Customer Reviews

The Knitter's Handbook: Essential Skills & Helpful Hints from Knitter's Magazine

5 star:		(20)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I've purchased many books in the quest to find "the one" to keep in my knitting bag at all times, and for me, "The Knitter's Handbook" was more than adequate. This book is extremely helpful for those times when you are knitting away and the pattern dictates some technique vaguely familier or completely new. This book relays such techniques in an easy-to-understand precise manner.

Frequently our ability to understand things is as unique as our personalities, so it is good to investigate many different handbooks. For my knowledge as a beginner-going on-intermediate knitter, this book went just enough beyond "Vogue Knitting, Quick Reference", without all the fluff of "Stitch'n Bitch" or Debbie Bliss' "How to Knit" (each excellent, but far too large for a knitting bag).

Couple this book with "Stitch'n Bitch, A Knitter's Design Journal" and you will be good to go for current and future projects.

It's true that you can find the information from various sources but that's not a reason to exclude this one from your library.

It's a portable reference that covers most of the useful techniques needed in a normal project. When I need more in-depth info I pull out "Principles of Knitting", but it's way too big and heavy to fit in my knitting bag for a trip.

I've been looking for a portable reference that covers the more innovative ways to cast-on, bind-off, increases and etc. This book cover those techinques, which Vogue's & Interweave's portable reference don't even touch. I had the Vogue one for a while but gladly gave it away to a beginning knitter and replaced it with this one.

The durable spiral binding and size works well for me. This one will definitely last much longer than Vogue's which has a flimsy cover and is an odd size. I also appreciate the table of contents and index (which is missing from Vogue's).

I just have one suggestion. How about a loose-leaf edition?

Ah, the search for the good knitting book. I've perused many, and this one passed. This is not a comprehensive reference guide for the super experienced knitter. This is more geared towards the beginner or intermediate knitter. I'm just starting out knitting, and when looking through the available books, there was either too many long-winded paragraphs about stuff I didn't yet want to delve into (for the experience knitter), pictures where you couldn't tell where the needle was placed, etc. I wanted something that would easily tell me what k2tog meant and how it was done. For instance, I get to a stitch I don't know, I want to look it up and be able to do it. This is a great book for that.

So, here are the plusses:

1. Durability - nice little hardback, spiral bound, with the spine extending over the spiral (the spiral is not exposed). Pages are thick and well printed.

2. Pictures:

a. graphical representations of stitches - here is where this excels. They use both light and dark gray in showing which portion of yarn you are working with. There are clear, red arrows that start at the same place your needle starts, and guide you over or under the yarn, around the yarn, etc, so that there is never a question of where the needle goes or where your yarn should be. Stitches are shown in a multiple step formula, which is very, very clear.

b. for many of the stitches, you are also shown a picture of the actual yarn sample, so that you can see the end result and will know if what you are doing is correct.

3. Tips - very, very handy quick tips in blue on the sides that help you, such as "If after several rows you discover that a stitch was purled instead of knit, work across the row to the stitch above it, pull the stitch off the needle, drop it down to the mistake, pick it up correctly (they give you instructions on how to pick up dropped stitches or "ladders"), place it back on the needle, and continue."

4. Comprehensive coverage of the BASICS and a little more. This is the first book I've found that actually shows you, both with actual pictures and drawings, how to carry colored yarn on the back of your knitting. Geeesh, you'd think all books would show that.

5. Arrangement of information - information is arranged in broad alphabetical categories (basics; bind-offs; buttons, buttonholes & zippers; cables; cast-ons; circular knitting; color; crochet; decreases; edges and borders; extras (embellishments, beads, tassels, weaving); grafts and seams; increases; lace; shaping; symbols and charts (including symbol glossary); and index. The beginning of each of these sections has a breakdown of what is included in that section, for instance, decreases is divided into K2tog, K3tog, P2tog, P3tog, S2KP2, sl 2-k1-p2sso....SSK, SSP, SSPP2, etc. Very easy to find the stitch you are looking for. And there are running chapter headings on the top of each page, so you know what section you are in and what sections surround the current one.

6. Each section and the last page is a lined Notes page, so you can add your own stitches or comments. Very cool.

Anyway, a lovely, handy little book. Take a look at the pictures I've posted above.

Happy knitting.

First, I have to say that I **love** Knitter's Magazine and all of their publications. I consider their patterns to be the most well-written patterns in print, especially with the way they specify the major characteristics of each pattern at the begininning (e.g., sizes, measurements, yarn and needle requirements, etc.)

Soooo - that being said -- this is the definitive reference book for Knitter's Magazine and its other publications. I like having the central reference to use whenever I make up one of their patterns, not to mention other patterns and publications.

I love books, especiall knitting books, and especially knitting reference books, so this is a fine and valuable addition to my knitting reference library.

then you don't need this one. I was disappointed when I browsed this at the local bookstore. Pictures are adequate but not as well done as in Vogue Knitting, Vogue Knitting Quick Reference, or Knitting for Dummies. The information is very basic and just about all of it can be found elsewhere and with better detail. For example, the section on blocking consisted of one sentence, maybe two. Given the variety of methods of blocking and the reasons for each, this should have been 1/2 a page at least. There are much better portable reference sources available.

The only positive thing I can really say about this book is that the binding (covered spiral) and size are good for just popping in your knitting bag. Despite the more durable cover, seriously consider VKQR or The Knitters Companion by Interweave over this book.

This is the one! I just love this little spiral book with knit techniques explained and well illustrated. Being a beginner, I especially appreciated that the book can open with the purl stitch and knit stitch pages situated side-by-side...FINALLY got the difference!! I'd give this book SIX stars if I could!!

Im a fairly new knitter and I find myself looking at a pattern going "how do you do this/that stitch again?". This book is an excellent investment. I was impressed with the quantity and quality once I got it. Its spiral bound so it stays open. Its small so it fits in a knitting bag easily. Excellent walk throughs for stitches. Also has instructions for edges, borders, lace, cables, adding buttons, buttonholes, zippers, different bindoff methods, working with multiple colors, crochet, different seams, adding beads/sequins, tassles, and shaping. Excellent pictures and diagrams to help you figure out the stitches.

Every knitter needs this book!

I feel that it was a very good purchase,written and illustrated well. It's small enough to drop in your knitting bag. It contains good material for both Novices and Skilled Knitters. I've used it to study cables, and to make buttonholes and found it very helpful.

Of all the small knitters' handbooks, I find this to be the clearest to read --- and has answers to most of my questions. An indispensible item in my knitter's bag. Have given a copy to some other new knitters.

THE KNITTER'S HANDBOOK: ESSENTIAL SKILLS AND HELPFUL HINTS FROM KNITTER'S MAGAZINE is a highly recommended pick for knitters: it features lay-flat spiral binding, spine lettering for easy shelving, and packs in tips enhanced by both diagrams and drawings and small color photos. From handling buttonhole placement and knitting in rounds to using cables, these tips are especially invaluable for relative beginners as well as knitters seeking to advance their skills to the next level.

Diane C. Donovan

California Bookwatch