Super Stitches Knitting: Knitting Essentials Plus a Dictionary of More Than 300 Stitch Patterns

I own several knitting books but this one tops the list. It shows more patterns that I could have imagined in a concise way -- with many easy stitches along with those more complicated -- unusual in knitting circles. Easy to understand as well. Glad I purchased it.

I'm sort of a novice knitter. I don't do anything terribly complex -- mostly scarves. But I wanted a way to learn new stitches without being forced to make something else. For instance, maybe I'd like a stitch pattern on a sweater, but just wanted to make a scarf. This book makes it easy. There are so many different stitch patterns and it just tells you how to make the pattern. You choose how to apply it to whatever you want to make. I love that. It will tell you, for instance, that the pattern comes in sets of 10 stitches, and then you multiply that to make the width you want. I never knew there were this many stitches you can do in knitting and I look forward to trying them. There are some that are probably to complicated for me at this stage, but that means more advanced users can also benefit from this book.

Firstly this book is great as all stitches are shown in colour and secondly the stitches are well laid out and easy to follow. Whether you are a beginner or more advanced there is something for everyone in this book and it is a great way to expand your knitting vocabulary.

This book has many great qualities. To me, one of the best is the sturdiness of the book's construction. It is indeed a paperback, but the covers are thick, as are the glossy pages featuring the excellent photographs. This book is small enough to carry around, but it is not tiny and will hold up in one's knitting bag. The photographs are of a very high quality, giving great detail to the stitches, although in all fairness, I must mention there are a few (not many at all) that are done in darker yarns that I wish weren't. One of the really cool things about the pictures is that the swatches are photographed still seated on needles (that I presume to be Brittany Birch, as a side) instead of close-ups of little squares. I think this is a great feature since you can really see and make out where the stitches are falling in the swatches and also how the patterns progress. Also of great value is the ample content directed at teaching skills. I wouldn't recommend this to someone who doesn't know how to knit at all; however, the illustrations and information is incredibly helpful and I think the author made astute selections in what to include in these sections. The only one thing I wish this book contained, and I don't really think any stitch dictionary I have seen does contain this so it is not a comparison, is a "shrink factor" on the patterns or special little notes. For instance on the ribs or cables, something like "this shrinks X percent from a typical stockinette" or "plan on using more yarn for this pattern because of the cabling," etc. This would be very helpful for those designing their own items, although it doesn't really take that long to whip up a swatch and figure it out yourself. Most stitch dictionaries of similar content will run at least $30, so this really is an amazing value for such a high-quality book also. There are PLENTY of stitches to choose from in all categories, including ribbing, really awesome edgings, aran, lace, even fair isle. All in all, A+!

Beginning knitters and public library lending collections catering to them will welcome Super Stitches Knitting, a how-to guide and stitch directory which features handy lay-flat binding for easy use, tips on how to choose needles and yarn, diagrams and instructions for all the basics, and plenty of color photos. Diagrams fully explain each knitting application, making this a top pick for any newcomer.