Book Review: Japanese Knitting Stitch Bible

Japanese knitting patterns and knitting stitch patterns have become popular in the rest of the world over the last few years, and more books are being published for a non-Japanese audience, which is great for those of us who might be a little intimidated by the charts and a foreign language explaining what the charts mean.

Japanese Knitting Stitch Bible: 260 Exquisite Patterns by Hitomi Shida, is just one such collection, and it’s a beauty. The book includes an English introduction by Gayle Roehm, which talks a bit about Japanese knitting in general, working with charts and deciphering the symbols used in the charts. Within the patterns themselves, Japanese patterns do not usually provide a key for what the symbols mean, but there is a thorough chart of the symbols at the beginning of the book that explains what they mean and which patterns in the book use them.

The stitch patterns themselves are presented in large photos (with two or three patterns presented on most pages) with the chart presented beside it. The patterns also indicate how many stitches are used in a repeat, so you can easily add them to garments or other projects.

These stitches are gorgeous and cover a variety of styles including lacy patterns, overall patterns and crossing stitches, panel patterns, pattern arrangements (which play with different variations like adding bobbles, changing the vertical alignment of a pattern or changing the direction of the twist in a twisted stitch pattern), circular yokes and edgings. (Those last two the photos are in a gallery with the charts printed together after.)

There are also five patterns in the book: a mini scarf with frill, socks with cables, a hat with cables and eyelets, fingerless mitts and a lace collar. These patterns include more text than traditional Japanese knitting patterns, which might be a good way to practice if you haven’t worked a pattern like this before.

I tend to think Japanese knitting patterns are not the best for beginners, but if you are more visually oriented, comfortable with reading charts and confident in your ability to translate the symbols, these designs are a lot of fun.

About the book: 160 pages, paperback, 260 stitch patterns, 5 projects. Published by Tuttle Publishing, 2017. Suggested retail $16.95.

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I’ve shared a lot of Christmas stocking knitting patterns over the years (see posts 1, 2, 3 for example) but what if you want to knit a stocking for a non-human member of your family. If you’re looking for Christmas stocking knitting patterns for your cats or dogs, this is the post for you.

These large paw print stockings are perfect for either dogs or cats, so they’re great to knit if you have both. They are worked in the round using DK weight yarn, and the stocking measures about 17 inches/43 cm from the top to the heel. You can get the pattern from nicolaluke.

The K4 Project has a super cute Kitty Christmas stocking pattern, which is worked in worsted weight yarn. They also have a dog version, or you can buy both and get a discount if you have both dogs and cats to knit for. Both projects have two patterns, showing how to work the stockings flat or in the round.

Put your dog into a Christmas scene with this stocking pattern from ifanhourChild. It shows a dog in a dog house in the snow, and has room for the dog’s name at the top. It’s worked flat using worsted weight yarn and the pattern includes charts for many small and medium dog breeds (there’s a separate listing for bigger dogs) so you can stitch a dog that looks like yours.

Annie’s Woolens has both dog and cat stocking knitting patterns that are worked in worsted weight yarn in the round. You can change up the colors to suit your pet if you want, and they come with an alphabet chart for personalization. Or you can stick with holiday colors and buy a kit to make the dog or cat stocking.

Waiting for Santa Paws is a pattern from Kate Agner on Ravelry that would be cute for a dog or a cat. It looks like a leg with a paw print on the bottom part of the foot and more paw prints running around the top of the leg. This is a great option if you don’t want to mess with a heel turn because it doesn’t have a heel, because dogs and cats don’t have heels so why would their stockings?

Book Review – 20 to Knit: Tiny Christmas Toys to Knit

Book Review – Knit Christmas Stockings

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