book suggestion: knitting stitches?

Hi Rebecca,

A book that I bought last year is by Reader's Digest and called the "Ultimate Sourcebook of Knitting and Crochet Stitches". I have found it to be very good with clear pictures and descriptions. It has over 900 great stitches detailed for needlecrafters of every level. The copyright is 2003.

HTH,

Nora

The Harmony books are excellent resources and, as you pointed out, you can pick them up at most big-box bookstores. The bindings suck, however, so you'll find yourself dropping a few bucks to have them spiral bound at the office place. This is something I recommend for any book you'll be using frequently that has a nasty glue-only binding.

Other pattern dictionaries/collections worthy of consideration

Barbara Walker (I-IV plus a couple of others, most available from schoolhousepress.com) Anna Zilboorg's sock books - excellent resources for color patterns Lizbeth Upitis Charlene Schurch Alice Starmore (I don't like her much but some of her work is inspiring) Sheila MacGregor Liesl Fanderl - Bauerliches Stricken I-III (available as a set only from schoolhousepress.com or your big-box may be able to order it for you from Meg)

There is a recently published colorwork pattern collection available called something like "1000 charts for knitting" (there's also one for crochet and for needlepoint I believe). I think it could be better-organized, but I won't damn it for not ordering hte patterns the way I would.

If you hit used book stores and sales you might find some of the Mon Tricot stitch dictionaries.

On Tue, 15 Mar 2005 09:56:26 -0500, "bex" spewed forth :

One of the books I have out of the library is "Big Book of Knitting Stitch Patterns". It was originally published in Italy in 2000 and translated to English in 2004. It has over 550 stitch patterns with good color photographs with instructions written out and charted. I like the book but don't intend to buy it since the library copy would meet my intermittent need. My recommendation is to look at as many you can find in bookstores and libraries before making a decision.

Nora and Rebecca, I have a similar book by Reader Digest, called The complete Guide to Needleworks, it includes crochet and embroidery as well as very good instructions on basic knitting. This book is often availavle in secondhand book stores and book sales. I bought mine and the one for our Guild at the Victoria annual booksale held by the Times Collonist for $2 canadian

Els

*jaw drop* You're brilliant. I mean it. I never would have thought of that but it's absolute genius.

--Threnody off to OfficeMax

My firm opinion is that ALL such books, knitting patterns, cookbooks, anything that should lie flat while you consult it while doing something else with your hands, should be spiral bound. What is it with publishers that they don't understand this??

I endorse this suggestion, it is my FAVORITE stitch book.

Laura M

spampot wrote: [snip]

Well, from the point of view of someone who's worked in bookstores for several years, spiral-bound books are a disaster for several reasons, all of which publishers know.

1) Most books are stored spine-out on the shelf, and it's almost impossible to have a title on a spiral binding. So, you can't see the titles, which makes it difficult to find the books. This drives book buyers away really fast, and as a corollary, 2) Spiral bindings also make it hard for booksellers to find the books. Thus, it's harder to keep the shelves in order, and it's tough to find a given book when someone asks for it. 3) Spiral-bound books often get damaged easily, and they damage other books as well, with the ends of the spirals. 4) Frankly, a lot of people think spiral-binding looks cheap (practicality aside), and so they won't buy books bound that way.

Indeed, the publishing trend in recent years has been going the other way, towards lusher, more expensively produced craft and cooking books, featuring heavy paper and high-quality photography. These books aren't necessarily meant to be used, but are seen as either coffeetable books ("oh, doesn't that chocolate gingerbread palace look amazing?") or aspirational items ("Maybe someday I will actually prepare that 18-layer wedding cake/incredibly complex lace shawl on 0000 needles -- but even if I don't, doesn't it look wonderful?"). Books like that are not going to be spiral bound.

As a knitter, my solution is often to photocopy the pattern from the book. That way, I don't have to haul it around, and avoids wear and tear on the book as well. Alternatively, I just prop the book up on something as I'm working (extra yarn skeins work well for this).

Claudia

The New Knitting Stich Library , By Lesley Stanfield , Lark Books ,

1992.... mirjam

Hi Els,

Thanks for reminding me that I also have that one too. It must be in the attic with my other books. Will have to go up and look.

Hugs,

Nora

I often do that as well; I've been known to leave books on trains, and other scatterbrained things. Also, I can write on the photocopy. Then I often leave the photocopy in the book, with my notes, changes I made, errors I found, for the next time I use the pattern.

Also, the photocopier can enlarge the typeface, making it easier to read.

=Tamar