The Knowledgeable Knitter: Understand the Inner Workings of Knitting and Make Every Project a Success

by Margaret Radcliffe

The Knowledgeable Knitter is the definitive reference for any knitter seeking better results, whether the challenge is reading a pattern chart, substituting yarn, modifying a pattern, fixing a mistake, shaping a collar, or adjusting an armhole. Expert Margaret Radcliffe, author of The Knitting Answer Book and Circular Knitting Workshop, demystifies and thoroughly explains the "why" behind every knitting technique, from modifying necklines to fixing dropped stitches and creating sleek edges and seams. In this fascinating and comprehensive guide, she covers everything from how to identify a well-written pattern to evaluating schematics, revising a pattern so it fits perfectly, and making adjustments throughout a project. Whatever your skill level, with this book you'll become a better, happier, more confident knitter!

Genres: Knitting, Crafts, Nonfiction, Reference, Art, How To

297 pages, Kindle Edition

First published August 6, 2014

Reviews

[Faith]

I received a free digital ARC of this book from the publisher and I wound up liking it so much that I pre-ordered a paperback of the book (not free). This book will not teach beginning knitters how to knit, but is a very useful book for both beginners and more experienced knitters who want to know how to get the results they are looking for in their knitting.

There are no knitting patterns or projects in this book, it is more of a guide book for making decisions at each step of the process. It describes how you should choose a particular pattern, yarn, needle or size. Included are many useful gems like how to swatch curves, edges and borders, how to do shaping in ribbed and pattern stitches (including lace) and knitting darts, ruffles and pleats.

Most of the pointers deal with conventional bottom-up, seamed patterns for sweaters and vests and show how to use and/ or tweak them at each stage if the process. Frankly, I usually avoid patterns with seams because I hate to sew and never like the way my seams look. I also like to knit top down so I can try on as the knitting progresses Fortunately this book also includes tips for seamless and top-down sweaters. There are instructions for how to convert a pattern to circular knitting. As far as I'm concerned this alone is worth the price of the book.

There is very useful information on selecting the right size pattern, getting correct fit, and choosing and substituting yarn. The illustrations are excellent. The actual instructions for various techniques and stitches are in an appendix. I have mixed feelings about this. They are easy to find in the appendix but I think that it would be more helpful to place them with their pictures and the descriptions of how they are used. That is just a quibble - I recommend this book.

[Michele]

As a completely self taught knitter I would have loved this book. Margaret Radcliffe deploys her many years of teaching experience to guide a novice knitter through casting on, the knit and purl stitches, increasing, decreasing and how to create left and right leaning decreases, and finally binding (casting) off. She teaches the most common style of knitting in the U.S. Where the lead yarn is carried in the right hand and "whipped" around the left needle. Also included is an easy to understand explanation of gauge, its importance and how to achieve correct gauge. This is no easy feat! Her tone is conversational and friendly and there is sufficient technical information to lead beginning knitters to into more difficult techniques. There are also several basic patterns, a helpful appendixes. If I had had this manual in my hot little hands when I began knitting in college 25 years ago I wouldn't have messed up so many projects.
Drops 8/6/14

[Shannon]

The Knowledgeable Knitter is geared for the advanced knitter who wants to start customizing knits, particularly sweaters - although the techniques are transferable to other patterns. This would be an excellence reference book to have on the shelf ready for use when contemplating a new project.

What I like best about this book are the comparison pictures. For example, the author shows samples of what the outcome looks like if you use different casting on techniques, different weights of yarn, or different types of needles.

I do think that experienced knitters will get more out of this resource than beginners. This is not a how-to manual. It is very comprehensive and as a result, slightly dense at times. That said, it is well written, clear, and very useful.

[Teri-K]

Still full of lots of good information and clear pictures.

[Brandy]

A thorough and well written guide to the many questions advancing knitters will have. The photos guiding your path through these discussions are excellent. This guide offers advice on construction, gauge adjustment, evaluating a pattern and choosing the appropriate yarn. There is even an entire chapter just covering pattern modification and another dedicated to converting a flat pattern to circular knitting. My favorite is the chapter on fixing mistakes. This is not a pattern book, there are no projects within. I would say that this is a book for the intermediate knitting; it does not explain knitting and is not a “how-to” book. There are clear explanations on several advanced techniques including: seaming with a ribbing; choosing the correct cast on method, shaping with cable patterns, mitered corners, pleats and charting. The book ends with an extensive glossary of term and techniques. I received my copy from netgalley.com as an e-book in exchange for a honest review. I feel that this is an excellent addition to the knitter’s library. There may be other books like this, I don’t know, but I feel that this one has all the information an advancing knitter needs in one place.

[Bunny]

Well, I did learn something reading this book. It's that I will never ever attempt to knit a sweater.

I already knew that, but this really did confirm it for me.

The plus side is, this book is crammed full of useful information. Including diagrams and photos that would be perfect for someone who is either learning how to knit a sweater, or knows how and just needs a little assistance.

Unfortunately, though, it's also really dry. Really, really dry. It's not a read-through book. The best use would be for someone who is currently working a project, and needs a reference manual. This is perfect for that.

[Sastrugi7]

This is a book for people who love knitting and want to learn more techniques and understand everything about it. As far as I've read of the other review comments, the only ratings below 4 stars were from non-knitters!? Great explanations, great pictures, and I like the way the book is organized. An essential text for serious students of knitting craft.

[Linda]

This would make a wonderful gift for the intermediate knitter. I learned several techniques that I had previously tried from off YouTube, but found this book explained it in such a clear easy to understand language. Bright color photos help, too.

[Liz De Coster]

Really thorough and detailed, but I wish some of the details had been applicable to more than sweaters.

[Helen]

A good guide for the experienced knitter. Highly recommend it.

[Erica]

This is one of the best advanced knitting instruction books I've ever seen. It provides clear instructions on advanced techniques and design. It guided me through my first steeks.

[Denise]

We have here something of an amusing irony: this is a book dedicated largely to knitting basics, AND YET this is decidedly not a book for knitting beginners. I would never ever give this book to a beginner, because it would straight up terrify them. Imagine like trying to teach a teenager to make a pudding pie using a guide to troubleshooting French pastry, and you will get some idea of how unsuitable this book is for beginners.

However, let's say that you are looking for the knitting equivalent of troubleshooting French pastry, then you are in luck, for this is that book. It's an excruciatingly complete guide to all the pitfalls and pratfalls you can encounter while knitting, and is a welcome reference on the shelf of the intermediate to advanced knitter. Recommended if you need to take yourself to the next level, or just figure out what the everloving f(*$#$#@ just happened to twist all your stitches.

Review copy received through Netgalley.

[Rebecca]

"The Knowledgeable Knitter: Understand the Inner Workings of Knitting and Make Every Project a Success" is essentially a project management book for knitters. The book is well written and is visually appealing with photographs and illustrations. The book follows the lifecycle of a project from choosing a pattern, yarn, and needles all the way through borders and blocking.

Ms. Radcliffe explains step-by-step how to ensure a successful project and the "why" behind each step. If you are a very beginner knitter, this is probably not the first book that you would want to pick up. The author does not provide detailed instructions for the very basic knitting techniques but does provide details for those skills which require in-depth instruction. For knitters who often ask "why do we do that", this book should be helpful and interesting.

This book was provided as an Advance Reader Copy through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

[Susan Eubank]

4.5 Great book, although my quibble is that it is really about knitting a sweater, but those techniques can be applied to lots of things. It was fun reading cover to cover. It almost seemed like the climax of a novel/great non-fiction story towards the end. It also gave me more confidence in my wayward way of learning knitting, because many of the things she wrote about, I had learned for all my various things I have done. I had started this book before and put down, because I couldn't take it all in. This time I could cope with the new things, because I had so many of the other things learned in other ways. Off to sweater knitting now, maybe.

[Heather Jones]

This book is way beyond my current skills, so I'm taking it back to the library for now. I'm at the level of knitting scarves and learning to make patterns beyond the basic stockinette, and this book is about the higher-level techniques a person would use to make a sweater that fits well, adjusting the pattern to make whatever customizations are wanted.

I did learn a few things from it, and I'm holding on to the title, because I do hope to improve my skills to the point where I might want to come back to this book someday.

[Nancy]

This might be a good pick for the handy reference I'm looking for. It covers just about everything, with beautiful photographed illustrations of all kinds of things--blocking, for example, and samples of the same pattern done in six different yarns. It covers all the contingencies I can think of--and if I can't think of something, I'll never use it later.

[Laura]

such a great resource.

[Katharine]

This book I enjoyed and also learned a fair amount. I may consider a purchase even as a reference book. The internet is filled with how to's etc but this book breaks down fixes and stitches really well.

[Michelle Rudy]

I dip into the Knowledgeable Knitter on a regular basis. Found out this month that it may not have every possible cast on, e.g. "The Old Norwegian Cast On." But in general, it provides enough information and illustrations. Well worth obtaining a hard copy

[Sue Klasing]

Great book with wonderful illustrations and lots of neat ideas.

[Sara]

Great book, lovely it. Not geared to the novice. Has plenty of useful information set out in a logical and accessible manner. Loved it!

[Ruth]

Good tips and techniques. No patterns.

[MJ]

: ( had to returs so someone else could read it.

[Alyssa]

Sometimes the formatting on the kindle app was a bit clunky, but it was fine. There were some great tips. I have hope for my failed sweater pile!

[Gretchen]

One of my dozen or so very best knitting books. Covers a lot of things other books don't. I refer to it constantly.

[Caitlin]

This is not the kind of book you just sit down and read. It's a reference book. Like a cookbook, but for yarn. It's pretty good.

[Allie]

I've been knitting a lot of vintage pattens lately, but they're all written for a 34" bust. My bust is... substantially larger (as is the rest of me) and this book is an incredible help for adapting patterns. It reminds me a lot of Ahead of the Curve in that it has so many different ways to make your garments fit you. Highly recommended for any knitter who wants their projects to fit them better and isn't afraid of having a good think with a side of math.

[J.T.K. Gibbs]

Unless you are gifted with a photographic memory, this book should be taken in small doses. There is simply too much information!
The explanations and instructions are clear and detailed, and it would make a perfect text book for a master class in knitting. Almost every question a knitter at any stage of proficiency could ask is addressed, thoroughly explained and made clear.
Still, it is a lot to take in without practicing each and every skill included...and that could take months if not years!

[Angela]

The Knowledgeable Knitter is not a book for a brand-new knitter, but should be considered an essential purchase for anyone looking to level up their knitting. Radcliffe takes the reader through the process of planning and knitting a sweater. Every step is a master class in a process. Finishing is always an issue for me. Radcliffe breaks down different finishes and when to use them. She even discusses how to lengthen or shorten your sweater. Clear photos and diagrams are provided for everything she discusses. I've added this book to my home library for future reference.

[Debbie Handley]

One of the most amazing books I have found that is an essential book to buy to keep for yourself if you are an advanced knitter or if you are a beginner like me once you get to this level of knitting. I checked a copy of this book out of my local library and even though I am not up to using this type of book yet in my knitting skill, I read through it and realized what a help this book will be once I get there.

A superb book filled with step by step help.