 | The Complete Idiot's Guide to Knitting and Crocheting by Gail; Kitchel, Cindy Diven
Buy used from: $1.51 First, I started by making cotton dishcloths. This book gives you the instructions in layman's language-- real explicit, and it assumes NO prior knowledge.
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 | Knitting in Plain English by Maggie Righetti
Buy used from: $1.70 Next, I made a lovely acrylic baby sweater, in flaming purple. This book is everything its title claims. It covers every aspect of knitting in ordinary language you can understand. More advanced.
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 | Knitting Without Tears: Basic Techniques and Easy-to-Follow Directions for Garments to Fit All Sizes by Elizabeth Zimmermann
Buy new: $12.20 / Used from: $7.37 All about knitting on circular needles. Next, I made a seamless raglan sweater in green wool. This book is short on illustrations, but a good place to learn seamless sweater construction.
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 | Big Book of Knitting by Katharina Buss
Buy new: $13.57 / Used from: $4.91 I bought this one so I could make my blue wool gloves-- good plain glove patterns are hard to find. It's a good all-around reference book, and the pictures are wonderful. Includes Shaker stitch.
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 | The Harmony Guide to Aran and Fair Isle Knitting: Patterns, Techniques, and Stitches (The Harmony Guides)
Buy used from: $35.00 I haven't used this one yet, but it's a really comprehensive collection of pattern stitches in the Aran and Fair Isle styles. NOT a beginner book.
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 | Sweater Design in Plain English by Maggie Righetti
Buy new: $14.93 / Used from: $9.69 This is a great book to help you understand sweater construction and make intelligent decisions when creating and altering patterns. The projects given however are kind of frumpy, and not my style.
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 | Folk Socks: The History & Techniques of Handknitted Footwear (Folk Knitting series) by Nancy Bush
Buy new: $14.93 / Used from: $5.64 Lately, I'm making socks. They're quick, and portable. This is THE sock book.
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 | Folk Shawls: 25 knitting patterns and tales from around the world (Folk Knitting series) by Cheryl Oberle
Buy new: $14.93 / Used from: $9.99 I haven't tried making any of these yet. I can dream though, can't I?
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 | Knitting on the Road: Sock Patterns for the Traveling Knitter by Nancy Bush
Buy new: $12.89 / Used from: $6.97 These sock patterns are less folksy and a little funkier, but the hardcover format is annoying. It's got a great yarn conversion table.
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 | No Idle Hands: The Social History of American Knitting by Anne Macdonald
Buy new: $21.37 / Used from: $7.78 Now I'm getting interested in the history of my new craft.
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