Monday 4 November 2013

Book Review Stitch 'n Bitch Superstar Knitting Go Beyond the Basics



Photo from Amazon


Knitters: It's time to take it to the next level. And who better than Debbie Stoller to show you how. The expert knitter and gifted, edgy author who introduced knitting to a new generation with her New York Times best seller, Stitch 'N Bitch: The Knitters Handbook, now shows her readers how to do more - lots more. Stitch 'N Bitch Superstar Knitting is the only knitter's handbook to teach the full array of advanced knitting techniques and skills, such as double-knitting, knitting lace, complicated colour work, beading, and more. Writing with the clarity that makes her such an effective teacher, and the attitude that got her dubbed 'knitting superstar', Stoller explains how to 'knit by the numbers', get creative with stripes, embellish with crochet, beading, and I-cords; how to make cable patterns; and how to use colour forms. There's also a whole section on DIY - which gives a tutorial on creating your own knitting patterns.
                                                                                                                  

Part One
Introduction

Chapter One
The Stitches
Rows are Red, Rows are Blue
Colour Knitting Using One Colour at a Time
Making Clean Colour Changes in Ribbing
The Unappreciated Slip Stitch
Colour by Numbers
Slip Stitching in the Round
Two Colour Tubular Knitting
Double Knitting

Chapter Two
Knit if You Will, a Picture
Creating Images with Intarsia
The Rules of the Game
The Right Yarn for the Job
Yarn Lengths in Intarsia
Making a Figure Eight Yarn Bobbin
Adding a New colour Yarn
Linking Your Yarns Together
Tight Knit Edges
Combining Intarsia and Stranded Knitting
Crocheting Vertical Colour Columns
Nip Tuck Finishing
Intarsia in the Round

Chapter Three
Strand and Deliver
Two Colour Knitting Using The Stranded Technique
Finding the Right Yarn Hold
Float Like a Butterfly
Yarn Dominance 
How To Catch Floats, Catching Techniques for Different Hand Holds
Lets Talk About Steeks Baby
Different Steeks for Different Freaks
Picking Up Stitches on Steeked Projects

Chapter Four
Cables and Bits
Adding Texture in Your Knitting with Cables, Twisted Stitches, Bobbles and More
Look Ma No Needle
Cable Guide
Travelling Stitches
2 Stitch Crosses and Twists
Bavarian Twisted Switch
Fake it Till you Make It
How to Fix Miscrossed Cables
The Colour Cable
Adjusting Your Fabric for Cables
Bobble Heads

Chapter Five
Lace
The Final Frontier
Selecting Your Materials
The Lace Knitter's Tool Kit
Yarn Overs and Decreases
Reading Lace Charts
The Hole Story of Creating Lace
Lace Bandages, Preventing and Dealing with Mistakes
Who You Calling a Faggot?
Shaping in Lace Knitting
Cast Ons and Bind Offs for Lace
Blocking Lace
Know Your Nupps

Chapter Six
Knit Bling Bling
Adding a Little Sumpin Sumpin With Beads and Embroidery
Beads on a Wire
Beading Between the Lines
The Bead Goes On
All Over Bead Knitting
By Hook or By Crook
Embroidery on Knitting
Stitching Like a Big Girl

Chapter Seven
Stitch Witchery
A Useful Assortment of Stitches
Start Me Up
Provisional Cast Ons
Tubular Cast Ons
Happy Endings
A Smorgasbord of Increases and Decreases
Kitchener Stitch
Every Which Way
Cords
Buttonhole Surfers
Short Rows

Part Two
How to Create Your Own Patterns

Chapter Eight
DIY Design It Yourself
Stitching, Swatching, Measuring and Drafting
Dream a Little Dream
Sketch and Kvetch
Swatch Watch
Pattern Drafting
Measure Twice, Knit Once
Gauge
Measuring Up
Taking Body Measurements for Pattern Drafting
Knitting by the Numbers

Chapter Nine
Drop It, Like It's Hot
Drafting a Drop Shoulder Sweater
Filling in the Measurements
Filling in the Stitches
All About Ease
Writing Out the Pattern
The Magic Formula
Modified Drop Shoulder

Chapter Ten
From Rags to Riches
Drafting Reglan Sleeve and Circular Yoke Sweaters
Filling in the Measurements
Filling in the Stitches
The Perfect Sleeve Cap Width
Writing Out the Pattern
Reglan in the Round
Circular Yoke Sweater
Placing
designs and Futzing with the Formulas

Chapter Eleven
Bringing Out the Big Guns
The Set In Sleeve Sweater
Filling in the Measurements
Filling in the Stitches
Writing out the Pattern

Chapter Twelve
Details, Details
Necklines, Cardigan Bands and Estimating Yarn Amounts
Ring Around the Collar
Designing a Cardigan
I'm with the Band
How Much Yarn? You Do the Math
One, Two pick up a Stitch
Abbreviations

Part Three

The Patterns
Colour Basics and atitch Witchery
Dress to Impress Baby Dress
Dutch Touch Skirt
Baby Corn Dress
Tulip Top
Rococo Shawl
Tiptoe Socks

Intarsia and Stranded Knitting
Squirrelly Mittens
Hip Hop Blanket
Steeks and Stones Cardigan
The Life aquatic Sweater
Skull Isle Socks
Button it Kid Sweater
Lotus Bag
Sheepy Time Kid's Sweater
Bookish Cardigan
In Bloom Bag

Cables, Bobbles and Travelling Stitches
Sea and Surf Sweater
Colourful Cable Hat
Gretel Tam
Dog O Matic Doggie Sweater
Love Me or Leaf Me Bag
Little Red Riding Hoodie
Lattice Top
Fertility Blanket
saxon the City Stockings
Laced Up Socks

Lace
Frilly Frilly Scarf
No Plastic Please Mest Tote
Crush Shrug
The Empire Strikes Back Dress
Nip Tuck Sweater
English Mesh Lace Sweater
Leafy Lace Cardigan
Sweetheart Sweater
Haiku Sweater
Flirty Knee Highs

Beads and Embroidery
Beatrice Gloves
Coco Cardigan
Sparkle Sweater
Moonshine Wristlets
Tiger Lily Stuffed Animal
                                                                                                                                      
Stitch 'n Bitch Superstar Knitting is available from Amazon




Disclosure: I buy sewing books from on-line shops with my own money, I am not being paid for writing this review. All my reviews are honest and on things that I genuinely love and would recommend to my readers. 

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