Category: garter stitch

Knitting Stitches by Mary Webb is a comprehensive resource of over 300 contemporary and traditional stitch patterns.

---

Once you get past the basic knitting stitches, stockinette stitch and garter stitch, there is a whole world of useful and decorative knitting stitches to explore. In her book, Knitting Stitches, Mary Webb goes beyond the basic stitches to explore a variety of knitting stitches.

The beginning of the book, in the first four chapters, covers the basics of getting started with knitting. In these chapters, there is information on the materials and tools needed for knitting as well instructions for holding the yarn, holding the needles, how to knit a stitch, how to purl a stitch, casting on, and binding off. Clear color photographs accompany the instructions making it easy to learn how to knit, read patterns, and decipher charts.

The remaining five chapters in the book contain a resource of knitting stitches. They are: Knit and Purl stitches, Rib Stitches, Cable Stitches, Lace and Bobble Stitches and Twist Stitches. The stitches in each chapter are further divided into popular, easy, medium, and difficult.

What I like best about Knitting Stitches is the large, clear photographs that accompany each stitch pattern. They show exactly how the stitch should look. What I also like is the step-by-step instructions and charts for each stitch pattern. These things combined make it easy to knit the patterns.

If you are looking for a portable knitting stitches reference, Knitting Stitches by Mary Webb might be the right choice.

The Friday Night Knitting Club by Kate Jacobs is a wonderful novel that follows the fictional lives of members of a knitting group at the Walker and Daughter yarn and knitting store in New York City.

---

I could hardly put this book down. The Friday Night Knitting Club is a touching and poignant story. This wonderful tale celebrates the lives of women from all walks of life who meet to knit each week at a fictional New York City yarn store, Walker and Daughter.

But it is much more then a book about women knitting. The yarn store is a backdrop for the stories of strong, independent women who love and support each other through tough times and good times through relationships and break ups.

Georgia Walker is the self-reliant business owner of Walker and Daughter, the knitting store where the novel takes places. She is raising a teenage daughter, Dakota, an entrepreneurial in her own right, as a single mom.

The other women in the group: Anita, Cat, KC, Peri, Lucie, and Darwin, have their own stories that weave together with each others and forms the close bonds between them.

The book is expected to be adapted to a film of the same name starring Julia Roberts. It is scheduled for release in 2008. I’m looking forward to seeing Julia portray Georgia Walker in the film. Both are strong, independent women (who love to knit!).

Non-knitters, inspired by the book and who want to learn how to knit, will enjoy a basic garter stitch scarf pattern at the back of the book. This is an easy pattern and a great introduction to knitting.

And for knitters, the book’s setting and analogies of knitting to life will really touch home. We already know how knitting brings families and people together. The book reinforces this in a way we can identify with.

I think The Friday Night Knitting Club is a wonderful book for both knitters and non-knitters alike. It offers a touching story about independent women supporting each other that will be hard to put down, even for knitting!

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!