Knitting Books I Would Recommend

Here is my top 10 list of th best knitting instruction books, all of the following books have wonderful clear easy to follow instuctions. I highly recommend any and all of these books, there are also many other books that are really great.

1. The Knitting Answer Book - A must have for anyone begginer to advanced
2. Teach Yourself Visually: Knitting, Socks, Spinning, Knitting Design
3. Knit Speak - A must when it comes to learning how to read a pattern
4. The Essential Guide to Color Knitting - Everything you need is in this book
5. Harmony Guide: Knit and Purl, cables and Arans, Lace and Eyelets
6. Vogue Stitchionary: Knit and Purl, Cables, Lace, Color Knitting
7. Sensational Knitted Socks/More Sensational Knitted Socks
8. Socks From The Toe-Up
9. Two at a Time Socks
10. A to Z of Knitting - easy to follow with great illustrations

Complete List of Knitting Abbreviations, plus Link to Laundry Care Guide

On occasion you'll find yourself needing abbreviations, perhaps your pattern doesn't give them to you or you run into something you've never seen in a knitting pattern before. So heres a complete list of standard knitting abbreviations I have gathered from many books and magazines, it is all in alphabetical order. If you find a new one not in this list please leave it in a comment below, you never know when a fellow knitter might need it.

( ) or [ ].............do instructions within parentheses/bracket as many times as directed
*.........................repeat instructions from asterisk as many times as directed
alt......................alternate/alternating
approx..............approximately
beg....................begin/beginning
bet....................between
BO....................bind off
CC....................contrasting color
cm(s)...............centimeter(s)
cn.....................cable needle
CO...................cast on
cont.................continue
dec(s).............decrease(s)
dk...................double knitting - both a yarn weight and knitting technique
dpn(s)............double pointed needles
EOR/eor........every other row
est..................established
foll..................follows/following
g/gr...............gram(s)
g st................garter stitch
in(s)...............inch(es)
inc(s).............increase(s)/increasing
incl.................includes/including
k.....................knit
k2tog.............knit 2 stitches together (right slanting decrease)
k-b/k1b........knit next stitch in row below - or sometimes knit 1 in back loop of stitch
kf&b..............knit into front and back of stitch - increase
kwise............knit wise - as to knit
LH.................left hand
lp(s)...............loop(s)
LT.................left twist
M1................make one - increase
MB...............make bobble
MC...............main color
meas............measures
mm(s).........millimeter(s)
mult............multiple
ndl(s)..........needle(s)
oz................ounce
p..................purl
p2tog..........purl 2 together
patt.............pattern
p-b/p1b......purl next stitch in row below or sometimes purl 1 in back loop of stitch
PM..............place marker
psso.............pass slipped stitch over knit (or purl) stitch
pwise...........purl wise - as to purl
rem.............remain/remaining
rep(s)..........repeat(s)
rev ST st......reverse stockinette/stocking stitch
RH...............right hand
rnd..............round
RS...............right side
RT...............right twist
sk................skip
skp..............slip, knit, pass slipped stich over - decrease
sl..................slip
sl st..............slip stitch
sp(s)............space(s)
ssk...............slip, slip, knit - left slanting decrease
ST st............stockinette/stocking stitch
st(s).............stitch(s)
tbl................through back loop
tog...............together
WS...............wrong side
wyib............with yarn in back
wyif.............with yarn in front
yb/ybk........yarn back
yf/YFWD....yarn forward
yo.................yarn over

We have all seen those strange symbols on our yarn labels (even clothing) and if written instructions aren't givin we have trouble or find it impossible to translate them. I found a simple easy to follow one page guide that tells you exactly how to read those symbols. It took me over 4 hours to find this a few years ago and I want to share it with you so that you do not have to go through the trouble of trying to find them yourself. Enjoy, and share it with everyone you know!
http://www.carelabels.com/lguide.htm
http://www.carelabels.com/docs/lguide.pdf - PDF file

Rolled brim hat pattern

So I've been wanting to do this for quit some time, but have not yet gotten around to it. Thank my class!! It's my version of the rooled brim hat, you can do it with stripes or solid or even with a multi colored or self stripeing yarn. I always use worsted weight yarn and size 8 needles, and a multiple of 10 sts (I like nice even numbers).

Rolled Brim Hat

Any worsted weight yarn, approx. 100 yards for an adult medium

Us size 8 16" circular needles

US size 8 DPN's

CO 80 sts

Knit one row (this is to assure there will be no twisting when you join). Join into the round being careful there is no twisting. If you get a twist you will have to take it all out and start over again, so be very careful. You can put a marker in to indicate the end/beggining of round.

Knit every round for about 6-6.5 inches. (longer if you so desire)

Begin Decreases: You can use markers if you'd like to.

Rnd 1:*Knit 8, k2tog pm* rep from *to* around.

Rnd 2:Knit

Rnd 3:*Knit 7, k2tog* rep from *to* around

Rnd 4:Knit

Rnd 5:*Knit 6, k2tog* rep from *to* around

Rnd 6:knit

continue decreaseing in this manner always knitting one less stitch before your decrease, if you are using markers you will knit to 2 sts before the marker and decrease. Until you have 16 sts remaining, cut yarn leaving about a 6" tail. Thread tapestry needle, and run needle through all your remaining sts (I go through my sts 2 and a half times) pull tight to close and weave in your ends. Wear your completed hat proudly!

The pink and green hat is made with Bernat Camouflage yarn. The red hat with black stripes is knit with Caron Simply Soft. I will include a chart and instructions for doing the stripes as soon as I can, it's all on my laptop so I need to save it to my flash drive and post it here.

I hope you enjoy the pattern, and make lots of fun hats for yourself, friends, and family. If you have any questions you can e-mail me k_lamore@yahoo.com and I will get back to you asap.


Ok for some odd reason I am unable to get my chart to show up correctly so I hope this works ok. The @ is your main color and the # is your contrasting color. Each line is a round in yout hat.

#######################
#######################
@@@@@@@@@@@@@@
@@@@@@@@@@@@@@
@@@@@@@@@@@@@@
#######################
@@@@@@@@@@@@@@
#######################
@@@@@@@@@@@@@@
#######################
@@@@@@@@@@@@@@
@@@@@@@@@@@@@@
@@@@@@@@@@@@@@
#######################
#######################

I always begin my stripes about 4” from my CO, and start my decreasing either right after or a few rounds after my stripes are completed just measure and see where you are. When you begin working stripes you will add your new just as you would for starting a new bal of yarn, you don’t want to cut the ends when changing colors, you will be carrying the colors up as you work them. When carrying up your new color you want be sure to keep it loose, if you pull tight your knitting will pucker. You will probably have a hole on your first round after adding your new color, you will just stitch this closed when you weave in your tails.

Fearless Knitter 2008

I should have done this earlier, but whatever lets just pretend that it's 01-01-09. I wrote everything in my little knitting journal, just before the ball dropped. I got an e-mail from Knitting Daily they were asking knitters how they were fearless in 2008. Well I couldn't post there because for some reason I always have trouble signing in, every single time. So I wrote in my journal, then decided that maybe I should sign myself up for a blog. Here I am!

So For 2008

1. This one I'm very proud of, I kicked off 2008 teaching a knitting class. Which opened up this new world
2. I made my first ever mistakes on purpose, now if thats not fearless I don't know what it is
3. I did my first double knitting - very fun!
4. I made my first fingerless gloves
5. Started my first hat top down
6. made my first socks - well they were slipper socks but they still count
7. I switched from acrylic, I don't know why I didn't do that sooner! Wool is so freakin' awesome!!
8. I found our LYS
9. Made my first stocking, I actually copied from another one so I had make up the pattern as I went and I also drew up the chart.
10. Wrote my first pattern
11. Sold my first pattern
12. First stranded color work knitting (that was the stocking)
13. First baby sweater
14. I did Hat Attack! which was a very awesome experience, but my first opponent didn'y even both to make a hat.
15. Added beads to a project for the first time

None of it was really a challenge, I mean it's all either knit or purl and everything else is just a combination of the 2. What can you lose by trying something new in your knitting. Don't be affraid to fail, take a risk. Who knows even if you make a mistake, that mistake could just become a new technique.