Category: continental knitting

A group of knitters have banded together to show all of Barbara Walker’s Treasury of Knitting stitch patterns in color. The hope is to offer knitters a visual aid when knitting these stitch patterns.

---

Barbara G. Walker is the author of several time-honored knitting books that most knitters find indispensable to their knitting book library. The purpose of The Walker Treasury Project is to display knitted swatches of these patterns and post them in full color because, although the books are a great resource of knitting stitch patterns, the small pictures in the books are in black and white and do not give justice to the true beauty of the stitch patterns.

The project will not post the actual instructions for creating the stitch patterns as they are copyright protected and are available in The Treasury of Knitting books. But now high quality color photos can be used as reference too.

The Walker Treasury Project is asking knitters to contribute to the project by selecting a stitch pattern from any of the books and knitting a big swatch in a light colored yarn using that knitting stitch pattern. A color photo of the swatch along with the stitch pattern name, the book and page number where the stitch pattern is explain, along with other information will be posted on the blog.

In return a link to the contributor’s website is included in the posting. And of course all knitters will have a continually expanding resource for knitting stitch patterns from Barbara Walker’s Treasury of Knitting book series which include:

• A Treasury of Knitting Patterns
• A Second Treasury of Knitting Patterns
• Charted Knitting Designs: A Third Treasury of Knitting Patterns
• A Fourth Treasury of Knitting Patterns

Get more information and see the collection of color swatch photos at The Walker Treasury Project.

YNotKnit: Step-By-Step Instructions for Continental Knitting & Knitting Basics by Jill Wolcott and Susan Wolcott.

This spiral-bound knitting book is a great introductory book for knitters wanting to learn to knit using the Continental style of knitting.

---

Continental knitting, sometimes referred to as “picking”, is a style of knitting where the yarn is held in both hands while holding the knitting needles. The yarn is then pulled through the knitting to form the stitch.

Jill and Susan have an informative section in the book specifically covering the history and myths about Continental knitting. And they also write why they like Continental knitting better then English knitting.

English knitting, sometimes referred to as “throwing”, is a style of knitting where the yarn is held in the right hand. The yarn is wrapped around the needles in order to form the stitch.

Throughout the book Jill and Susan offer knitting advise and tips along with clear instructions, line drawings, and black and white photos.

The first part of the book covers the basics of knitting, continental knitting, knitting needles, casting on, holding the yarn, the knit stitch and purl stitch.

The book offers exercises and projects to do to practice and improve each new skill.

The exercises including the garter stitch, purl garter stitch, stockinette stitch, a knitting sampler, and an increase – decrease bow.

The projects include a garter stitch scarf, a garter edge scarf, a ribbed scarf, a sampler necktie scarf, a basic garter face cloth, and a ruffled scarf.

So if you are looking for an introductory guide to Continental Knitting, YNotKnit: Step-By-Step Instructions for Continental Knitting & Knitting Basics is a good choice. I especially like the spiral binding in this book. It makes it easy for the book to lie flat while open. Jill and Susan’s enthusiasm about knitting and Continental Knitting really show through in this informative book. Despite the fact that the book does not have color photos, the drawings and black and white photos are clear and easy to use. Continental Knitting has never been before been made so easy to learn!