250 Japanese Knitting Stitches: The Original Pattern Bible from Japan's Most Famous Knitting Guru

by Hitomi Shida, Gayle Roehm (Translator)

250 Japanese Knitting Stitches contains the original collection of knitting stitches first published by Hitomi Shida in 1996. Copies of the original Japanese edition have been jealously coveted by knitters around the world, and now Tuttle Publishing brings you this classic in English for the first time!

Hitomi Shida's previous work, the Japanese Knitting Stitch Bible was released by Tuttle in October 2017 and has already been purchased (and tested) by thousands of avid knitters who are thrilled to discover a treasure trove of elegant and intricate new patterns. 250 Japanese Knitting Stitches was Hitomi Shida's first effort and, like its successor, is filled with her highly original and beautiful designs and variations on knitting classics.

Translated and introduced by veteran knitting instructor Gayle Roehm, the best-known teacher of Japanese knitting in America. Roehm guides knitters through the particulars of the patterns and explains how to execute the stitches.

This knitting reference book features the Shida's finished projects are a wonder to behold and accomplished knitters will brave even the most daunting of stitch patterns to create them. Filled with 250 distinctive and inventive patterns—with a stitch diagram and photo for each pattern—this highly anticipated book is destined to be on every knitter's bookshelf.

Genres: Knitting, Nonfiction, Crafts, Reference, Japanese Literature, Japan

160 pages, Paperback

First published November 1, 2005

Reviews

[Ringa Sruogienė · Rating 3 out of 5]

Už 1958 m. K. Žirgulienės "Mezgimas" geresnės raštų knygos kol kas nepavyko rasti.

[Nostalgia Reader]

As amazing (if not slightly more amazing?) than Shida's other stitch dictionary. Although there are 10 fewer stitches in this volume, they are even more complex and gorgeous and simply amazing to look through. It's incredibly difficult for me to pick out just a few to use for project!

I HIGHLY recommend these books to any knitters who love a good challenge and enjoy incorporating stitch patterns into their basic pattern recipes.

Simply amazing stuff.

[Charlotte · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great collection of stitches. I'm also very happy with knitting resource books that are just that, and don't spend half the book explaining to me what a knitting needle is.

I'll be bookmarking many a sample here - and I'm already thinking of how to incorporate them in projects. Speaking of, the back promises images of completed garments and full patterns - have seen none. I don't mind too much - knitting patterns go out of fashion so quickly, but stitches are stitches.

Errata: pattern 192 and 198 have the same picture but shouldn't be identical.

[Shawn · Rating 5 out of 5]

An indispensable book that was instrumental for me learning to read Japanese patterns.

[Ashley Lambert-Maberly · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not really a reading book, it's a collection of stitches. I read the introduction, scanned the stitch patterns, and have worked my way through a particular example (in the companion volume). This is going to be a great resource--the patterns are gorgeous, and doable, despite the initial OMG that most of us would feel when we see them for the first time!

Both volumes are structurally identical: it could easily be "Japanese Stitches Volume One and Two".

P.S. If you ever have a chance to take a class with Gayle (the translator/introducer) do it, she's wonderful, very good at explaining carefully how to interpret Japanese patterns.

(Note: 5 stars = amazing, wonderful, 4 = very good book, 3 = decent read, 2 = disappointing, 1 = awful, just awful. I'm fairly good at picking for myself so end up with a lot of 4s).

[Ligaya · Rating 5 out of 5]

These Japanese knitting dictionaries from Tuttle are always so exciting for me to discover! This one is particularly beautiful. The knit swatches are clear and legible with the yarn colors neither interfering nor obscuring what is going on in the swatch. The accompanying stitch diagrams, way too small to comfortably read, are a wonder in interpreting in 2-d what one sees adjacent in 3-d. Enlarging these diagrams are a definite necessity! If you are into complex knit patterns, you will love this book!

[Laryn · Rating 5 out of 5]

A must-have for any knitter's pattern book collection, but the ability to read/follow a chart is a MUST. The book does provide an extensive key to read the charts, so if you can't read charts going into this book, you can certainly learn. You'll want to after seeing the gorgeous knitting stitches showcased in this book!

[Gen · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's out in ENGLISH and I'm contemplating buying this version as well as the Chinese version I already have. This is an amazing source for ANY knitting and I highly recommend it.

[Judi · Rating 4 out of 5]

So many beautiful patterns. Will borrow again if designing something special.

[Jo-Ann · Rating 5 out of 5]

Edging 224 on p 138

[Elizabeth · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was hoping for larger variety in stitch repeat length, but apart from that, the patterns look very versatile and easy to follow. Looking forward to using them on a shawl or cowl.

[Todd · Rating 1 out of 5]

The clarity of the graph patterns is not useful. You cannot knit from this digital book.

[Ella Ferro · Rating 5 out of 5]

The patterns in this book are very well laid out and easy to follow. If you know how to read patterns you can use this book easily even though the text is in Japanese. The patterns are stunningly beautiful and buying it was well worth it.

[Laurie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book's English subtitle is Knitting Patterns Book 250; author H. Shida.

[Cyndi]

This book looks like it might be a good way to learn Japanese charts. But the patterns are mostly way too fussy and complicated for my taste.