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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Blankets are a great blank slate project that you can change up in a million different ways. From color to stitch pattern to size, the possibilities are almost endless.

Jared Flood, the designer behind Brooklyn Tweed, was inspired by a log cabin quilt his mother made in 1995 to re-create that design in knitting, which led to more blankets and ultimate Brooklyn Tweed’s Knit and Crochet Blankets, which includes 25 patterns from an array of designers using different skills and techniques to make cozy, pretty blankets.

The patterns are divided into three aesthetic themes: traditions, minimalism and colorplay. The patterns are rated on a scale of one to five, with one being the easiest, and there aren’t any pieces rated five. Two blankets are rated one, 14 are two, eight are three and one is four.

In addition, three of the 25 patterns are crocheted, but they either use single crochet or granny stitch, so they are pretty easy even if you don’t do a lot of crochet. You can see all the patterns on Ravelry.

Some of my favorites include Rattan by Rastus Hsu, a chunky blanket worked in knits and purls with simple crossing stitches to make a raised woven look; Homewood by Seth Richardson, covers in dramatic, loopy cables; Ainur Berkimbayeva’s Tessellate, one of the beginner projects that doesn’t really look beginner but is totally worked in knit and purl stitches; Warp + Weft by Aist? Butkevi?ien?, which is mostly knits and purls but makes a fun woven look fabric that blew my mind a little bit; and the same designer’s Canyonland, a multicolored blanket with wavy stripes.

The patterns tell you how to resize them for different dimensions and include information on pattern repeats where it is possible to make a totally custom size.

Many different techniques are included here such as cables, lace, shadow knitting, intarsia and other colorwork techniques, as well as modular knitting and lots of sewing pieces together. The patterns are all presented with charts, but there are line by line written instructions available on the Brooklyn Tweed website if you need them.

The book ends with a deep dive into log cabin knitting, telling the story of the quilt Jared’s mom made and how he made it in knitting, as well as the multitude of variations you can make if you want your own log cabin style design.

The back of the book includes a little written information about some of the special techniques needed, but there are no photos.

This is a lovely book full of inspiration for knitting and crochet blankets for any skill level. If you like to make blankets as gifts or aspire to have a handmade blanket in every room of the house, these designs would be a great place to start.

About the book: 192 pages, paperback, 25 patterns. Published 2024 by Abrams Books, suggested retail price $24.99.

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