My husband has told me that if I want to buy some fixed circs from KP, I need to spend at least $50 to not pay s&h. I am not asking him why at all, I am just going with the flow. I have 3 pair of 16 inch circs for some hats along with 3 skeins of sock yarn which adds up to about $32. I have been looking at the books and am lost, I want to spend around $10 per book too. Any know if Knitting in Plain English is any good? What about the EZ books? I am so confused!
Book suggestions from Knitpicks
I checked out the books that looked interesting to me at Amazon and read others reviews of the books and made my choices from there. There are a lot of good books and choices depend on your interests.
You [B]have [/B]to spend enough to get the free shipping? It really isn’t that much, and less than the price of a book.
I am in Canada…I don’t get free shipping frowns
But I do try to spend a decent amount to make the shipping worthwhile…it is only a dollar more for shipping $20 +
I think I’ve only ever ordered less than $20 so use the lowest shipping fee. Even buying 3-4 skeins of yarn and book it came to less than $20.
Knitting in Plain English is pretty good, but I was at the point of only needing a reference book when I got it which makes a lot of it for more of a beginner, so I haven’t read it cover to cover.
It does have things like button holes, a small stitch dictionary and fixing mistakes.
Plus her attitude towards patterns is enlightening.
Sweater Design in Plain English is also good. Even if you only want to modify other patterns.
I got Knits for Men from them and I think most men who are willing to wear any sweaters would find more than one pattern out of it that’s wearable.
There are only 2 garbage filler patterns (ear flap hat and slipper socks). But the smallest finished chest size they have is 44" so I have to work to make the sweaters (which isn’t that bad, see Righetti’s attitude towards patterns).
I also like the Harmony Cable - Aran book.
This coupled with Sweater Design in Plain English would convince you that you could design your own Fisherman’s Sweater.
I just got my KP order yesterday. I bought several books and I did the same as Plantgoddess and searched for other readers reviews on Amazon. You’ll learn a lot about the book that way.
However, there was one book I bought that I regret. I think the book is fairly new, which may explain why I didn’t find many reviews, but here is my two-cents for Knitted Sock Sensations.
I’m was very disappointed to find that several of the sock patterns are knit on two needles and then seamed together. With all of the knit-in-the-round options available for sock knitting (dpn’s, magic loop, 2 circs) I don’t want to bother with sewing up socks. I doubt I’ll knit anything from this book.
Thanks for the suggestions, I bought EZ’s The Knitting Workshop and Knitting in Plain English. I figure that I could use whatever help both of these two could offer me.
Have you looked at Knitting On The Edge? I just checked it out from the library and it looks very interesting. It shows a picture of the knitting and then tells you how to knit each row for Edging. It might be too easy for some but, for me it is intriguing. I also, checked out Sweater Workshop, but some of it is hard for me, just looking at the pictures because, I am left-handed. Very cool book, though. I want the book Knitting Without Tears and Knitting for Tots?, don’t remember the name, exactly. I love looking at Amazon to get an idea. They have so many books.
I have two of the Harmony Stitch Guides (Knit & Purl and Lace & Eyelets) and love them. I just ordered the Cables & Aran one too. I love looking through these books and picking a stitch pattern for a new scarf or dish/wash cloth or stole or wrap.
I never order from knit picks w/out spending $50. Even if shipping is only $3, I could be getting something for the $3. It’s purely psychological, but I get where you DH is coming from on that 
If it were me I’d get a lace sampler. 
Or a sock sampler (you don’t have to make socks with the yarn) or the cotton yarn summer sampler.