ships in 24 hours By: Interweave Press Amazon Marketplace: 27 new & used starting at $7.67

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 9 Average rating: 5.0 of 5

A delightful little book 5 out of 5 stars.
2 of 2 people found this review helpful.

It Itches is a charming, delightful book. I'm not normally much of a cartoon person, but I fell in love with it. The book contains some essays as well as the cartoons Franklin is famous for, and all are witty and amusing. It's refreshing to see that someone can still make innocent humor work in this scary and depressing time--this book is comforting, like putting on jeans still warm from the dryer on a cold morning. I give it my highest recommendation.

Editorial Review:

An affectionate and humorous celebration of every aspect of the craft of knitting, from buying—and hiding—massive quantities of yarn to wrestling with projects that go seriously awry to prescriptions for alleviating the stress brought on by holiday knitting. This witty collection represents a pitch-perfect send up of one of the most rapidly growing hobbies today. Including 75 cartoons, deftly rendered in pen and ink with watercolor wash, and several humorous short essays, every knitter is sure to find elements of themselves in this collection.