Customer Reviews

The Knitter's Companion (The Companion Series)

5 star:		(57)
4 star:		(15)
3 star:		(6)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I love this book. I refer to this book for help on which way a decrease slants to easy-to-understand explanations for my beginning knitting class handouts. I never thought such a small knitting book could contain so much wonderful information. It's small enough to throw in your knitting bag, but it contains almost all of the information you would need from a bigger book. If the Knitter's Companion doesn't have what I'm looking for, it usually tides me over until I can get home and consult my Vogue Knitting book. I've only had to wait once, so it's definitely a very helpful little book. I love the gauge ruler and needle-size helper (can't think of the right word) in the back. If you want one book to help you with all of the little knitting things that you need to know to be a successful knitter or to consult for a quicker refresher -- this is your book.

I've been knitting for awhile but always have problems with correcting mistakes. This book shows with easy text and good diagrams how to take out stitches and pick up dropped stitches. I'm just learning socks and the diagram for Kitchener stitch is good too. I was never very good seaming but have improved dramatically because of these easy directions. This little book stays in my knitting bag no matter what I'm working on. Experienced knitter's would probably not find this book of much use.

Add the KNITTER'S COMPANION and the CROCHETER'S COMPANION to your work basket and you will have most of the basics and then some at your finger tips wherever you go. The KC has a lovely gauge in the back that will help you determine the size of your knitting needle (if you don't know it) and the number of stitches you need to make per inch to reach a certain gauge. The book also includes all sorts of other information you might have determined before you left the house, such as `finished chest measurements' and `yarn choices'. The pages of this little book are heavy and covered with plastic, so it will add weight to your yarn bag.

The illustrations are a mixed bag. Some are clear and large so easy enough to see, but many of the more complex steps are small and hard to see (do I really need a large clear illustration of `slipping a stitch' and a small hard to see illustration of the `Purl Stitch-Continental Method?). Given the tradeoff between the weight of the book and likelihood I will use much of the material given my lack of knitting experience, I figure it's better to carry `Stitch and Bitch' with me on those excursions to the doctor's office. When I am more accomplished, I will bring this little book along.

I have recently started to knit, and had several books and patterns that supposedly showed what to do. This book has the clearest illustrations of what is actually going on with the yarn and needles I have come across. It also has everything I have needed so far. Need to increase? There are several methods shown. Want to try Continental knitting instead of American? This is where I learned it. I can't emphasize how great this book is. Just let me say it is ALWAYS in my bag, and is as cherished as my grandmother's crochet hook!

This book is definitely in my shopping cart after using the library's copy. Why get it when you have the Vogue Knitting ref you may ask? I was starting to do paired decreases and increases in a sweater with shaping and it was just so much easier to flip the spiral bound pages in this 5"x7" compact book than having Vogue Knitting laying on my lap. Also, the instructions in this book are concise and clear accompanied by well-drawn illustrations. Besides increases and decreases, this book covers other topics that usually have me running to a full size knitting reference, e.g., kitchener, short-rowing, various seaming methods. It may not have an exhaustive explanation for each technique but it is enough to jog one's memory. Another plus: even though the pages are small, the type is large and dark enough to pose no strain for a middle aged person.

This wonderful little flipbook is the perfect thing to carry along in your knitting bag. It is the perfect thing for looking up that pattern stitch that you never heard of, or don't understand. The book can easily be propped up as a hands free reference while you are knitting.

There is a needle size tool and a ruler for helping you check your gauge as well.

All knitters should have a handy reference book, and this is a good one. New knitters, this book covers the basics, but it is not written as a learn to knit text. This is a reference only book.

This book has a lot of pros: small size-it's easy to carry around in your bag, binding- it's bound with a heavy duty spiral binding which makes it very easy to open to a page and leave it open for reference, gauge - in the back there is a heavy cardboard stich gauge and needle sizer (extremely helpful!), contents - cover a lot of basics and techniques that you may need to refer back to. The only con I would list for this book is that you would also need another guide for some techinques like different ways to drop or add stitches (the book only shows one). Overall, I would recommend this book for a knitter that may be just starting on one of their first projects, but an intermediate knitter looking for more advanced techniques should look elsewhere.

I have the "Vogue Knitting" (a knitter's bible) on my desk at home for referencing finishing, different stitches, abbreviations, etc. I bought "The Knitter's Companion" to keep in my knitting basket so that when I'm knitting away from my home I'll have a good, convenient-sized reference book with me at all times. It has come in very handy already.

This book has directions for lots of useful techniques: casting on, binding off, increasing, decreasing, making buttonholes, etc. It's small enough to carry all the time and is a good quick reference. It also has a knitting and needle gauge on the back. The directions are easy to follow and are accompanied by clear illustrations. I'm a huge fan!

Love this handy little book that has stuff that you just don't find in all the big complicated books. It's great the way it can be propped-up. Even mentions that for lefties, just put the book in front of a mirror!! There's so much information that I have never seen in any of the major knitting "bibles". I found myself saying over and over "why didn't someone tell me that before'?