If you only buy one stitch dictionary there is something very wrong with you. Stitch dictionaries are the best reading ever. I read them in bed but then again, maybe that’s just me.
I have a decent sized collection and I’m finding that as my collection grows more of the patterns are doubling up. I still want to get books 3 and 4 in the Barbara Walker series and maybe an Estonian lace book, but I’m probably ok for now in terms of general stitchionaries.
One of my favourites is from Reader’s Digest. It’s in-print, readily available (I got mine from Dymocks in Collins St, Melbourne), and is a pleasure to read.
The writers (knitters?) are Lesley Stanfield and Melody Griffiths. I have a few books from Lesley Stanfield dedicated to knitting flowers, leaves and edgings. She’s seems to be a bit of a guru when it comes to pretty little extras.
Melody Griffiths passed away in 2009, but was an art-school trained designer whose patterns just seem to be everywhere.
The thing I like best about this book is that it offers a lot more variety than most stitch dictionaries of its size without being overloaded. Instead of having forty different knit/purl combination ribs it has a couple of really good ones that are distinct from each other.
I think of it like the two supermarkets in my town. One has eighteen different types of shampoo but you can’t get sheet gelatine, polenta or rosewater (I know, antediluvian). The other only has six different types of shampoo but you can buy not only gelatine, polenta and rosewater but also halva, wonton skins, persimmons and a nice fresh leg of goat for your Sunday roast.
Instead of over-catering for the most common shopping needs, they supply them more modestly so they can free-up shelf space for less common delights.
That’s how I see this book. Enough of the standards to meet your needs comfortably and a generous helping of more unusual stitches.
Having said that, the “more unusual” stitches are not crazy or more interesting in theory than practice; they are just lovely stitches that you don’t see too often.
The books is broken up into sections, Knit and Purl, Cables, Twisted Stitches etc and at the beginning of each section is a picture of each stitch it contains. This is very handy for comparing designs side-by-side.
Within the sections each stitch is either written out, charted or both where relevant. Those who hate charts might not like that some designs have no written out instructions. I usually prefer written out instructions but I found the charts very easy to use.
For the number and variety of patterns – and a special section on bobbles! – I absolutely recommend you go out and buy this book NOW. Even if you are not into design, it makes wonderful bedtime reading.
