200 Knitted Blocks: Traditional and Contemporary Designs to Mix and Match

I haven't been knitting long, and am self-taught (almost all of my knowledge came from the Stitch & Bitch book as well as knittinghelp.com). I picked up this book with the intention of making a baby blanket for my cousin's baby. I made 30 squares, all different patterns and my skills just exploded. If you're looking for a LOT of instruction/guidance, this book won't provide it. It does provide some basics in the back (cast on, bind off, etc) but nearly all of the patterns & stitches are easy enough to understand that even a beginner like me can do them with a bit of outside research. This book, plus videos online on how to do things like slip stitch, helped me grow my skills immensely. The variety of patterns in the book is excellent and versatile enough to make blankets, scarves, baby bibs, washcloths, etc.

I am having a great time with this book. There are many different block patterns to choose from with lots ideas for color variations provided. There are solid blocks that focus on stitch patterns and blocks that combine two or more colors. So far I am just sticking with the easiest blocks and still enjoying the results. My afghan will be a sampler style, but the author also gives some suggestions (with full color pictures) for afghans with a more "pulled together" look. I am not a fast knitter, so I like the feeling of accomplishment that comes with finishing a block. Also, I have some peace of mind knowing that the blocks will make a really great pillow, should I lose my ambition along the way.

The photos in this book are fantastic and the squares she presents are beautiful. I just love reading this book for ideas and inspiration, although I **am** contemplating a project to create an afghan with these squares. One thing I especially like is how she suggests a collection of compatible squares for each individual square in the book. Even my non-knitting daughter loves poring over this book for ideas of things I could knit for us. I look forward to using this book as a platform for learning new techniques and am very happy that I purchased it.