Knitting

Patterns, projects and techniques

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

  2. Would be happy to add it to my collection! I’m working on small pouches to be later felted for s fundraising project.

  5. Definitely a great resource that I need in my library. I’m knitting a lace wrap and a sweater right now.

  6. This would be great to help with reminders of certain stitches And cast-on I don’t do often!

  7. I’d love to have this as a reference book. Right now I’m knitting charity chemo hats for toddlers.

  13. I am currently working on a vintage lapghan, a baby hoodie – Yeti from Lionbrand, and lots of dishcloths and scrubbies for Christmas gifts. This book sounds really good and if I don’t win it I will likely buy it. Thanks for the chance to win.

  16. Hi…I would be honored to win the Encyclopedia of Knitting. I currently have 5 WIPs (argh) but am mostly working on a lace knit shawl. Have tinked back twice (not too many rows) because I can’t have a conversation while I knit lace (when will I ever learn!!), but now I am filled with resolve to give it another go with full concentration. Thank you for offering this giveaway! 🙂 –Eunice in Miami

  18. Always looking for ways to improve my knitting and learn some new stitches. Sure wouldn’t mind winning the book.

  19. Would love to win this book. I am always looking to improve my knitting skills. This would be a great help

  21. I am about to retire and learning to knit is on my bucket list. This looks like an invaluable source. I do crochet and right now I am crocheting baby blankets for my soon to be born twin grandbabies.

  22. I’m not working on knitting right now, but next month I start my Christmas projects-and one of them is a “Tree of Life” afghan/throw-very nice!

  23. I’ve recently become disabled & my usual hobbies of DIY & home decorating are sadly no longer feasible so I thought I’d take up knitting. I’m at the knit one, purl one stage!

  24. I’m knitting a scarf for my 8 year old granddaughter, using Red Heart Boutique Swanky. The colour is a beautiful pink called, Berry Glamorous.

  25. I can only knit washrags. Would love to have instructions to knit other items and learn other stitches

  26. I want so badly to learn how to knit. I just asked my cousin yesterday to teach me. But she lives an hour away so this book would definitely help me. Thanks and have a great day!

  27. Would really love to win that book. I knit, but when a stitch I don’t know or forgot I could look them up in your book. We knit a lot for Church charities and that book would really come in handy.
    We knit helmet liners for the soldiers – liners are worn under helmets so that it absorbs moisture and it has to be knitted with
    100% wool. That book would really com in handy for our Mission.

  28. I’m knitting a short lacy cardi with some bamboo yarn I’m trying for the first time.
    It’s nice how you write such a detailed description of the book. Thanks for the giveaways!

  29. I am knitting a throw for our bed. We are finally decorating our master bedroom after years of focusing on the kids rooms and the rest of the house. Would love to have this book as a resource for my knitting, and for teaching my daughters.

  32. I have yet to knit anything,as I am VERY new to knitting! I would love to have this book!I believe it would help me out alot!thanks for the chance to win!

  33. I would love to have this! I am about to start on a cabled scarf and some fingerless gloves for Christmas gifts.

  34. I have the teo crochet books and I still use them, now I want to learn how to knit so this book would be invaluable.

  43. I’m a crocheter (gasp!) but my 23 year old daughter taught her self to knit and I would love to give this book to her. I love to encourage her generation to learn to knit, crochet, cross stitch, etc and make things with their own hands.

  44. I love doing crochet. I am doing a blanket with fabric and crochet for a child. I would love to learn to knit so I can make gloves, hats and scarves for children. Doing things for children is a beautiful thing.

  48. I am working on some crochet baby jackets and a beanie, almost finished my dogs coat as well. The jackets are going to charity as is the beanie. then I will start on making more cat toys for charity.

Have you read?

A Blanket Knitting Pattern Where Yarn Selection is Everything

Many times when I write these posts I will say something like “you can use any yarn you want” or “this would be a great stash-busting project.” That’s just how my mind works. And my stash, too, since I probably have sweater quantity of two or three yarns at most, but tons of singles and odd balls and leftovers.

Blankets are generally a really good way to use up those bits, but in this case, I think you’re going to want to plan it out a bit better.

Looking at photos of the Color Study Blanket from Purl Soho, it looks like it’s made with two yarns held together, and that block in the center is worked with one of each color from the adjoining sides to make a mixed up color.

But that’s not actually how it’s done. This is three separate colors (four, really, with the neutrals in the corners) chosen form a yarn with an expansive palette so they play off each other. The project calls for a worsted weight superwash wool, which is a great choice for a blanket that’s both warm and washable.

This pattern was originally designed by Laura Ferguson and was updated by Hiromi Glover. It is worked in one piece in garter stitch intarsia, which is a great way to learn the intarsia technique if you don’t already know it. It comes in crib or throw sizes.

Despite the introduction to this post, I am going to go ahead and say that, yes, of course you could do this blanket with scraps or odd balls or even just choose five colors that don’t blend together so easily. But I really do love the look of the color play, and I think it would be worth your time to find colors that play well together to get a similar effect.

This pattern is available for free from Purl Soho.

[Photo: Purl Soho]