Most knitters end up picking up several different stitch dictionaries through their knitting experience, maybe a volume or two of Barbara Walker or the Vogue Stitchionaries. Those books are all great, so why would you need another one?
I like Karen Hemingway's Super Stitches Knitting: Essential Techniques Plus a Dictionary of More than 300 Stitch Patterns because it's not just a stitch dictionary; it also provides knitters with basic information on the tools and techniques needed to knit successfully. It also has nice color photography and is more portable than some of the other options.
A Knitting Overview
Super Stitches Knitting begins with a section on knitting basics, including an overview of knitting tools and different kinds of yarn, how to cast on, bind off, knit and purl. It covers a range of increases and decreases, information on how to read charts and work in color, make cable or add beads to knitting.
It also includes information about adding a selvage to pieces that will eventually be seamed together, finishing techniques, help with caring for knit items and options for fixing mistakes in your knitting.
It's by no means a complete education in knitting but it would be a great reference for someone who has the basics down and just needs a little help remembering how to perform a specific decrease or how to read a chart.
The book isn't small, but at 6 by 8.5 it's smaller than a lot of the more famous stitch dictionaries out there, so it's easier to tuck into your knitting bag should you need it for reference or for stitch pattern inspiration.
The Stitch Patterns
As the title indicates, the book also contains a section of more than 300 knitting stitch patterns, arranged three to a page with the instructions for completing the stitch on one side and a full-color picture of the knit fabric on a knitting needle on the facing page.
The book covers a wide range of different kinds of knitting stitches, including:
- knit and purl patterns
- knit and purl panels
- ribs
- textured stitches
- edgings
- ornamental stitches
- eyelet patterns
- cables
- knitted lace
- textured colorwork
- Fair Isle
Each section has a variety of patterns. For instance the textured stitches chapter contains 30 different stitches, while the cables section has 36.
Patterns for cables are given in words with charts for the more complex patterns. Some of the Fair Isle patterns include words and charts, but many only show the charts.
This book might not replace your other stitch dictionaries, but it is a fun one to add to your collection. There are some patterns in here you won't find (at least not exactly the same) in other books, and the portability and great photography, as well as the reference section at the beginning, make this a great book to tuck in your bag or to keep on hand when you need a little stitch inspiration.
Publication date: October 2007.
