The Complete Idiot's Guide to Knitting and Crocheting [Paperback]

Gail Diven (Author), Cindy Kitchel (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: 1999

You're no idiot, of course. You can sew a button, tie a knot and even thread a needle in under 30 seconds. But when it comes to knitting and crocheting, you feel as prickly as a pin cushion. Don't unravel just yet! The Complete Idiot's Guide to Knitting and Crocheting shows you how to create beautiful crafts worthy of becoming heirlooms. In this Complete Idiot's Guide, you get:

Product Details

• Paperback: 1 pages
• Publisher: Alpha Books; 1 edition (1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0028621239
• ISBN-13: 978-0028621234
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 7.2 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (42 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #497,979 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

63 of 63 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Will teach the basics but buy another book along with it, December 22, 2001

By 

Gwen Kramer "gwenhwyvar" (Sunny and not-so-sunny California) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Complete Idiot's Guide to Knitting and Crocheting (Paperback)

I taught myself to knit entirely from books and this is one book that I used to get started. The sections are yarn selection, guage and the history of knitting are rather good and definately inspired me.

The projects are about the best I have ever seen in a beginners book. There are only three but they are enough to teach basic knit/purl patterns, increasing and decreasing, knitting in the round and stripes. Rather than the usual garter stitch scarf (rather boring) we are taught a checkerboard pattern that is simple but looks challenging. This was my first ever project (I knit it on two skeins of Lopi) and no one could believe I was brand new!

As to the technique debates, I HIGHLY reccomend that anyone endeavoring to learn from a book should buy TWO or more books on the subject. These need not be expensive, just get a second opinion. The reason is simple: everyone is wired differently and a diagram that may make perfect sense to everyone else may confuse some. Getting another book with different pictures is the best way to prevent this. For example, I could not get the long-tailed cast on. I tried several books and finally, a book on hats had the perfect instructions for me.

I have not tried much crochet, only enough to complete my knitting project when needed, but I am sure that it is just as good.

42 of 43 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Kept me in stitches!, January 12, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: The Complete Idiot's Guide to Knitting and Crocheting (Paperback)

I have been crocheting for approximately 30 years. There were several stitches that I never learned and no one could "tell" me how to do. I have tried to learn the stitch by reading various books and trying to follow their examples. This book is the first book I have been able to actually follow the entire explanation of a stitch and complete it. I can now do a half-double crochet stitch! I first learned about this book through the public library. I now plan to buy it for my own reference purposes. A great book to add to your library.

28 of 29 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Don't start here if you have never knitted, March 15, 2003

By 

R. A. Ward "speedbmp" (WV) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Complete Idiot's Guide to Knitting and Crocheting (Paperback)

I bought this book along with Knitting for Dummies, and they both have the same problems: NO PICTURES on how to actually knit. OK, there are four pictures. Not much better than none, if you ask me.

If you have never seen anyone knit, how do you know what it looks like? The illustrations skip steps, they are small and they are dark. You can barely tell which needle is on top, much less what the yarn is doing.

This might not have been the death knell for this book if the written instructions had been clearer -- by they weren't. I *read for a living past the college level*, and I couldn't follow the instructions as given without the visual cues.

I have a good college education and I am an experienced crafter. I still find it hard to believe, but I cannot learn this craft with this book OR Knitting for Dummies. (It has basically the same flaws, only some are worse.)

If you need visual aids to learn a new craft, DO NOT buy this book! Buy a video, talk to a knitter, call your local craft store to see if there are classes or knitting groups that can help you.

I just can't believe that the author so completely failed to convey the single most important aspect of this craft in a visual sense. Truly unbelievable.