There are over a dozen free events on our calendar this week. Let us know about yours at craftyliving@jg.net.Knit Step by Step: More Than 150 Techniques and Stitch Patterns with 10 Easy Projects is a very useful little reference book.
If you want to brush up a new cast-on technique, but don't want to pull down the definitive reference book, The Principles of Knitting, this would be a good place to start. All of the techniques are photographed very clearly with brightly-colored yarns on white backgrounds.
The book opens with a good overview of yarns, needles, and other tools for knitters. Then, it launches into several cast-ons, cast-offs and edgings.
Other sections of the book include:
- Preparing and Repairing
- Following Stitch Patterns
- Following A Pattern (but, if you want any real details about following charts, look elsewhere)
- Increases and Decreases
- Cables and Twists
- I-Cord
- Colorwork
- Textural and Color Effects
- Structural Effects (like bias fabric)
- Short Rows (including closing gaps)
- Circular Knitting
- Reverse, Twice Knit and Tunisan
- Finishing Details
- Embellishments
This would all be a bit much to get into a 200-odd page book with a LOT of detail, but Knit Step by Step is reasonably thorough and seems like it would be very useful, even for just keeping the Channel Islands Cast-on at your fingertips.
