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Get a Grounding in Knitting with the Knitter’s Bible

May 8, 2017 by Sarah White

the knitter's bible

Phyllis is the winner.

I’ve been at these knitting book giveaways for so long I regularly come across books that I’m sure I’ve given away before. The Knitter’s Bible by Claire Crompton is one of those, but you all are lucky I haven’t given it away before because it’s a good one.

This is one of those comprehensive knitting instruction books that covers everything from the basics of getting started knitting to increasing, decreasing and understanding knitting abbreviations. A creative options section covers lace, Fair Isle, cables, embossed knitting, short rows, twisted stitches, intarsia and circular knitting.

Another section covers things like beaded knitting, loop knitting, entrelac, mitered squares, fulling and smocking, among other embellishments.

It talks about how to read knitting patterns, knit garments and alter patterns to your needs. You’ll learn about edgings, buttons, embroidery and more.

Beyond all that, there’s a stitch library with:

  • knit and purl stitches
  • gansey patterns
  • texture stitches
  • rib stitches
  • cables
  • lace stitches
  • edgings

And then there are 25 patterns that cover a lot of the techniques explored in the rest of the book. Check out all the projects on Raverly.

This is a great one-stop guide to a lot of things you need to know to get started knitting or to build your skills. And someone is going to win it this week!

If you’d like a chance to take this one home, leave a comment on this post before the end of the day Sunday, May 14. It’s Mother’s Day in the states, and because my mom is one of the people who taught me to knit, I’d love to know who taught you.

Thanks for visiting, commenting and sharing, and good luck!

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Comments

  1. Nancy Covington says

    May 8, 2017 at 4:03 pm

    Oh, I’d love to have this book, Sarah. I love to knit, but there’s always room for improvement. It seems like no matter how long I’ve been knitting and how much I learn, there’s just more and more out there that’s waiting for me. I think it’s amazing how many new stitches people come up with for something that’s been around for so long. We have an amazing planet, filled with so many talented people.

  2. Amy McGlynn says

    May 8, 2017 at 4:32 pm

    I figured it out while I was recovering from abdominal surgery, while having one leg in a cast and an 8 month old baby I was not allowed to lift. I really needed something to hold my whole concentration. So I had my husband pick up a book and some needles and yarn, and I was off to the races. Slowly. This book sounds like it would help fill in some of my blanks.

  3. Jonquil says

    May 8, 2017 at 4:38 pm

    I taught myself to knit. I would love to add this book to my library!

  4. CdnCrafter says

    May 8, 2017 at 4:48 pm

    My third grade teacher taught me to knit. She started an after-school knitting club which I joined. I moved away part way through that school year, so my mother continued to teach me. I have been knitting now for over 50 years!

  5. Tricia says

    May 8, 2017 at 6:08 pm

    I was taught by several people…..first my Grandma, then my Mom and a neighbor. I was communially taught and I am very greatful.

  6. yolanda v says

    May 8, 2017 at 6:12 pm

    I taught myself to knit…
    This book looks like one I’d appreciate
    in my library.

  7. Sheila says

    May 8, 2017 at 6:33 pm

    My mom taught me to knit when I was little, but I didn’t stick with it. I re-taught myself from library books when I was in my 30s.

  8. Chris Lopez says

    May 8, 2017 at 6:55 pm

    Sounds like an amazing book every knitter should have. Thanks for the giveaway.

  9. Isabel says

    May 9, 2017 at 7:33 am

    It looks like a “must” in any knitting library. Thank for the opportunity. Good knitting!!

  10. Isabel says

    May 9, 2017 at 7:36 am

    Oops,I forgot,my granny taught me to knit and crochet but I prefer Knitting. 😉

  11. Gail says

    May 9, 2017 at 8:18 am

    My mom didn’t knit so I took a class at Joann’s to learn. I’ve been addicted ever since!!

  12. sally howard says

    May 9, 2017 at 9:24 am

    This book would be a great game changer for me. Next level would be great.

  13. missmagners says

    May 9, 2017 at 9:52 am

    From my mother I learned crochet when I was a child (though I never got past a basic chain), I leant knitting from my sister a couple of Christmases ago. 🙂

  14. knittingdancer says

    May 9, 2017 at 10:09 am

    My mother showed me when I was about 10 years old but I never knitted much that summer. When I was 50 I saw that one of the recreation centers in my area was having a knitted felt purse class and talked my sister in taking the class with me. She had picked knitting back up a few months before. I bought a teach yourself to knit kit a couple of weeks before the class. I was surprised how much came back to me from my childhood. We have been knitting every day since then.

  15. pattipanuccio says

    May 9, 2017 at 10:34 am

    I just picked up my needles after 39 years of just crochet. This book sounds awesome.

  16. Stacey says

    May 9, 2017 at 10:36 am

    My mother in law taught me the basics of knitting. We are both left handed and knit right handed, go figure.

  17. Terry says

    May 9, 2017 at 10:40 am

    I mostly taught myself, with a lot of help from my Grandmother and Mom.

  18. Rose Scott says

    May 9, 2017 at 11:58 am

    I took a beginner’s class at our local technical college and I was off and running learning new stitches from pattern books. I love these types of reference books. One always has room to learn more new stitches.

  19. yarnaddicted says

    May 9, 2017 at 12:56 pm

    I was taught the very basics by a neighbor as a child. I would love to learn more stitches to expand my skills!
    Thanks, Kim R.

  20. Vivian Helton says

    May 9, 2017 at 7:20 pm

    My mom taught me the basics. Through the years I have learned a lot more. I am totally addicted to knitting. So there is always a need for even more knowledge. I would love to win a copy of this wonderful sounding book!
    Vivian H

  21. Carol says

    May 9, 2017 at 8:37 pm

    I love this! I love seeing all these really cool things that you post! I also love to knit and would love to win that book!

  22. Phyllis Bremner says

    May 9, 2017 at 8:53 pm

    A teacher at primary school taught me to knit many years ago then I sort of picked it up as I went along. There is always room to learn more. I find it much easier to learn from books rather then the computer.

  23. dorcas says

    May 9, 2017 at 9:30 pm

    My mom taught me to knit. I used to have this book, but we lost everything in a fire. I’m slowly getting my knitting needles again with wiser choices. All bamboo circs this time with dpn’s too. But no books yet.

  24. Heidi Hochrein says

    May 9, 2017 at 9:51 pm

    I basically taught myself, but I have my knitting grandma’s genes!
    I am completely crazy about it, having restarted in January, after 30 years of not knitting!

  25. Barbara Young says

    May 10, 2017 at 2:13 am

    I’d love to have this book. Anything to help me become a better knitter is fine by me.

  26. Mary Jarvis says

    May 10, 2017 at 7:47 am

    I think it was my Mum who started me knitting, I also remember knitting with my aunt and we used to knit at school. This sounds like a good book would like to win.

  27. Denyalle says

    May 10, 2017 at 12:24 pm

    My mom taught me multiple times when I was young, and I kept forgetting, so eventually she refused to teach me and I re-taught myself with the help of the internet as an adult.

  28. Cyd says

    May 10, 2017 at 2:52 pm

    My grandma taught me, wish I would have kept going. Can just do the basics, want to learn the continental stitch.

  29. Sue Sanderson says

    May 12, 2017 at 2:39 am

    My mother refused to teach me to knit. She could only knit the Continental style, and from my cousin’s experience at school, this method was unacceptable. I’m glad to say there is no such prejudice today. I managed to save my pocket money and bought a knitting book, teaching myself to knit almost fifty years ago and have never looked back.

  30. Mary says

    May 13, 2017 at 11:26 am

    I love knitting but only know so much! I want/need to learn more.

  31. Pat says

    May 13, 2017 at 1:09 pm

    My poor mother tried to teach me but it was better for our relationship for me to take a class.

  32. asteride says

    May 14, 2017 at 2:09 pm

    My grandmother taught me! She is not with me anymore but knitting for me is a way to feel that she is always with me. We spent precious time knitting together and she helped me with my first sweater for my first boyfriend!

Have you read?

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It seems like every summer there’s a new crop of tank top knitting patterns, and what I noticed about a lot of the new releases this year is that they have fun little details that make them a little more interesting both to knit and to wear. 

Like the Sailoress Top from Joji Locatelli, which has a pretty cable worked up the center from and back, with shorter sections of cable work on the shoulders. It uses DK weight yarn and comes in 10 sizes up to a bust circumference of 72 inches/ 158 cm. You can find the pattern on Ravelry. 

Combine lace and cables in an allover pattern on the Mountain Laurel Top from Andrea Gaughan. This sport weight pattern is worked from the bottom up in the count and has 10 sizes. It’s available on Ravelry.

The Vienna Textured Tank Top by Sarah Hatton has wide ribs broken up by eyelets. There’s very little shaping so it’s a pretty easy knit worked in fingering weight yarn. There are nine sizes available and it’s a free download on Ravelry.

Make a tank with a boho vibe perfect for festival season with Mary Beth Temple’s Tropical Sunset Tank Top. Worked in worsted weight cotton yarn, it’s knit from the bottom up in pieces to make it more stable. The coloring changing yarn is perfect for this one, or you can make it solid or work in your own stripes. You can get the XS size free on her blog, and other sizes are available on Ravelry.

Looking for a cropped lacy V-neck top to knit for summer? Jessie Maed Designs has the Sundae Swirl Tank, worked in DK weight yarn in the round with a fun combination of lace and cables. The ribbing under the arms helps give it a great fit. There are six sizes up to a chest measurement of 62 inches/157.5 cm. You can find this one on Ravelry.

How about a tank top with buttons? The Ridge Tank Button Down from Bluebird Pine Shop could double as a vest in cooler weather. This one is made with light fingering weight yarn and comes in 10 sizes. Grab a copy on Ravelry.

An otherwise simple top can be made a little more interesting with the addition of a fun edging, like on Sarah Opie’s Seashell Tank. Worked in fingering weight yarn, it has a whopping 24 sizes and lots of customization options for making it fit the way you want. The edging is crocheted. Learn more on Ravelry.

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