• STO-28182

• 019628128188

• Brand New Item / Unopened Product

• Workman Publishing

Knitting is hot, with 4 million newcomers in the last few years joining a core group of 38,000,000 knitters nationwide. And these are primarily young, creative, connected chicks with sticks who are coming together in living rooms, knitting cafes, and chic yarn stores, and making everything from funky hats to bikinis.

In Stitch 'n Bitch, Debbie Stoller-founder of the first Stitch 'n Bitch knitting group in New York City-covers every aspect of knitting and the knitting-together lifestyle: the how-to, the when-to, the what-to, the why-to. Writing with wit and attitude (The Knitty-Gritty, Blocking for Blockheads), she explains the different types of needles and yarns (and sheep, too) and all the techniques from basic to fancy, knit to purl to cast-off. She also shares her special brand of corrective surgery for when things go wrong, and offers fun and informative sidebars on such topics as how to find the best yarn for less, how to make a buttonhole, knitting etiquette, and what tools to keep in your knitting bag. At the heart of the book are forty stylish patterns: Alien Scarf, Big Bad Baby Blanky, Mohair Hoodie, Kitty and Devil Hat, Cell Phone Cozy, and Wonder Woman Bikini. And for anyone interested: how to start a Stitch 'n Bitch group.

My assessment of this book is that it is ideal for the beginner. The book very clearly takes you through all the stitches and techniques step by step, with helpful illustrations, and it also provides lots of resources for yarn, patterns and supplies. And, beyond beginning, it makes a good reference when you're working on other projects. If you're an experienced knitter, it's probably not the book for you, because many of the patterns ARE basic (as noted by the reader from CA below who didn't like the scarf patterns). But I will tell you, my sister-in-law simply ADORES her baby blanket that I lovingly made from this book as my first project! It looks like the heirloom I intended it to be!

I now consider myself a fairly experienced knitter, and I owe it mostly to this book. I will offer a word of caution, though...I'm currently working on one of the more complex patterns, the "Little Black Top," and I'm finding that the instructions could be more explicit. Especially since this book seems to be aimed at newer knitters, too much is left to the knitter's intuition (like which decrease stitch you should use, etc.). But overall, I'd say it's a really good resource for new knitters.

190 of 208 found the following review helpful:


An Almost Naughty Guide To The Fascinating World Of Knitting-Everything from Choosing Yarn To Choosing A Man!  Nov 10, 2005 By Peter V. Cannice "Peter Vincent Cannice of Scottsdale Arizona"
For an Italian guy who grew up surrounded by Mom and Grandma knitting, reading Stitch 'N Bitch was totally interesting to read. I purchased 2 copies as gifts for the upcoming holidays. Just for fun, I started to read the introduction of the book. Before I knew it, I found myself interested enough in it to fisnish reading it in one sitting. It was too late to start wrapping, so I headed to bed with a sort of giggle in my voice. No-I didn't feel like one of the girls. Instead, I found great information about everything from the newest types of knitting to ways in which an individual could start a knitting group.

I can tell you, very honestly, that it's not a typical book for a typical guy to read. However, I DO feel that they should market this great little book to anyone who ever was surrounded or affected by knitting. For anyone who is even thinking about started to knit, this book is intended for you. Knitting is, once again, becoming more popular than ever.

When I was growing up, as a young boy in an Italian area in New York, every Saturday my Mother, Grandmother and Aunts would travel to one or more fabric stores to find the best deals on yarn and supplies. Knitting was a part of all of our lives. It was not uncommon to walk into our house on a Saturday evening and find my Mom and Grandmom and 5 other women-all finding a special place in the living room where they could knit and converse.

My Grandmother was my very best friend. When she passed away, my Mom and Dad were in charge of their Estate and asked me to give them a list of everything that I wanted from Grandmas home.
When I talked to them I told them that I already had everything I wanted-it was the great memories that I had with her and my Grandfather. I did, however, ask for one or two of her afghans and her knitting box. They were surprised at my request as I didn't want for anything more than the memories we had shared and some of her finely knitted afgans. And when they arrived, during the cold winter weather in Iowa, I was elated and reminded of what a great life I had with her and what an awesome crocheter and knitter she was.

I guess my story might be different than some other reviewers. I'm certain that I didn't include all of the many great details of this incredible book on knitting. Perhaps that will entise you, even more, to purchase a book that even a man found to be interesting and full of pizzaz.

Stitch 'N Bitch: The Knitter's Handbook is an amazing book that takes knitting to a level that one would never expect. You'll be transported deeply into the fascinating relationships that can take place when one knitter interacts with another. It doesn't matter whether you're a novice or a professional as all knitters have a couple of things in common-they are determined to create a great finished product and they enjoy good gossip.

You'll find all the necessary tools of the trade for your new knitting project. The book literally covers much more than I expected-everything from types of yarn to use to chatting with other knitters on the Internet. I enjoyed reading it and I felt so strongly about it that I wanted to put together some sort of review. And I pray that at least part of this review was helpful to you.

Warm Regards and Happy Knitting!

[...]

34 of 35 found the following review helpful:


How To Make A Good Knitting Guide Even Better. . .  Mar 30, 2006 By M. R. Graves
I concur with the great reviews this book has gotten, and have recommended it to many people who have commented on my knitting projects on the subway. One thing with which I fault this book (and Ms. Stoller's subsequent ones) is that TRADE PAPERBACKS DON'T LIE FLAT. This was surely an oversight on the part of the publishers.

Here's a fix: Take this book to Kinkos -- or its equivalent in your area -- and have them shave off the binding and spiral bind it. The cost is minimal and it makes it much easier to use if you're just beginning to knit and need to study the illustrations.

Happy knitting!

44 of 48 found the following review helpful:


Great projects for a first time knitter  Jan 16, 2004
I only own one other book on knitting, but I was convinced that I couldn't learn from a book. I mean if something titled "How to Knit in Plain English" was too much for me, then where could I turn? I swore I'd never pay money for another knitting text.

At some point I started hearing the talk about how great this book was for beginners. I found the price to be reasonable so I set out on a quest to find a copy. I had to go to 3 book stores before I found one who wasn't sold out. It was so worth the effort. Not only did I figure out how to cast on just by looking at the pictures in this book, I've also completed projects that don't suck! Go me!

Seriously though, I'd recommend this title to anyone who doesn't have the time to take classes. It has really simple instructions and the writing style isn't as boring as you'd expect from something that deals entirely with yarn. The projects are great too. I wouldn't wear most sweaters I've seen on patterns, but I can honestly say that I'd wear nearly everything shown in this book.

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