Monday 8 June 2020

Book ~ "The Complete Photo Guide to Knitting" (2010) Margaret Hubert

From Goodreads ~ Looking for the perfect book on knitting? It's right here in "The Complete Photo Guide to Knitting". 

This stitch guide is the ultimate knitting reference! A comprehensive how-to book about all aspects of knitting, you'll be making scarves, hats, socks, mittens, sweaters, and other projects in no time! 

Inside this ultimate knitting guide you will find expanded basics for all knitting techniques, from cast-on to bind-off and every step in between. Learn to knit row by row and in the round; understand knitting jargon and how to follow a pattern; learn all the methods for increasing and decreasing stitches, seaming, and adding details like pockets and zippers. 

With twenty new stitch patterns, this section expands to 220 in all, arranged in style categories for easy reference. Projects at the end of each section give you opportunities to try some of the new techniques you've learned while making knitted items you can use or gift to others. 

Margaret Hubert will guide you through special knitting topics like cables, intarsia, entrelac, Fair Isle knitting, and lace knitting. With the updated information and all new projects, even if you have the first edition you are sure to want the second edition to complete your collection.

I've been knitting for about 40 years.  I used to knit a lot of islandic-style sweaters but haven't made one in years.  These days I'm into making quick projects ... dish cloths, slippers, mittens, etc.  It's been a while since I've read a knitting book and this one caught my eye.

The chapters include:
  • Introduction
  • History of knitting
  • Knitting basics - needles and other tools, knitting instructions, techniques, and details and finishing techniques
  • Stitch patterns - basic stitches, light textures, medium and heavy textures, laces, ribs, honeycomb and brioche stitches, eyelets, ripples and chevrons, slip stitches, color combos, motifs and cables
  • Specialty knitting methods - One-piece knitting, entrelac knitting, free form knitting, crazy lace knitting, knitting with beads, intarsia knitting, twined knitting and ouroborus knitting

I found this book fairly easy to read and understand for the most part so think it's good for a beginner (the easy stuff) and a nice reference for an experienced knitter.  There are full-colour pictures for everything and I found most of the instructions easy to follow in my head (I haven't tried actually knitting anything from the book yet).  Everything is coded "easy", "intermediate" and "experienced".  There are patterns so you can try to make what you just learned about (hats, purses, sweaters, etc.)

I tend to learn trickier things, though, by watching rather than pictures so some things I think I'll have to look for on YouTube for more detailed step by step instructions.  There were some terms I wasn't familiar with and I couldn't find any reference to them in the book so I'll look them up as needed.

When I get back to making dish cloths again, I'll use some of the stitch patterns I haven't used or seen before.

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