*I’d like to begin this post by apologizing for my haggard manicure. I removed the polish promptly after taking these photos. You all deserve better. They should be impeccable for you. There. Now that’s out of the way. Moving on.
I was overjoyed on Friday for two reasons: The first being that Gabe took Caleb to his 8 week doctor visit during Sam and Eddie’s nap time, which meant I had two hours of uninterrupted me time. The second reason was that this little gem arrived in the mail five minutes before he left: The Knitting All Around Stitch Dictionary by Wendy Bernard of Knit and Tonic. I’ve been looking for a stitch dictionary for a while. I am interested in writing my own patterns someday and a directory of different stitches seemed like a good place to start.
I didn’t even know what to look for at first. I started googling “different knitting stitches,” and “books about knitting stitches,” before realizing that I was in fact looking for a stitch dicitonary. I first discovered Wendy’s book on social media, although I confess I can’t remember exactly where… Facebook? Or Instagram perhaps? Anyway, the book had good reviews on Amazon, so I took the plunge and ordered a copy last week.
And, Oh…what a treat.
The book is exactly what I was looking for. She writes about the importance of swatching (something I tend to skip, with disastrous results half the time), knitting to gauge, pattern reading and instructions on how to create your own designs. And the stitches! The photographs of all the different swatches are just beautiful. The stitches are divided into chapters: Knits and Purls, Ribs, Cables, Lace, etc.. After each section there is a pattern. I am in love with The Fuji Rib Wrap (pictured) which I envision in a gorgeous black alpaca. She even gives you ideas as to what you can do with all your leftover swatches (Coasters! Who would have thought?).
I think my first project might be some oversized pillow covers for my living room pillows. The covers I have now are dingy and need to be replaced. If I use bulky wool, it shouldn’t take too long. The hardest part will be choosing which stitches I want to knit!
Do any of you have a stitch dictionary? If so, which one(s)? I’d love to hear from you.
Happy Sunday, my friends.