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Giveaway: The Knitting All Around Stitch Dictionary

May 23, 2016 by Sarah White

knitting all around stitch dictionary giveaway

Martha is the winner!

My love of stitch dictionaries is well documented. They’re so fun to look through, play with and get inspired by.

One of the potential problems with using stitch patterns in projects, though, is that they can look quite different when worked in different ways, such as flat versus in the round or from the top down versus bottom up. And you might want to work different parts of the same garment in different ways (such as bottom up, flat pieces for a cardigan but working the sleeves top down in the round).

Wendy Bernard has devoted a lot of time to thinking about, swatching, twisting and turning stitch patterns so they can be worked in all directions. She’s written two books on the subject: The Up, Down, All Around Stitch Dictionary and her latest, The Knitting All Around Stitch Dictionary.

Both books contain 150 stitch patterns and have instructions — written and charted — for how to work them flat and in the round, top down and bottom up. They are great references whether you want to change the stitch pattern used in a knitting pattern you already have or you want to design something for yourself.

What’s even better about this book is that you can see more of each stitch. When a swatch is reversible, the back of the swatch is shown along with the front side. When a top-down version looks slightly different than the bottom-up version, both versions are now shown. The pictures are large and detailed so you can really see what the patterns look like.

There are also six projects in the book you can knit as they are or change up the stitch patterns, as well as some plain vanilla projects just waiting for you to thrown on a stitch pattern, which is great design practice.

This week I’m giving away a copy of the latest book as well as some Blue Sky Alpaca yarn like what was used in the swatches seen in the book. Thanks to STC Craft for the generous prize!

If you live in the United States and are interested in winning this book, leave a comment on this post before the end of the day Sunday, May 29. I’d love to know if you have any stitch dictionaries and, if you do, if you have a favorite. I have to say volume one of Barbara Walker’s Treasuries of Knitting Patterns is almost never on my shelf because I use it so much!

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

Next Pattern:

  • Book Review - 400 Knitting Stitches: A Complete…
  • Vogue Knitting: The Ultimate Stitch Dictionary
  • Book Review: The New Knitting Stitch Dictionary
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Comments

  1. C A says

    May 23, 2016 at 9:07 am

    I tried knitting in the round. Gave up and used a pattern that gays stitched together.

  2. Cindy Rook says

    May 23, 2016 at 9:51 am

    Hi! this book looks so fun and interesting! I do have 750 Knitting Stitches: The Ultimate Knit Stitch Bible and it’s pretty good, but I am always looking for more inspiration. Thanks for having this giveaway!

  3. maureen says

    May 23, 2016 at 10:08 am

    I have looked at a few but I currently do not have one. I have checked them out of the library before.

  4. knittingdancer says

    May 23, 2016 at 10:12 am

    I have a 365 Knitting Stitches A Year Perpetual Calendar. I usually knit a dishcloth when I am trying out new stitch patterns.

  5. DeBorah Simpson says

    May 23, 2016 at 10:19 am

    Looking at a book of stitches is so encouraging when I want to try something new. The only problem though is being sure about counting those stitches when doing a lace stitch pattern. Love the challenge though.

  6. Linda says

    May 23, 2016 at 10:31 am

    Thank you so much for this giveaway. I hope I am the selected recipient. I have recently retired due to illness and now have time to knit.

  7. Karla Sanneman says

    May 23, 2016 at 10:35 am

    I’very started a knit and crochet group at our library and I need to have great visualservice for my knitters. This sounds like an answer to my prayers.

  8. craftyone says

    May 23, 2016 at 11:10 am

    i would like his since it’s new to me

  9. Margie says

    May 23, 2016 at 11:21 am

    I’m a big fan of stitch dictionaries! Among my faves are the Barbara Walker series and Vogue. I LOVE that the stitches in Wendy’s book are multi-directional!

  10. Karla Oman says

    May 23, 2016 at 11:21 am

    I don’t have any stitch dictionaries… yet! I love getting inspired by new (to me) stitches, so get many, many newsletters, but no compendiums yet. Thank you for considering!

  11. Tracy says

    May 23, 2016 at 11:29 am

    I have “Up, Down, All Around” and I’m kind of obsessed with it. I can’t wait to check out her new one!

  12. Layne Lanpher says

    May 23, 2016 at 11:37 am

    I have the 1977 edition of The Encyclopedia of Knitting & Crochet Stitch Patterns. I haven’t done much with different stitches yet, but I’d like to!

  13. Mary Helene says

    May 23, 2016 at 11:45 am

    No I don’t have any stitch dictionaries but this one looks wonderful.

  14. Helen King says

    May 23, 2016 at 11:57 am

    I do not have any stitch patterns books but I love that it shows the difference from all angles and also front and back.

  15. Peggy R says

    May 23, 2016 at 12:10 pm

    I own the Knitter’s Companion, if that counts, but as soon as I saw the cover to this book, I was in love!! When I saw that Wendy wrote this book, I was practically screaming in my chair!! This is definitely a book that I have to have in my library!! What a useful book- especially due to the fact that I plan on doing some designing soon. Thank you so much for the terrific giveaway, and thank you, STC Craft for making it possible, too!!

  16. Anne Marie says

    May 23, 2016 at 12:13 pm

    I have one, and I think I need a better one. I hear so much about Barbara Walker’s … I really should take a look at it.

  17. kathleen k says

    May 23, 2016 at 12:26 pm

    would love to win this book

  18. Deb says

    May 23, 2016 at 12:51 pm

    What a fantastic book and give away!!!!! Have always wanted a book of patterns, as it would make my knitting life so much easier than spending hours on the internet looking for new stitch patterns.

  19. Lori Maki says

    May 23, 2016 at 1:08 pm

    I would love this book. I love knitting dictionaries but shortly after I learned to knit and was even aware there were these kinds of books I became a ‘gypsy’ moving around in a travel trailer and had no room for extra things. Now that I am in a permanent place again I need to start building my supplies and reference books. Good luck everyone!!!

  20. pat says

    May 23, 2016 at 1:35 pm

    I usually get my stitch information off the internet. I never really thought of a book that would cover this. I just have collected some stitch info. in knitting magazines and off knitting sites. I am a fairly new knitter and this would be very handy to own. thank you for giving us knitters a chance to win this book!!

  21. Joanne D. says

    May 23, 2016 at 2:31 pm

    This would be such a wonderful reference book for my crafting library!

  22. Shawn Touchette says

    May 23, 2016 at 2:38 pm

    I do not have a stitch dictionary, but it would be wonderful to win one. I’m sure it has tons of information I could really use. Thank you.

  23. Kim says

    May 23, 2016 at 2:41 pm

    I don’t have one, I do check them out from the library from time to time.

  24. Alissa says

    May 23, 2016 at 3:29 pm

    What a great resource! I work at a Council on Aging and I’m sure the folks here would appreciate the addition to our resource library!

  25. Maxine Miller says

    May 23, 2016 at 4:14 pm

    I only have a crochet stitch dictionary and it’s an old one. Just learning to knit, I would love to lean other stitches. Thank you for this give away.

  26. jo says

    May 23, 2016 at 4:42 pm

    what a GREAT giveaway!! Someone will be a lucky winner & hope it’s me 🙂

  27. Susan Spiers says

    May 23, 2016 at 4:48 pm

    I do have Two favorite go-to books, Nicky Epstein’s -Knitting On The Edge & Knitting Beyond The Edge- both just wonderful!

  28. yolanda says

    May 23, 2016 at 5:06 pm

    This book looks great!
    At the moment I do not have a
    stitch dictionary…

  29. Lee says

    May 23, 2016 at 5:50 pm

    I do not have a stitch dictionary – I do look up a lot on line! Thank you for the review and awesome giveaway!

  30. Denyalle says

    May 23, 2016 at 6:08 pm

    I have a bunch of stitch dictionaries on my wishlist, but none on my bookshelf yet. Would love to have one!

  31. Karen Hanson says

    May 23, 2016 at 7:21 pm

    I’m new to knitting and would love to have a stitch dictionary. Right now I hit up the ladies at the local yarn store for help. They are awesome!

  32. Heidi Kirsch says

    May 23, 2016 at 7:23 pm

    I have loads of stitch dictionaries, including the 4 Barbara Walker’s. I love how she personally did every single stitch. I have a McCall’s one from the 70’s I found online and a series of them by the British publisher Collins that are probably my favorites (they are republished here under another name) but that’s this month.

  33. Kimberly R says

    May 23, 2016 at 8:01 pm

    This book is fantastic, I don’t have a book like that yet!

  34. Sarah Rahamim says

    May 23, 2016 at 8:38 pm

    I would like to win. I only have one stitch dictionary for Tunisian crochet. I would love to increase my knitting repertoire. Thanks

  35. Karey says

    May 23, 2016 at 9:44 pm

    Stitch dictionaries are great! They are a great reference and inspiration!

  36. Martha says

    May 23, 2016 at 9:51 pm

    I love stitch dictionaries. The spur my creativety

  37. Linda Jones says

    May 23, 2016 at 11:16 pm

    Thank you for the chance to enter this contest. I do not have a stitch dictionary. I am learning, or rather teaching myself, to knit. I variety of stitches would be fun to learn!

  38. yarnaddicted says

    May 24, 2016 at 12:37 am

    I don’t have a stitch dictionary, I would love this one!
    Thanks, Kim

  39. Miranda vandecamp says

    May 24, 2016 at 1:32 am

    I love to knit although I do not live in the US. But fortuntaly if I win the book, I have several friends in the US you can send it to and they will take care of sending it to me! 😉

  40. MelodyJ says

    May 24, 2016 at 4:18 am

    I only have Knitting Stitches VISUAL Encyclopedia. I like it very much.

  41. Debra Wiley says

    May 24, 2016 at 8:11 am

    I love and collect knitting books! The only stitch dictionary I have is one free e-book I downloaded and always forget I have. This book would be a great tool while I am trying to design my own patterns. ooooh, hope I win!

  42. Jstate says

    May 24, 2016 at 9:57 am

    I don’t have any stitch dictionaries. I feel like I’ve finally honed my skills enough to try to shake things up a bit and stray from written patterns. I’ve long admired Wendy’s work and own many of her patterns. She’s one writer I totally understand. 🙂

  43. Debbi says

    May 24, 2016 at 10:46 am

    I do not have one but have checked them out of the library. I knit in the round a lot and so I love Wendy’s first one. I would be so excited to win it and yarn!

  44. aurora fox says

    May 24, 2016 at 11:08 am

    Oh! I just love trying new stitches so I love stitch books!

  45. Margo says

    May 24, 2016 at 2:04 pm

    I have a Mon Tricot stitch dictionary, a Tunisian Crochet stitch dictionary and Up, Down, All-Around. I would love to have Knitting All Around.

  46. Margay says

    May 24, 2016 at 2:30 pm

    I don’t but I want one.

  47. Hayley says

    May 24, 2016 at 3:36 pm

    I don’t have a dictionary but this one seems very useful!

  48. Lilah says

    May 25, 2016 at 3:28 am

    I am always looking for new stitches and techniques. Would be great to have an up to date version.

  49. Becky says

    May 25, 2016 at 1:59 pm

    I always say I’m going to try a new stich, and then I chicken out and do something tried and true. I’d love to win this stich dictionary and branch out!

  50. Betty says

    May 25, 2016 at 6:43 pm

    I do not have a stitch dictionary-would realy like to win this one.

Newer Comments »

Have you read?

Book Review: Knitovation Stitch Dictionary

There’s always room for more stitch dictionaries on your shelf, but Andrea Rangel’s Knitovation Stitch Dictionary is unlike those stitch pattern books you might already own. That’s because this one is full of colorwork stitch patterns rather than textured stitches, lace or cables, so the designs are ripe for adding to hats, sweaters and other projects with a stockinette stitch background. 

The book starts with a quick introduction to knitting colorwork that’s also unlike what you’ve probably seen before, because it’s less about the colors themselves and more about the kinds of fibers you choose, how the yarn is prepared and the gauge you’re working at and how those things all change the look of a design. 

Most of the book is filled with motif designs and swatches. The motifs were designed and named by Andrea’s husband Sean, who is an artist and brings a bit of whimsy to the designs. 

You’ll find some classic looking leaves and flowers, mosaics and waves, but also rubber ducks, penguins, puzzle pieces, cherries and cows, snails and teapots, eyeballs and chess pieces, to name a few. Many of the designs also have funny names, like a fish named toilet bound, or cats in suits called corporate fat cat.

Of course you can use the designs in any way you want on any project you like, but there are also three patterns in the book — for a hat, a sweater and a pair of fingerless gloves — plus discussion of how the motifs were added, adjusting patterns for a different size or gauge, and adding your own motifs. 

If you like adding a bit of colorwork to otherwise plain projects that other people have designed, or you’re ready to start making your own designs with fun motifs, this book is a great place to start. The fun and funny motifs are sure to inspire you to want to pick up your needles and add a little more color to your projects. 

About the book: 160 pages, hardcover, 150+ motifs and three knitting patterns. Published 2023 by Interweave, suggested retail $28. 

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