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Giveaway: The Encyclopedia of Knitting

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encyclopedia of knitting giveaway

Eunice is the winner!

I’m doing a major cleanout in my office (again), so I’m uncovering some great books that are older but still super useful that I don’t need but I’m sure someone will want.

A lot of books are going to my local library, but when I see one I think you all will like I set it aside for a giveaway, and that pile is getting pretty large, too.

The Encyclopedia of Knitting by Lesley Stanfield and Melody Griffiths came out back in 2000, but the information on techniques is of course all still valid.

And this book covers a lot, including:

  • materials
  • basic skills like how to hold the yarn and needles, cast on, knit, purl and bind off
  • increases and decreases
  • reading charts and other essentials of getting started knitting from a pattern
  • finishing skills
  • hems, facings and fastenings

A lot of the book is taken up by a stitch collection that includes swatches with charted instructions for knit and purl patterns, ribs, cables, twists, lace, bobbles and leaves, stranded color knitting, intarsia color knitting and special effects like entrelace, circular knitting, tucks and pleats, loops, slip stitch colorwork, beading and embroidery.

An inspiration section offers a quick overview of how to design a garment as well as more swatches to give you ideas of how to design a sweater for yourself.

If you’d like a chance to win this book, leave a comment on this post before the end of the day Sunday, July 24. I’d love to know what you’re knitting right now. (I’m still trying to finish the last repeat of a baby blanket I’ve been working on for my cousin’s little boy.)

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

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Comments

  1. I’ve always got some project on the go. It would be great to win this book because I am self taught and am certain it could teach me a lot. Thank you for this chance to win it. xx

  3. Scarf, that’s pretty much all I do, lol. I’m new to knitting and could REALLY use this book!

  4. This is a great book! I’m currently tinking back 26 rows on a sweater in laceweight, because I wasn’t paying attention to the pattern. Oops.

  5. Yesterday, I just finished the last of 3 projects for a baby shower that’s this weekend so I don’t currently have anything started right now. But I think my next project will be a pair of winter hats for my dad.

  7. I am knitting a square for a love blanket fore a young teen who comes to my LYS teen group. She had been told her leukemia is back.

  9. Hello Sarah,

    If I’m not too late, I’m interested in any book you’re willing to pass along. Forced into early retirement, I’m utilizing my time crocheting basic hats/scarfs for the homeless. Yes, I’m re-learning both knitting and crocheting all over again. Thank you.

  12. Trying some very simple tube socks out of string–sounds weird but they are just a practice thing until I’m comfortable with it.

  13. I’m sitting here knitting a wool bag that I think I’m going to felt. But all this stockinette makes me want to get distracted by the internet 🙂

Have you read?

Book Review: Viking Knits

Beautiful people and beautiful sweaters combine in Lasse L. Matberg’s Viking Knits. The book includes more than 40 Scandinavian inspired knits for men, women and children featuring textured stitches and colorwork.

Matberg is known as The Viking and has worked as a chef, naval officer, fitness instructor and model, as well as being on a couple of reality TV shows. He comes from a long line of makers and his book was first published in Norwegian in 2021 and has since come out in an English version.

The book is divided into sections including everyday sweaters, knits for the great outdoors, stylish knitwear, Norse sweaters and accessories. Some of the patterns use the same designs in different versions for men, women and children. I counted seven projects rated for beginners, 19 for intermediate knitters and 17 for experienced knitters. The more difficult patterns tend to have allover colorwork or stitch patterning.

The pattern stitches and colorwork are shown in charts, with a little bit of text to tell you how to make the garment. Most of the book is sweaters, but there are also hats (sometimes coordinating with sweaters), scarves and a couple of sitting mats.

You can check out all the patterns on Ravelry. Some of my favorites are the more basic ones, such as the Power Sweater, a close-fitting (sized for men) ribbed sweater; the Heart Sweater, a raglan with allover lice stitch; and the Midsummer Sweater, with textured stripes and a henley neckline. I also like the Breeze designs (there are versions for men, women and children) that have colorwork diamonds on them.

Sizing on the garments varies, but there are six sizes for the men’s patterns (noted as small through XXL and then Lasse sized), six for women (XS to XL) and three for children (age 2-4, 6-8 and 10-12).

The yarns used in the book aren’t available in the United States but you can find suppliers here if you want to use the same yarns. Otherwise the book gives a lot of details about yarn content and gauge so you should be able to find good substitutes wherever you live.

If you have Norwegian or Scandinavian heritage or just like the look of cozy textured or colorful sweaters, this book is a lot of fun, and the eye candy is pretty great, too.

About the book: 192 pages, hardcover, 43 patterns. Published in English in 2023 by Search Press. Suggested retail price $29.95.

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