Knitting Tips and Trade Secrets Expanded: Clever Solutions for Better Hand Knitting, Machine Knitting and Crocheting

I'm a kinetic learner, so many books of instructions leave me more puzzled than informed. This one's an exception--the excellent line drawings illustrate techniques so that even I get it. Lots of great ideas in here.

I borrowed this book from the library to see if it was "worth" buying for myself. After I found myself referring to it constantly and renewing it for an additional 30 days, I realized it was a "keeper." Although I don't do machine knitting, the tips for handknitters are many and diverse. The illustrations are clear and relevant. Most importantly, i found tips here that i had never seen before in other sources. All in all, a valuable and worthwhile purchase.

I really like this little gem. I first sat down and read it straight through and have found myself referring to it often. Lots of tried and true hints and little shortcuts for all levels of knitters. I don't belong to a knitting circle, but I would assume having this little book loaded with "secrets" is a bit like being in one; hearing all sorts of bits and pieces of what works!

I find that I refer to this book rather often. It's hard to classify the tips and secrets in here; this is mainly a compilation of good knitting information that just doesn't fit into a single subject. For example, there is a pattern for a baby bootie that doesn't slip. I must have made dozens of these and every time the grateful parent comes back and says "Wow! Those were the only baby socks that didn't fly off Junior's feet when he kicked." There's plenty of information on finishing, always a sore subject. These tips were gathered by Taunton Press, the publishers of Threads Magazine. Threads used to print articles about knitting, but in the mid-90's they switched the magazine to a (very excellent) all-sewing format. They preserved their knitting articles and these tips in a series of books on knitting, which was a great idea. These knitting articles were each unique and very useful.I have several of the Taunton books, but by far this is the one I use the most. This is a very handy reference for "stuff" you'd like to know about knitting. And I would give it 5 stars just for the bootie pattern alone!