Friday, February 06, 2009

Knitting books

by PeaceLoveMath at 11:52 PM Labels: , ,
I need advice from knitters who own books:

What are good knitting books to have?

I am considering purchasing Elizabeth Zimmermann's Knitter's Almanac on Amazon for $8 (I have a $25 gift card too), but some say that it's hard to follow without learning her abbreviations and lingo in Knitting Without Tears. I searched the entire Cumberland County Library System, and the only Elizabeth Zimmermann book they have is Knitting Without Tears, so I put it on hold. I figure I could get the Almanac, and photocopy the parts I need from KWT. Mainly I want the baby surprise jacket, but lot of Ravelry people and knitters in general always call Almanac the best knitting book for $8 you will ever buy, and I'm curious. Does anyone have a copy I could borrow and skim?

Do you have other knitting books that you think are vital to your knitting library? I have now read Stitch 'n Bitch, the entire learning part before the patterns, and I am about 20% through my first sweater from Ann Budd's Knitter's Handy Book of Sweater Patterns, which I think was a good choice for my first sweater book.

Katy! Nic! Anyone else who knits! I need thoughts.

4 comments:

  1. Hmmm... I've never loved EZ's patterns other than the February baby jacket. I know she's knitting genius, I've just never felt compelled to buy her book.

    I tend not to buy books for patterns because it just seems unreasonable to me. As far as techniques go, I've used Vogue Knitting and the Vogue Stitchionary is a favorite of mine. If I were to buy a book I'd probably go for a Cat Bordhi book because she is an amazing and inventive sock knitter. No Sheep For You is amazingly informative if you like to knit with non-wool yarns, though I did not love the patterns. So, I guess the question is, are you looking for a reference or for patterns?
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  2. to be honest i don't really knit from books too much. i get most of my patterns from knitty.com or from stitch n bitch (i have both of those plus happy hooker, the crochet book). as you know, i'm working through my first sweater and it's from a pattern i got in maine. not too pleased with the pattern and pretty much covet your knitting book. my friend laura has a good sweater book. i'll find out the title and let you know.
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  3. Hmmm...this proves that people actually read your blog, Mer!
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  4. I was actually looking more for technique with some basic demonstrative patterns. But I think Nic talked me out of EZ, hopefully I can find it in the library and just read the good parts...
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