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Some of my favorite knitting books. I had some of the ones I use a lot -- the Charlene Schurch mitten book, the Harmony stitch guide and the "Sweater Workshop" book -- spiral bound so that they'd lie flat. You can get this done at an Office Depot-type store, and I can't recommend it enough. The cost is nominal, and it makes the books much easier to use.
(Mary Mooney/The Oregonian)
A few weeks ago, a Facebook meme asked people to name 10 books that had influenced them. I started doing it after a friend asked, then got distracted by the number of knitting books on my list.
When we think about books that influence us, we think of works that challenge our beliefs, show us beauty and make us look at the world a little differently. Plenty of people doing that book meme pointed to Shakespeare, to Dickens, to Faulkner. I get that. But when you make things with your hands, you understand that those concepts apply to crafting, too. When I create things for people, I'm giving them a piece of me. So below, in no particular order, is a list of books that have helped me with that; these works have helped me translate what's in my head and heart into my hands, to create something lasting. As far as I'm concerned, that makes them Great Books for all time.
"Knitting in Plain English," "Crocheting in Plain English" and "Sweater Design in Plain English" by Maggie Righetti. In the early '90s, I picked up a copy of "Crocheting in Plain English" in a Goodwill store in New York for a buck or so. It changed my life. It made me fall in love with crochet, and the writer's chatty style made me pick up "Knitting in Plain English," which launched me as a knitter, and "Sweater Design in Plain English," which made me believe I didn't have to slavishly follow patterns. Reading these is like having a wise auntie teach you crafting. And she's an auntie given to pronouncements like "Buttonholes are bastards!" (Actual chapter title from "Knitting in Plain English.")
"Socks Soar on Two Circular Needles" by Cat Bordhi. The book that launched countless sock knitters. Prior to this book, there had been a few articles about ditching double-pointed needles and using two circulars. But Cat Bordhi took the idea and ran with it, and she turned it into a fun run that revolutionized sock knitting. Don't even think about learning to knit socks without checking this out first.
"The Sweater Workshop" by Jacqueline Fee. This book will teach you everything you need to know about knitting a sweater, and its most important lesson is that sweater-knitting needn't be scary. Fee serves up a series of techniques and templates to help you design your own seamless garments. The book is thorough and fun, and you come away inspired.
"Cast On Bind Off 54 Step-by-Step Methods" by Leslie Ann Bestor. I reviewed this for this blog in 2012, and at the time I told you that "every blessed one of us needs this book." It's true. It's an unbeatable reference for every conceivable kind of cast on or bind off. Clear directions, excellent photography and packed with information you never knew you needed but which will improve every single thing you make. And its small size — 5 1/2 inches by 7 inches — and spiral binding make it something you can keep in your knitting bag. Buy the book. You need it.
"The Yarn Whisperer: My Unexpected Life in Knitting" by Clara Parkes. It has not a single pattern or one technique. It recommends no specific yarns or needles. But it's still one of the best knitting books I've ever read. I reviewed it in 2013, and it blew me away. Clara Parkes is a gifted, passionate writer who artfully expresses sentiments held in every knitter's heart. It's distinctly odd to read a stranger's words and feel as though they were plucked from your own brain, but boy, is it rewarding. I love this book.
"The Joy of Knitting" by Lisa Myers. Hard to find, but worth tracking down. Lisa R. Myers owned the now-defunct Sophie's Yarns in Philadelphia, and she wrote a small book that neatly captured some of the inspiration and, yes, joy, of knitting. With chapters addressing things like color, texture, knitting gifts and the community of knitting, she highlights things we love and shows us how to use them better. Each chapter ends with a simple pattern, too, as an extra bonus.
"Sensational Knitted Socks" and "More Sensational Knitted Socks" by Charlene Schurch. Pair these books with Cat Bordhi's "Socks Soar on Two Circular Needles," and there's nothing — nothing — you can't do as a sock knitter. Mix and match the templates in the Schurch books and create the socks of your dreams. Absolutely endless inspiration.
"Knitting Marvelous Mittens: Ethnic Designs from Russia" by Charlene Schurch. Sort of the mitten version of Schurch's sock books. Glorious ethnic patterns that offer knitting challenges on a small scale. These mittens are gorgeous and warm, and they're a great way to get used to two-color knitting.
"The Harmony Guide to Knitting Stitches" — any one of the volumes. Everyone needs a stitch dictionary, and this is mine. I use it all the time. Clear pictures and easy-to-follow directions make this a win. Pair this with the "Sweater Workshop" book I mentioned earlier, and you can start designing a garment.
Any of the books in the Cascade "60 Quick Knits" series, including but not limited to: "60 Quick Knits," "60 More Quick Knits," "60 Quick Luxury Knits," "60 Quick Knits from America's Yarn Shops" and "60 Quick Baby Blankets." Much like Cascade yarns themselves, these are gorgeous, versatile and practical. And again, much like Cascade yarns, every single one's a winner. A great starting point for gift knitting.
"Vogue Knitting: The Ultimate Knitting Book." The bible. Great all-purpose reference book with terrific illustrations. If you can only get one reference book, get this one.
"Knitting for Peace" by Betty Christiansen. As a dedicated charity knitter, I adore this book. It's got profiles of groups that accept charity knitting, patterns you can use for charity knitting and suggestions on starting your own knitting charity drive. It's a great resource, and every time I pick it up I come away warmed at the thought of all the kindness, generosity and creativity in the crafting community.
"Annetarsia" by Anne Berk. A new entry into the knitting world, and an important one. This month's issue of Vogue Knitting magazine singles this out as "an indispensable resource" and hails Berk as an "outside-the-box thinker . . . moving the craft forward in such an important way." I've said it before, I'll say it again: What Cat Bordhi did for socks, Anne Berk is doing for intarsia. If you have any interest whatsoever in intarsia — or if you think you hate intarsia because it's too hard — you need this book.
"Comfort: A Journey Through Grief" by Ann Hood. Strictly speaking, this isn't a knitting book. But every knitter or crocheter who picks it up will understand it. Ann Hood lost her 5-year-old daughter, Grace, to a virulent form of strep, and knitting became the lifeline that helped her through her grief. There are no patterns here, and the knitting part is mostly confined to a single chapter. But this is a book that resonates deep in the soul. It's not an easy read, but it's a highly worthwhile one.
What are your favorite crafting books? I'd love to hear. Chime in on the comments!
— Mary Mooney