Review: 400 Knitting Stitches

The bad part about reviewing a book of stitch patterns is that there’s really not that much to say. They’re just stitches, right?

Well, yes and no.

Review: Knitting in the Old Way

Really, it’s a great book. I mean, why else would the publishing gods have granted it a new life with a new edition? It’s a classic.

Review: Ethnic Knitting Exploration: Lithuania, Iceland, and Ireland

This isn’t one of those history-intensive books on ethnic knits. There is brief discussion on the knitting ethos in each of the three highlighted countries (Lithuania, Iceland, Ireland), but the book really focuses on how to knit a sweater–not about what they were doing with yarn in 1857.

Review: Colorwork Stitches

It’s hard, really, to write a review for a book of stitch patterns, even when they’re good. This one, the latest in Interweave Press’s series, covers Colorwork–patterns that use two or more colors to make a design for your knitting.

Review: Knitting On/Over/Beyond the Edge

So, there I was, thinking about what kind of border I wanted to put on the afghan I was making. I had an idea in mind, but needed a stitch pattern, and since it was for an edge treatment, I automatically pulled all three of Nicky Epstein’s books off the shelves and sat down to flip through them. I didn’t even pause at the Barbara Walker collections, or any of the other stitch dictionaries. I went right for these.

Review: Continuous Cables

I’ve wanted this book since I read the subtitle, “An Exploration of Knitted Cabled Knots, Rings, Swirls, and Curlicues.” That pretty much sums up the appeal of cables for me–that intricate interweaving playfulness as they wind around–and I think it’s clear that Melissa Leapman likes them for the same reason.

Review: Cables Volume 1: The Basics

It’s an exploration of what cables are and how they work. Why a cross is different than a twist. The different results when you knit all the cabled stitches, or when you purl some of them. What happens when you reverse all of them, or do a complete, 180-degree twist? The author explores all these questions, in detail, and with great illustrations.

Review: Traditional Knitted Lace Shawls

There are two things I need to tell you first. One, is that there are two editions of this book, since Interweave Press nicely saved it from its dreaded out-of-print state. And, two, I own a copy of both editions. This should pretty much tell you right off the bat that I like this book. Or that, really, I love this book. My very first attempt at lace was inspired by this book. So, it’s possible that I might be just a little biased.

Review: Inspired to Knit

Overall, these patterns are beautiful. Not all the colors in the photos are necessarily to my taste, but there isn’t one design that I hate. That said, however, they’re not really the most practical sweaters. Lacy edgings, belled cuffs, bits of eyelet to catch on things … They all look wearable, but not like they’re the kinds of sweaters you just grab because you’re cold, or you want to take a walk with the dog. They’re the kind of knits you wear to the office, or out to dinner–or, yes, a wedding. There are definitely sweaters in here I would love to have in my closet, but many of the sleeves, for example, would get in my way on a daily basis. It’s hard to wash dishes, pack boxes, type, cook, wash your hands with big, flouncy cuffs on your sleeves. Not that these are ridiculously so, but still … many of these designs are things I would wear when I didn’t have to DO a lot with my hands, but not for just puttering around the house.

Review: Vogue Knitting

As comprehensive knitting references go, it’s hard to beat this one. Vogue Knitting, in fact, is so nice, they produced it twice–the orignal version came out in 1989, and they revised and updated it in 2002. I got my original copy as a Christmas gift in 1989. I had only been knitting for a year or so and hadn’t yet tackled cables or lace, and barely new what intarsia was, and this book was a door-opener. I basically knitted my way through the book. While the rest of the family took post-turkey dinner naps, I sat with the book, a pair of knitting needles and some yarn, giving a try to each new concept as it came up. Cables? Hmm, let’s try that. Lace? Let’s see, yarn over, knit-two-together … I can do that. It was completely rewarding and enlightening at the same time. By the time I’d gotten through the book, I felt prepared to tackle just about anything.