Beginner's Guide to Knitting

I enjoy this book so much. The easy to follow explanations on how to cast on and off, garter and stockinet stitches, along with clear step-by-step color photos, makes this book an accessible learning tool. I like it so much better than books that teach with drawings. The author explains all tools and different yarns used for knitting, the importance of swatches for gauging your knitting and exactly how to measure them (again with great photos), and then takes you into practice by creating simple projects. She starts with scarves (with color changes and fringe), then to a patchwork throw-pillow with buttons and tassles. She clearly shows you how to do swiss darning on a cute blanket (baby-size, but easy to expand to whatever size you want). On the blanket, she offers clear instructions on edging choices, including (again with fantastic photos) crochet, and blanket stitch. Next come sweaters with clear guidance on increases and decreases, neckbands, collars, and buttonholes very clearly shown. She then proceeds to teach more knitting techniques with a variety of hats. After that comes instruction on lace edging, mock cables, and cables with instructions on six different cable variations. This book is relatively compact, but the essentials are so beautifully laid out, I would recommend this to any new knitter. I also have The Big Book of Knitting to guide me, which has a lot more information, but I keep refering back to the Beginner's Guide of Knitting because the basics are so vividly explained. I'm now working on a project from Patricia Werner's book, Dazzling Knits, which is stunning! But I know how to follow the directions in Dazzling knits because of Alison Dupernex's book.