Knitting Tips and Trade Secrets Expanded: Clever Solutions for Better Hand Knitting, Machine Knitting and Crocheting

by Threads, Mary Galpin Barnes (Introduction)

Here is a compendium of clever and creative techniques for solving common hand knitting, machine knitting and crocheting problems. This handy reference has everything from choosing yarn to blocking and assembling a garment, including how to cast on perfectly, machine knit a tuck, make an easy bobble, manage yarn in multicolored knitting, correct an uneven crochet edge, follow an intricate pattern, soften an itchy sweater, reinforce a shoulder seem, and knit a perfect buttonhole. Knitters and crocheters of all skill levels will find more than one solution to every problem. These tips represent the best from Threads' popular Tips column, and they are clearly explained and illustrated to make all your knitting easier.

Genres: Knitting, Crafts, Nonfiction

128 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1996

Reviews

[Margie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good tips. A bit poorly organized.
Naturally some tips will be useful, while some will address issues I'll never face (machine knitting, for example).

[Donna Siebold · Rating 3 out of 5]

Might be a good resource if you have a specific issue and are looking to resolve it. It is difficult to read straight through and retain what you are seeing.

[yoli · Rating 3 out of 5]

This had some handy stuff but um, there was a whole section about adding shoulder pads and how a certain method of seaming was good because it added "welcome bulk under the shoulders." All I have to say is that I doubt the publication date if 1996.

There were helpful tips though, that is not to be overlooked, but about 20 pages were useless to me because it was on machine knitting and their long-tail cast on was absolutely bizarre. I did enjoy their section about steeks and ways to get around traditional steeking. I've never done it before and it is unofficially on my list of things to try in 2009 but apparently you have a lot of ends to weave in normally? Bleh! I am so saving the end-weaving free tips for when I try.

[Amber · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a great book to have on your shelf as a reference! I thought I would read through and pick up a tip here or there, but there is just too much good info for just a library read. The illustrations are very clear and there are so many great little tips I have never heard of before. I will have to buy this book for my own knitting library sometime.

[Linda · Rating 1 out of 5]

Complete waste of money! Badly organized is putting it mildly. Also, despite "machine knitting" being on the cover, there are only a handful of machine knitting tips, and they're so general that anyone with a knitting machine will surely find the same tips in their machine's manual.

[Julie]

basement