Customer Reviews

The Knitter's Bible

5 star:		(19)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I was looking for the Holy Grail - a knitting book that covers *all* knitting techniques, preferably in detail. Montse Stanley's _Knitter's_Handbook_ comes close, but in my opionion, her tone is overbearing and it is unreadable.

This book by Claire Crompton is *not* the Holy Grail, nevertheless, it is a fairly comprehensive overview of major categories of techniques. The methods are not explored in detail (e.g. there is no pattern included to practise entrelac, for most of the techniques there is only one way shown to hold the yarn), but it does cover the big categories like colour knitting (fair isle, intarsia, mosaic), textured knitting (ribbing, twisted stitches/fake lace, lace, cables, embossed knitting like bobbles), felting, modular knitting (entrelac, mitred squares), etc. In short, this book is ideal for dabbling in a technique, then if you really like it, pursuing it in a more specialized book.

I would've given this book 3 solid stars, but the cute, quick patterns threw it over the top for 4 stars. Notable patterns that would make quick-to-knit wonderful gifts are: a cute stuffed sheep in the section on loop knitting, easy lace sachet bags, and little gift bags with simple intarsia or textured patterns.

Once I had learned the basics of knitting from one of those "Leisure Arts" pamphlets, I went to the book store and gathered up all the knitting books they had and looked through them. This is the one I chose to bring home and I've been very happy with it. Don't get this book for a fun read or attitude, get it to help your knitting skills. The instructional pictures are the best I've seen in any knitting book. The photographs in the stitch library are also good quality and inspiring. The back flap has a list of all the abbreviations in the book (the same ones you will see in patterns) and is one of the most useful parts of the book to me. When following a pattern I will look in the index for the part of the book that has illustrated instructions and refer to these to begin with. Then I only need the back flap instructions and then finally I can just remember what the abbreviation means. The only reason I didn't give the book 5 stars is because I didn't personally care for most of the projects. I did make the lace bags to practice lace knitting, but for the most part I wouldn't mind if the project section were left out all together. I don't see this as a big flaw, since tastes vary widely and it would be impossible for any designer to please everyone. Overall, if a beginning-intermediate level knitter was only going to have one instructional/reference book, this would be a great one to have.

I have Vogue Knitting and it is indispensable. However, Crompton's 'Bible' is another handy book to have in your library. I personally found the projects, quick, cute and doable. I think the photos and illustrations are enormously helpful and detailed. I agree with another reviewer who disagrees that it is, in fact, a "Bible," but it has proven very practical to have on hand. It's a good second book of techniques to have in your knitting library.

This is a beautiful book, with many photos and clear looking page spreads. It's very nice in a lot of ways, but to call it a knitter's bible seems to be over-reaching badly. It's more like a survey course of knitting possibilities. I enjoyed seeing all you could do with knitting---lots of fancy techniques like extremely textured bobble type stitches, intricate fair isle, embroidery-style picture knitting, etc. But I think this book would be not at all useful as a reference. For example, it gives instructions that used slipped stitches several pages BEFORE it explains what exactly a slipped stitch is, and when it does, it's a casual sort of explanation, not a detailed one. There are lots of interesting stitch patterns, but only a page about knitting instruction shorthand like psso. There is a heavy emphasis on knitting that uses knitting into the back and front of stitches, but the instructions on how to do that were quite confusing and unclear to me, and the diagram type pictures of techniques like this were beyond me---why no nice clear pictures of those, like there were of far more unusual knitting ideas?

I don't mean to knock this book. I really liked looking at it, and I thought some of the projects looked like they would be a lot of fun, like a cushion cover with squares of different patterns. Even then, though, the pattern just sort of casually mentions you would need a backing fabric, and doesn't get into how you would sew this onto the front at all.

I think this book would be most useful if you were a pretty good basic knitter already, and wanted to get a lot of ideas of where to go next with your knitting---what the far reaches of knitting are, and how to do some far out and quite interesting new things with your skills. But I think of a "bible" of a craft as something that clearly explains all or most aspects of it that you would need to look up often, and this book doesn't do that at all.

I picked up this book as a self-taught knitter, and a pretty poor one at that. This book clarified the stitches and gave very helpful pointers. The pictures are well taken and very instructionally helpful as well. The section on patterns is very clear and precise, and includes many beautiful patterns to work into your knitting. This book definatley made me a much better knitter and though I know have a fairly large library of patterns and stitches, I still frequently check this book to clarify stitches, or to brush up on basics. It is a must for every knitter!

I'm normally a very frugal spender. Why buy a book when you can get the information on the net for free? However, with this book I am completely sold. I really value the wide range of information this book covers. There is a multitude of stitches, cables, lace patterns and edging along with some great patterns. This would be a great addition to any knitter's library.

I am a new knitter and I was impressed with the "Knitter's Bible" and its clear, concise instructions. I moved from crocheting to knitting and had many questions on form and patterning. This book cleared them up. I even learned how to cable successfully and am now making a sweater for my husband that is turning out beautifully. I would recommend this book to have on hand for those times when you just have a question or are designing your own patterns.

This book is absolutely the best in reference. I have given several copies as gifts to friends who also knit. I would rate myself as an advanced intermediate knitter. Love a challenge, and if a pattern is not clear in the instructions, I come to this book, look at the notes on that particular stitch, practice it a few minutes, then rip out and get back to the garment I am working on.

The illustrations are in color, showing the particular technique and is quite clear in the instructions.

I like the additional types of knitting with color illustrations and samples to try and practice on.

If I didn't have any other book for knitting, I would keep this as my choice. I have different colored plastic covered big paper clips on particular pages I reference.

The author is a natural born teacher. Well done, Ms Crompton!!

My 11 year old received this as birthday gift. She has already done some knitting but this book is easy enough for her to understand and learn new things. I have been knitting a great number of years but have always stuck to fairly simple things. This book is so wonderful and I ready to be adventuresome and try something new!
Highly recommend this book

I love reviewing good books just as much as I hate reviewing bad ones and no sooner had I seen this book than I knew I had to recommend it.

I learnt to knit as a child and I never attempted any bigger projects. I then re-learnt it using Debbie Bliss's books and then I really got interested in knitting.

I actually got "The Knitter's Bible" because I found out it's the only book I know - apart from Bliss's How to Knit: The Definitive Knitting Course Complete with Step-by-Step Techniques, Stitch Library, and Projects for Your Home and Family - which explains the entrelac technique. I thought other techniques would be mentioned as well. This turned out to be true.

Are you confused by the yarn labels and don't really differentiate between sport and DK?

Don't you know which yarn to make to produce a particular garment?

Have you always wanted to see a description and a diagram next to each other, just to compare and finally understand one of those?

Have you been hearing about this strange felting thing and wanted to find out what it's all about without actually buying special books yet?

Have you always wanted to know how to make knitted buttons without the button-making sets?

Do you want to know how to adjust the number of stitches in you Aran sweater where the cables only appear at the front?

These are only few of the questions answered in "The Knitter's Bible". It's fascinating that such a small book contains that much information! Great both as a reference book and a nice reading for knitting fans.