Book Review - Knitting Stitches by Mary Webb
How to Knit Over 300 Contemporary and Traditional Stitch Patterns
Aug 21, 2008
Published in 2006 by Firefly Books Ltd., Knitting Stitches, is a 350 page book on both classic and modern knitting techniques. Webb’s knitting book is a helpful reference for all knitters from beginner to expert.
Chapter on Materials and Tools for Knitting
Webb includes a basic description on several types of yarn. She describes the differences between types of needles and sizes of needles. Webb, includes detailed photographs and explanations of all of the equipment a knitter needs to get started.
Chapters on How to Begin Knitting and How to Finish Knitting
Webb uses the first portion of the book to teach basic knitting techniques, such as how to:
- Hold yarn (right and left handed)
- Hold needles
- Cast on (cable method, thumb method, long-tail method and invisible method)
- Knit and purl
- Turn the work
- Join in new yarn
- Increase and decrease
- Bind off (knit, purl and in rib)
She also includes many other descriptions for the first-steps of knitting, including understanding gauge and basic finishing techniques.
Chapter on How to Knit and Purl Stitch Patterns
The remaining two thirds of the book is devoted to more specific stitch instruction. Webb uses pictures, charts and descriptions to show the knitter how to read charts to follow patterns. She then demonstrates popular knit and purl stitches, such as:
- Seed stitches
- Diamond stitches
- Lattice stitches
- Block stitches
- Twisted stitches
- Linen stitch
The book contains a large amount of additional knit and purl stitch techniques ranging from easy to difficult. There are 22 easy stitch patterns, 46 medium stitch patterns, 3 difficult stitch patterns
Chapter on How to Knit Rib Stitches
Another section of stitches which Webb includes in her book are the rib stitches. She demonstrates many different kinds of popular rib stitches, including:
- Single ribs
- Double ribs
- Broken ribs
- Diagonal ribs
There are also 22 additional easy stitch patterns, 46 medium stitch patterns, 3 difficult stitch patterns.
Chapter on How to Knit Cable Stitches
There are many different cable stitch techniques included in the book, such as the more popular:
- Cable ribs
- Cable zigzags
- Leaf cable
- Tulip cable
- Horseshoe trellis
Webb also gives 5 other easy stitch styles, along with 54 medium and 45 difficult stitch techniques.
Chapter on How to Knit Lace and Bobble Stitches
In this chapter, Webb describes many lace and bobble stitch techniques, including:
- Feather and fan
- Old shale
- Picot Heart
- Bird’s Eye
- Blackberry stitch
- Bobble blocks
She also includes 5 easy stitches, 74 medium stitches, 17 difficult stitches and a variety of lace edgings.
Chapter on How to Knit Twisted Stitches
There is an entire chapter in the book devoted to the different types of twisted stitches, which includes:
- Herringbone twist
- Bellflower blocks
- Wave and twist
- Zigzags
Additionally, there are 3 easy stitches, 26 medium stitches and 7 difficult stitches.
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