Customer Reviews

Knitting for Dummies

5 star:		(40)
4 star:		(18)
3 star:		(6)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(5)

 

 

I skipped buying this book several times since I consider myself to be an intermediate knitter and I felt that I did not need another learn to knit book. My book shelf is already full of them since I am a book-taught knitter. It wasn't until I thumbed through it in a book store that I realized what a useful book this is.

There is little chitchat, the instructions are clear and to the point. It gives little details that I wish I had known when i began knitting. (Such as what knitting through the back means and how to keep from creating unwanted stitches in ribbing, two things that caught me up) There is a great variety of projects. The book is divided into sections, basic knitting, cables, lace, color and so one. Each section has at least two beginner projects. Bags, hats and scarves. While the bags and scarves were very nice, I found the hats a bit too wild for my taste. But since there are so many projects to choose from, this really is not a problem.

And, once the new knitter's confidence is up, there are three sweater patterns to try out as well as socks and from-the-top-down hat.

As I said before, this book covers almsot anything a knitter will need to know to get up past intermediate including short rows and intarsia. There is no coverage for such newer techniques and entrelac and intarsia-in-the-round (some say THAT is impossible but others swear by it) but as a rule, such techniques are not used much in the first year of knitting. Also, this book certainly has the younger knitter in mind with its patterns. Just something to keep in mind.

This book is a very complete knitting reference with clear instructions and good illustrations. However, when learning this or any craft from a book, I suggest buying more than one book on the subject so you can compare intructions, get a second opinion, etc. This book is a great place to start you on the road to knitting. Have fun!

If you've always wanted to learn how to knit or have taken a night course and want to learn more/better techniques (like me), you have got to buy this book. I first read about Pam in Melanie Falick's Book Knitting in America, and have come to be a great fan. She breaks down knitting from the types of yarn to the first cast on stitch to elaborate techniques in a simple, non-threatening way. She also shows how to correct mistakes (a given for the beginner!) and explains circular knitting and its applications in simple terms. It is by far the best knitting resource I have come across. I've tried Elizabeth Zimmerman (too advanced and too smug in tone) and Marie Rigghetti (too by-the-book) as well as others and have learned more from this book than any other. For anyone who has ever shed a tear over a dropped stitch or said, "I wish I could make that", this is the book for you! I can't recommend this book enough.

There are a lot of glowing reviews for this book. That's why I bought it to begin with. I am an experienced crafter and have successfully designed latch hook rugs for others, as well as done weaving, latch hook and other needle arts. I also have a college education and I actually read for a living, so reading comprehension is not a problem for me.
I had never knitted and wanted to learn -- ironically enough, to relax -- so I thought that buying this book would be a great way to get started. I have learned other crafts through books, and I didn't think this one would be any different.
Boy, was I wrong! After two frustrating days with "Knitting for Dummies," I am still on page 15, and I am about ready to throw it into the trashcan.

You would think that a book devoted soley to teaching people how to knit would have more than three -- THREE -- poorly drawn illustrations on the knit stitch.

But it doesn't.

You would think that to show people how to cast on, that the author would start with the easiest method first, with plenty of clear drawings.

But she doesn't.

You would also think that the needle wouldn't magically jump from one hand to the other in the illustrations of casting on, even though the written instructions with them say something totally different.

But I think you know by now that unfortunately, that's exactly what happens. (Check page 13, those of you who own it.)

If you are a person who needs visual aids to learn something new, DO NOT, I repeat, DO NOT buy this book. Find a video. Find a real live knitter. Call your local craft store and see if they can hook you up with someone who actually knows what they are doing for heaven's sake.

Ms. Allen, I'm sure, knows how to knit. But she sure doesn't know how to write a book that can teach this "dummy" how to.

I have been knitting for almost 30 years and picked up this book as a reference guide. The illistrations are incomplete and unclear and don't match up with the written descriptions. The section on casting on doesn't cover nearly enough of the cast-on options available or why to use different cast-ons in different situations.

There are many errors in the book as well. The graphed or charted patterns do not always include all of the symbols you will be reading, so you don't know what the stitches are. Also, the charts do not match her written instructions. And some errors are just pathetic oversights. The pattern for the cabled scarf is wrong. The directions for the chevron pattern are wrong; the author even calls for a decrease when obviously you need to increase. Her instructions for arrowhead lace have errors as well.

This book is poorly written and poorly edited; I normally love the "for Dummies" books, but I was severely disappointed in this one! For a reference guide and a "how to" book, I recommend The Knitting Answer Book by Margaret Radcliff. It's illistrations are excellent as are her descriptions of what to do, how to do it and when to do it as well as what the effects are. As for patterns, I'll stick with Barbara G. Walker's Treasury of Knitting Patterns. She has excellent instructions with no errors EVER.

Using only this book, I learned to knit. Now, of course, that's the point... But I have continued to use this book as a reference as I forge on to new patterns, etc. Not only did it teach me the basics of knitting (I didn't even know how to cast on before this book), but using it I have gone on to be able to use other books, free patterns, etc. to make sweaters, mittens, hats, booties--in all shapes and sizes, in only 6-7 months since first picking up this book.

Personally, as a beginner, I found many patterns initially confusing. All the abbreviations...and even after you translate the abbreviations, what on earth do they MEAN? This book will tell you. I would recommend reading the first few chapters before beginning anything (gives you the basics, saves on frustration), then reading on as needed... And I find myself looking things up in the index, etc. when I forget how to do a stitch, or when something just looks wrong. Maybe most importantly for a beginner; this book gives you tips on correcting MISTAKES. I know initially I would get frustrated when I would find a dropped stitch, or an added one... and think I had to tear everything out. This book helps. Plain english, and good pictures (even if they're just black and white) really help those of us who can't necessarily grasp concepts stated in just words. So particularly if knitting classes aren't available to you, or you don't have the time, money, etc. to take one, you can learn to knit all on your own with this book. I have surprised many of my female in-laws (all of whom have been knitting for a long time) with the things I've been able to make, and learning from a book in such a short time.

Unlike crocheting, rug hooking, sewing, and quilting, KNITTING was the one thing I tried and miserably failed to learn growing up that I really wanted to. A "non-crafty" friend's recent conversion to knitting gave me the bravery to try, and after much comparison shopping I settled on this book. In less than a month, I've worked all the exercises in the first 5 chapters and have begun my first scarf. Good illustrations, very detailed explanation, lots of encouragement, and a good sense of humor have made this my favorite new hobby. Only downside, if any, is info on selecting needle size/length and yarn is not well covered before the exercises begin ... so, buy the book, spend a few bucks extra for real wool yarn, get nothing bigger than a Size 9 needle, and when you get to the Garter Ridge Scarf and you're buying your Size 8 needles, remember length matters ... 38 stitches cast on to 10-inch needles is a pretty tight squeeze. Should have gotten 12-inch needles for the scarf, but the book is definitely a keeper!

I bought this book along with the visual guide to knitting, figuring that between the two I would be able to get the hang of things. This book is not one for "dummies" the instructions are difficult to understand and the images are worse. I eventually gave up and just used the visual knitting to figure things out. Highly recomend that over this book!!!

After trying over and over to learn how to knit I grew frustrated, then I bought this book. What a relief! I knit all the time now and whenever I have a question about a certain technique I refer back to this friendly manual. If you can't find someone to sit next to you and teach you to kniw-- buy this book its as close as you'll get to a real live knitting teacher.

I have been knitting for 40 years, since I was 8 years old. I have taught Adult Ed home ec classes in needlearts, and I have taught people from kids to seniors how to knit. I wish I had this book years ago! It is a wonderful resource in so many ways: great diagrams, easy to understand explanations, and stylish patterns that are easily accomplished for beginning to intermediate knitters. I am knitting one of the little multi-colored purses right now, and just love it. I would highly recommend this book to anyone who wants to learn how to knit or how to improve their knitting. It is a fantastic reference book, and I do have most of the well-known knitting reference books.

This new book by Pam Allen is one of the best books for beginning knitters I have ever seen. Like all in the "Dummies" series, it is set up clearly and has excellent diagrams and pictures. "Knitting for Dummies" will guide the knitting newbie through all those rough spots that knitters experience at first. Pam is a super designer, a superb knitting teacher, and a wonderful person; her keen sense of humor and fun peeps through, and keeps you going. The projects she includes are fun and truly easy. This is not your Grandmother's learn to knit book!