As much as I LOVE this forum and website for help, when I’m knitting, I tend not to be near my computer and am looking for a book to keep by my side while I learn this craft. I’ve been searching through recommendations for Amazon, and have bought a couple of books, but I’d love the experienced knitters to give me recommendations on any knitting “bibles” they have that would take me through my beginning stages all the way to advanced (if such a book exists).
Thanks!
[FONT=Comic Sans MS][SIZE=3][COLOR=deepskyblue]I recommend “KNITFIX” 
(don’t know the author; I got it from the library once)…it helped me save a sweater on which I had made the neckline too tight to go over the head. I haven’t found THAT information in any other book. It has answers to all kinds of snaffoos that you can run into ![/COLOR][/SIZE][/FONT]
Dotty,
Thanks for the info on that book! A book that, when I’m unable to bug everyone here, can help me to repair my “oh craps!”:wall:
I’ll see if I can find it.
The Knitting Answer Book!
Another vote for the Knitting Answer Book (about $15). I’ve been knitting for years and find this one covers both basics and more advanced techniques.
My favorite is [B][U]Knit Fix [/U][/B]by Lisa Kartus. Great instructions with illustrations in color. So far I have not had a knitting problem that isn’t covered in this book. I always keep it close by when I’m knitting. I love it!
Others that I really like are [B][U]Knitters Companion [/U][/B]by Vicki Square, and [B][U]A to Z of Knitting[/U][/B] by Country Bumpkin.
I think all of these books are available on Knit Picks if you want to take a peek.
AGREE!!!..just bought it from amazon.com …
but, i think you have to complete this book with other handbook…i bought Elaine Rowley’s The knitter’s handbook…
Because KA is not kind of tutorial for me…the format is Q&A…so it consists of many question of knitters experiencing difficulty in knitting…so, it’s like tips’ book for me…but it completes the knitter’s handbook i’ve ordered (and vice versa)…
The knitter’s handbook is a very to-the-point handbook…no story here and there…just tutorial picture along with tutorial words there…great format…not confusing like matching words with pictures…i like this kind of book…
the table of content is great, too…it’s grouping like decrease group, increase group…
but i have a little trouble in reading it’s chart…i don’t know…editorial mistake or it was just it’s symbol…so, i use other references i got from internet (www.tatao-tatao.com) and knitting answer book…they got matched…so, that’s what i use…
i have a lot of handbook coming in (i’m ordering it) from my local book…japanese knitting book…and i think for some cases you still have to see video tutorial here…
one tutorial is never enough for me…:???:
some people recommend me for stitchNbitch…but i don’t have any feeling about that book…but may be this book is good, too:shrug:
I like the Knitter’s Companion. It’s small enough to fit in my knitting bag and is a great general reference book.
Vogue Knitting is large but it has everything you need!!! I also just got the Knitter’s Companion and it’s a wonderful reference!
Also, any of Elizabeth Zimmerman’s books (I have Knitting Workshop) are invaluable resources!! :knitting:
I just bought the knitter’s bible by Claire Crompton. It has been a great look up book. Has beginner and advanced techniques.
My goodness, I have over 50 books (book junkie) and I still refer to “Knitting for Dummies” before any other book! We picked up this kit and a skein of yarn at Michaels 3 years ago and there’s a small booklet inside, well, it taught the very basics…I then saw Knittng for Dummies and learned so much from it…and, like I said, still reference it from time to time! I highly recommend it!
I too would say vogue knitting, though in Swedish it’s called “bonniers stora bok om stickning”, it’s really nice. I’ve looked at all the knitting books at my library, yep I’m cheap :teehee:, and this was definitly the only one I’d ever consider buying.
I would suggest “Knitting in Plain English” by Maggie Righetti. It solved all my knitting problems – until I found KH!
When I first started knitting I never used a knitters handbook. If I needed to refer to anything .I used whatever knit magazine I had on hand. All of them usually have a section in the magazine on basic techniques.
Didn’t get a knitters handbook till after about a year into knitting. It is long gone and have found this finishing technique book , http://www.amazon.com/Martingale-Company-Knitters-Finishing-Techniques/dp/B000QHDCKM/ref=sr_1_2/105-6359716-1480436?ie=UTF8&s=home-garden&qid=1187442793&sr=8-2 ( I’m the worst at finishing ) 
They are. In my opinion, if you have all 4 of her books (the 5th was compiled from her notes after she died), than you don’t need any other books. If you want to start out on the right foot, get The Knitting Workshop.
I still find myself referring to Stitch and Bitch more than any other book (and I have loads to choose from). Second favorite is Knitting for Dummies.
It must always be worth having books recommended, so forgive me if reviving this very old topic is annoying, or if I’m doing so in the wrong place - I’m new-ish to this wonderful forum so may have got it wrong here!! But anyway, just on the unlikely chance that this book has never been mentioned, I wanted to share what has been a very good experience for me, and perhaps might be for some others? I’ve tried and learned and kept and abandoned lots and lots of techniques in this never-ending journey that is knitting - there’s so much to learn! The book with which I am at my absolute happiest, that certainly won’t be everyone’s cup of tea, but that I find endlessly interesting, particularly when I really just want to relax and enjoy knitting - it’s totally simple but creates extraordinarily beautiful textures - is “Sequence Knitting” by Cecelia Campochiaro. It’s horribly expensive but I’ve used it more than any other book so, for me, it’s been the best knitting book investment I’ve made. One of the reviews on Amazon complains about it’s lack of colour and variation and patterns; it’s not meant to be that, it’s more of a dictionary but of a very specific method. And as for the lack of colour, think more Zen, more relaxing, gentler, peaceful, monochromatically aesthetically restful!! If you are into the math, well, that’s doubtless fascinating - I’m not very mathematically orientated, but can appreciate that it’s clever! I just don’t worry about how it’s achieved, so much as marvel at WHAT can be achieved with the addition or subtraction of one stitch - amazing. The repetitive and simple sequences are better than any therapy I’ve every heard of! The sequence knitting is eye-opening and the spiral knitting just lovely. Highly recommended for a certain kind of knitter, entirely understood that it’s not for everyone, but do check it out!!