Webigail

I have to start of by mentioning that I was not even sure why I ordered The Knitting Answer Book, by Margaret Radcliffe, other than the rave reviews it received at amazon. However, now that I have had the book for a couple of weeks, I can whole-heartedly say that it was a good buy.First, let me just mention that is definitely a take-along book. It’s small enough to fit into just about every bag. It measures 6 ^1/2 x 4 ^3/4 x 1, and yes…I did measure. It has a great sturdy, cloth spine and hard covers; it’s designed for long usage and wear-n-tear.

As for the contents of The Knitting Answer Book, the questions-n-answers format initially threw me off. Naturally, I opened the book, right in the middle, jumped right in. I never stopped to think that it would be a FAQ for knitting, but that’s what it is and I love it.

The contents lists the organization of the book. For instance, if you are having trouble reading patterns, you will want to refer to chapter 6. It’s really that simple. There are tons of black and white illustrations throughout the book, so you get a great visual. The book is just like having your own personal instructor, right in your pocket.

This book ROCKS!

It’s as simple as that.

Who is this book for? It’s for anyone who knows the essential techniques of knitting: casting on, binding off, knit, purl. I am a beginning knitter and find that the patterns are well written. Each pattern is detailed row-by-row.

What’s in the book? You get 500 hundred…yep, I said five-hundred patterns. There are 400 pages and not enough time to tell how marvelous each pattern is, even the simple knit-purl combos. It’s hard to imagine anyone would ever bore of this book as it includes: ribbings, color-changing patterns, twist stitch, lace and much more.

Comments: The fact that this book was first published in the 1960′s and has been re-published, says something about it’s contributions to knitting and the author, Barbara G. Walker. I personally, own some older knitting books, and although there is still much to be gained, the patterns actually look outdated, out of season. A Treasury of Knitting Patterns can be used for years to come. The only thing that shows as proof that it’s an older publication is the use of the original black and white photos.

Had I known about A Treasury of Knitting Patterns series, I would never have purchased some of the other books that I  have, as this book contains just about every thing I’d every need, as far as stitch references go.