Just Curious -- How many knitting and crocheting books do you own? Which ones are your favorite?

2295 Views 63 Replies 47 Participants Last post by berigora, 2 mo ago

Lilyan

Discussion Starter · 2 mo ago (Edited)

I have just spent part of my morning organizing my knitting and crocheting books, which basically means going around the house collecting them and putting them back into the bookshelves.

Since I felt rather ambitious, I decided to next make an alphabetic list of the books that I currently own. And I was rewarded with some very pleasant surprises since several of the books I had totally forgotten about.

I was also surprised to discovered that I currently have 48 books on knitting/crocheting patterns and stitches. This made me wonder...how many books on knitting & crocheting do you have? I would be curious to know which of your books are favorites.

Here is my book list:

Font Material property Screenshot Number Document

My current favorite is Folk Vests, 25 knit patterns by Cheryl Oberle.

Updated:
Oh my goodness, I just found a few more. I guess my list is a work in progress.

See less See more

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flightpath

· #21 · 2 mo ago

My first thought was just one. Then my memory started kicking in. Maybe 3-4 actual hardcover books, but many more softcover and pamphlet style books and magazines that include: the little green book so often referenced, a Mon Tricot, Cap Sease’s book on cast on’s and bind off’s, a basic how to, lots of collections of designs/patterns, tons of small handful of patterns, and a few actual magazines. (Well, maybe some actual magazines!) Oldest item from the early 60’s. (Purchased by me contemporaneously.) Maybe some from the late 50’s that snuck in along the way. Mixture of knitting and crochet. Purchase of “pattern books” (think heavy paper magazine style) pretty much stopped with the internet explosion. We won’t talk about individual patterns/bundles I own on Ravelry or on my computer. 😁

Reactions: 2

Housewren

· #22 · 2 mo ago

Lilyan said:
I have just spent part of my morning organizing my knitting and crocheting books, which basically means going around the house collecting them and putting them back into the bookshelves.

Since I felt rather ambitious, I decided to next make an alphabetic list of the books that I currently own. And I was rewarded with some very pleasant surprises since several of the books I had totally forgotten about.

I was also surprised to discovered that I currently have 48 books on knitting/crocheting patterns and stitches. This made me wonder...how many books on knitting & crocheting do you have? I would be curious to know which of your books are favorites.

Here is my book list:
View attachment 1287417

My current favorite is Folk Vests, 25 knit patterns by Cheryl Oberle.

Updated:
Oh my goodness, I just found a few more. I guess my list is a work in progress.

I have two: an ancient Needlework & Crafts (originally my mother's) and Saltwater Mittens- love them both. I use the internet for techniques.

Reactions: 2

Morgan Girl

· #23 · 2 mo ago

Oh, I guess I am an under achiever, I only have 2. A cast on / bind off one and the Japanese knit stitch bible. Both of them gifts from my mother.

Reactions: 2

grandmatof4

· #24 · 2 mo ago

Fidrocki said:
This is awful--I own zero knitting/crotchet books.

I don't own any either. In fact my house has few books at all! I tend to use the internet to look things up.

Reactions: 3

gardencitygranny

· #25 · 2 mo ago

Lilyan said:
I have just spent part of my morning organizing my knitting and crocheting books, which basically means going around the house collecting them and putting them back into the bookshelves.

Since I felt rather ambitious, I decided to next make an alphabetic list of the books that I currently own. And I was rewarded with some very pleasant surprises since several of the books I had totally forgotten about.

I was also surprised to discovered that I currently have 48 books on knitting/crocheting patterns and stitches. This made me wonder...how many books on knitting & crocheting do you have? I would be curious to know which of your books are favorites.

Here is my book list:
View attachment 1287417

My current favorite is Folk Vests, 25 knit patterns by Cheryl Oberle.

Updated:
Oh my goodness, I just found a few more. I guess my list is a work in progress.

I have 212 books listed on Ravelry. In order to keep "a handle" on mine I have a loose leaf binder with the cover and table of contents on one sheet of paper. These are filed by the name of the book. For my bookcase, I have them filed by author.

As to my favorites, I would have to put Principles of Knitting - Hiatt at the top of the list. I like most of my Barbara Walker and Nicky Epstein books. Other of my favorites: Country Inspirations - Kagan, Essential Guide to Color Knitting - Radcliffe, Hand Knitting Techniques by Threads Magazine, Mastering Color Knitting - Leapman and Vogue Knitting Stitchionary Vol.3 - Color K.

I'm pretty sure that our book lists are visible to everyone (?) on Ravelry. If anyone needed information from these books I'd be happy to help except to copy a pattern.

Reactions: 1

Aunty M

· #26 · 2 mo ago

I have none. I used to have several books and lots of magazines, but I found that I never used them because I forgot what was in them and always looked online for any patterns I wanted.

About five years ago I gave a lot to my sister for a new group in South Australia, and others to a local knitting group to use, then two years ago I gave the rest to another local knitting group.

Reactions: 2

seamer45

· #27 · 2 mo ago

Lilyan said:
I have just spent part of my morning organizing my knitting and crocheting books, which basically means going around the house collecting them and putting them back into the bookshelves.

Since I felt rather ambitious, I decided to next make an alphabetic list of the books that I currently own. And I was rewarded with some very pleasant surprises since several of the books I had totally forgotten about.

I was also surprised to discovered that I currently have 48 books on knitting/crocheting patterns and stitches. This made me wonder...how many books on knitting & crocheting do you have? I would be curious to know which of your books are favorites.

Here is my book list:
View attachment 1287417

My current favorite is Folk Vests, 25 knit patterns by Cheryl Oberle.

Updated:
Oh my goodness, I just found a few more. I guess my list is a work in progress.

I believe I have about twice what you have. I haven’t made lists. For several years, and I added to my collection in that time. It really is time to give most of them up. I’ll keep a set of vintage sock books and my modern sock books. My youngest daughter wants them. But realistically I’ll never knit much from them because there are so many. I do love my vintage collection.

Reactions: 2

spins2knit

· #28 · 2 mo ago

I have at least a hundred. Many of them are old ones, given to me by library patrons who knew I was a knitter. Then, there are my spinning and fiber books and all my Mom's weaving books.
I love them all.

Reactions: 2

liz morris

· #29 · 2 mo ago

I have one little softback of crochet flowers which I have never used .and a recently culled collection of knitting magazines, but I will not dispose of a set of a parts series from the 1970s with knitting, crochet, and sewing, a veritable encyclopaedia.

Reactions: 2

riversong200

· #30 · 2 mo ago

I have about 20 - stitch pattern books, Cast ons and cast offs, Vogue Knitting (newest edition), Elizabeth Zimmerman (3), some sock and toy pattern books. I tend to use the internet more than the books though.

Reactions: 2

ggmomliz

· #31 · 2 mo ago

It depends how you define a book. That's not meant to be sarcastic, I have 2 large 8 shelf bookcases crammed full of books, both hard and soft cover, as well as booklets and leaflets for knit, crochet, and cross stitch. Only I shelf is other crafts like quilting, sewing, and painting. I know I have over 50 hard cover knit/crochet books. I'm not about to start counting any of them.
What I do know is that when we moved from Florida in 1991 my husband wanted me to total up the cover prices of my needlework books for the moving insurance he wanted to take out. He stopped me at $12,000. That was 32 years ago!
Note - the majority I paid no where near cover prices for. I'm pretty sure I paid full price for less than 15 of them, 4 from one designer and full of errors.

Reactions: 3

berigora

· #32 · 2 mo ago

Byrney said:
I have about four yards of knitting/crochet/machine knitting books

About the same here - so much easier to measure shelf space than count books!

I don't have a favourite but there are several I would hate to lose.

Reactions: 2

Jessica-Jean

· #33 · 2 mo ago

Fidrocki said:
This is awful--I own zero knitting/crotchet books.

Why is that awful?
My guess is you began your yarny life AFTER you had internet access.
Mine began in 1954, and my collection of print (books, booklets, magazines) yarny publications began then too. When I got online, it grew apace, thanks to sales at KnitPicks and purchases from eBay. However, it’s rare that I look at any of them anymore, ever since I got on Ravelry and then KP.
Some are in steel filing cabinets. Some are in shelves. Some - inherited - are still in boxes.
I have ceased buying any books, and have given away many I figured I’d had too long, without reading or didn’t want to reread. I haven’t given away any of my yarny or crafty books … yet. Nor have I made a list of them; I’d rather knit.

Reactions: 2

Carla584167

· #34 · 2 mo ago

2 book shelves

Reactions: 1

galby

· #35 · 2 mo ago

There are a great number, I have some books, some little booklets and many leaflets, Some books acquired from a friend’s MIL who was from England. Then there are some from my mom. I have a lace tablecloth that she was crocheted and never finished after my dad was killed in 1953.

Reactions: 1

Jessica-Jean

· #36 · 2 mo ago

galby said:
There are a great number, I have some books, some little booklets and many leaflets, Some books acquired from a friend’s MIL who was from England. Then there are some from my mom. I have a lace tablecloth that she was crocheted and never finished after my dad was killed in 1953.

That unfinished tablecloth might be a candidate for the Loose Ends Project: LOOSE ENDS
They’re crafters who volunteer to complete the unfinished projects of crafters who died before completion.

grandmatimestwo

· #37 · 2 mo ago

I only have one or two crochet books, since I am just learning, but I have more knitting books than I could count. Some I have bought, some were my MIL’s and some were my mom’s. I don’t have a favorite, and I find myself looking on You Tube more than searching thru my books.

Reactions: 2

mousepotato

· #38 · 2 mo ago

Lilyan said:
I have just spent part of my morning organizing my knitting and crocheting books, which basically means going around the house collecting them and putting them back into the bookshelves.

Since I felt rather ambitious, I decided to next make an alphabetic list of the books that I currently own. And I was rewarded with some very pleasant surprises since several of the books I had totally forgotten about.

I was also surprised to discovered that I currently have 48 books on knitting/crocheting patterns and stitches. This made me wonder...how many books on knitting & crocheting do you have? I would be curious to know which of your books are favorites.

Here is my book list:
View attachment 1287417

My current favorite is Folk Vests, 25 knit patterns by Cheryl Oberle.

Updated:
Oh my goodness, I just found a few more. I guess my list is a work in progress.

I will only admit to 3 6ft x 3 ft bookcases for the books. We will not discuss the 6 ft lateral file of loose patterns or the hutch full of magazines.

Reactions: 1

MarieAntoinknit

· #39 · 2 mo ago

I was fortunate enough to have started knitting at about the same time I joined Ravelry, so everything is cataloged. I have a mere 40 books and 1 shelf with magazines and printed patterns. My digital library, however, is more than double that. I rarely look at the pattern books, as I search for new projects on Rav using the "in my library" filter. If something shows up that I want to make, then I grab the book. The reference books, on the other hand, rarely leave my side table. Love the 2 Cast On/Bind Off books, along with Knit Fix, Vogue Quick Reference, and the 200 Knitting/Crochet Tips.

Reactions: 2

Elation

· #40 · 2 mo ago

IndigoSpinner said:
I have no idea how many knitting and crocheting books I have, and after a recent move, I probably couldn't reliably find all of them right now.

I also don't think I could choose just one as my favorite. I could choose one or more books for each category of knitting, though, so here we go.

For cables: I have and love Viking Patterns for Knitting.

Viking Patterns for Knitting: Inspiration and Projects for Today's Knitter - Kindle edition by Lavold, Elsebeth. Crafts, Hobbies & Home Kindle eBooks @ Amazon.com.

Viking Patterns for Knitting: Inspiration and Projects for Today's Knitter - Kindle edition by Lavold, Elsebeth. Download it once and read it on your Kindle device, PC, phones or tablets. Use features like bookmarks, note taking and highlighting while reading Viking Patterns for Knitting...

www.amazon.com

There are a lot of stand-alone Celtic knots in this book, and things I've never seen done before with cables.

I also love Arans & Celtics.

Arans & Celtics: The Best of Knitter's Magazine (Best of Knitter's Magazine series): Mondragon, Rick, Rowley, Elaine, Xenakis, Alexis: 9781893762053: Amazon.com: Books

Arans & Celtics: The Best of Knitter's Magazine (Best of Knitter's Magazine series) [Mondragon, Rick, Rowley, Elaine, Xenakis, Alexis] on Amazon.com. *FREE* shipping on qualifying offers. Arans & Celtics: The Best of Knitter's Magazine (Best of Knitter's Magazine series)

www.amazon.com

This has a lot of innovative knitting using cables and other Celtic ideas. There are some Ganseys in here, too. Knitter's Magazine had a special Valentine's Day edition, and a lot of those designs wound up in this book, so you'll find a lot of hearts, plus X and O cables in here, as well as stand-alone Celtic knots, sometimes used as shaping.

I also really like Cables Untangled. It has a good selection of knits with cables, but it also has a cable knit dictionary in the back with lots of cables and stand-alone Celtic knots in the back half of the book.

Amazon.com: Cables Untangled: An Exploration of Cable Knitting: 9781400097456: Leapman, Melissa: Electronics

Amazon.com: Cables Untangled: An Exploration of Cable Knitting: 9781400097456: Leapman, Melissa: Electronics

www.amazon.com

For Cast-ons and Bind-offs: I love this one by Cap Sease.

Cast On, Bind Off: 211 Ways to Begin and End Your Knitting: Sease, Cap: 9781604684292: Amazon.com: Books

Cast On, Bind Off: 211 Ways to Begin and End Your Knitting [Sease, Cap] on Amazon.com. *FREE* shipping on qualifying offers. Cast On, Bind Off: 211 Ways to Begin and End Your Knitting

www.amazon.com

This book has made a big difference in how professional and good my work looks. There are charts so you can find matching cast-ons and bind-offs, the most stretchy ones, the ones that will lend some stability because they don't stretch, and much more. I like it because it's got so many options. Another thing I like about it is, if you buy the book, but want to have it handy all the time and have a Kindle, you can get the Kindle version for an additional dollar.

For Beginner Knitters:
I love The Knitting Experience: The Knit Stitch.

TheKnitting Experience Knit Stitch by Melville, Sally ( Author ) ON Jul-01-2003, Paperback: 9781893762138: Amazon.com: Books

TheKnitting Experience Knit Stitch by Melville, Sally ( Author ) ON Jul-01-2003, Paperback on Amazon.com. *FREE* shipping on qualifying offers. TheKnitting Experience Knit Stitch by Melville, Sally ( Author ) ON Jul-01-2003, Paperback

www.amazon.com

This book has some innovative, fascinating knits that are all made using the knit stitch, so it's good for beginners. You couldn't get more simple than that. The following book in the series is The Purl Stitch, which adds purls to knits for more variety. Both books are perfect for beginning knitters.

For Stash Busting:
Sally Melville's Style is perfect for using up scraps and small amounts of yarn. She has some stunning designs in this book, plus techniques that can be applied to almost anything to use up your stash.

Sally Melville Styles: A Unique and Elegant Approach for Your Yarn Collection: Melville, Sally;Rowley, Elaine: 9780964639140: Amazon.com: Books

Sally Melville Styles: A Unique and Elegant Approach for Your Yarn Collection [Melville, Sally;Rowley, Elaine] on Amazon.com. *FREE* shipping on qualifying offers. Sally Melville Styles: A Unique and Elegant Approach for Your Yarn Collection

www.amazon.com

Thanks for the shares. There was a book I had forgotten about and one I didn't know about or didn't prioritize.

Best, Elation

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