The Knitting Stitch Bible: Over 250 Traditional and Contemporary Stitches with Easy-to-Follow Charts

Oct 09

This is not a how-to-knit book or a collection of knitting projects, instead it is a comprehensive directory of knitting stitches. There are two very simple features of The Knitting Stitch Bible that really make it stand out. One is the format. The spiral bound format means that the book opens - and remains - flat. As any knitter will know, trying to hold a book open while not ending up in a tangle of yarn and needles can be problematic. Having a knitting book that lies flat while allowing a knitter to concentrate on reading stitch patterns or instructions is a joy to work with. The other feature that makes The Knitting Stitch Bible stand out, is the fact that the stitches are represented through charts, not through text. This is ideal for visual knitters and certainly helps to simplify knitting instructions. Maria Parry-Jones explains how to use charts for people who are new to this concept.

Oct 09

Ranging from the basic knit and purl stitches, and developing right through to Fair Isle and Intarsia, this book is a comprehensive gallery of stitch designs that will revolutionise your knitting. The seven main sections will show you a number of patterns for different knitting techniques, including rib, cable, bobble and lace. As you work your way towards the end you'll find a great chapter that incorporates pretty embellishments into your knitting using all the techniques. There's also a fantastic stitch section at the beginning which is great if you already know what you're looking for, and displays the full range of patterns at a glance.

Dec 09

Here is another entry into Search Press' popular Bible series, this time a useful encyclopaedia of all the stitches you will probably ever need to know if you knit. There are over 250 in here, complete with patterns so you can have a go at increasing your knitting knowledge immediately. The book starts off by informing the reader that it is aimed at all knitters, from beginners to advanced. Then follows that useful section most of this publisher's books tend to have showing you how to use the book. This includes how to read charts, not the traditional way of showing knitting patterns in the UK and therefore very necessary. Add in some other knitting know-how such as how to read a ball band, estimating yardage, needle sizing and several pictures showing what the various patterns are going to look like and off you go with the patterns. I would hesitate to recommend this useful book for the total beginner as it does not actually teach you how to knit and contains no diagrams or photos showing the basics. However, for anybody who does know even some basic stitches it is a good way of learning as many more as you want, and I particularly like the short swatches you can make to achieve this quickly and simply. These are grouped into families of stitches, such as knit and purl (the first section), rib, cable, intarsia, Fair Isle etc so it is easy to find what you want and then expand on it - so useful if designing anything yourself. Again, if you don't know even the basics about any of these styles of knitting you will need to go learn this elsewhere, but there are plenty of books on doing this and only one book quite like this. Add in a back section on chart symbols and abbreviations and you have a book to grow into over a knitting lifetime.

Feb 10

This essential illustrated reference includes over 250 traditional and contemporary stitches with easy to follow charts. It's the ultimate reference for traditional and innovative knitting stitches for those interested in creating beautiful and individual hand-knitted garments. Believe it or not, it's also a great reference book for machine knitters. Each entry features a photograph of a knitted sample and a clear instruction chart. This means that the chart you need to follow for your garter carriage or Mylar sheet is virtually ready to use. The same can be said for many of the Fair Isle stitch patterns and intarsia pictures that are also useful for Swiss darning. All 250 stitch patterns are illustrated at the front with an easy to use page reference. Don't pass by this one!

June 09

This new spiral-bound edition of a classic stitch smorgasbord makes designing your own patterns even easier. You'll find more than 250 knitting stitches clearly illustrated and charted here, from knit and purl combinations to lace, fair isle, intarsia, ribs, beading, cables and bobbles. An invaluable resource for anyone wanting to get creative.