Patty Lyons' Knitting Bag of Tricks: Over 70 sanity saving hacks for better knitting

by Patty Lyons

Overview

Do you wish your knitting was better and that you had an expert knitter by your side to help you when it goes wrong? Then this is the book for you - it even has a special lay-flat binding so you can keep your hands on your needles.

Patty Lyons is an expert in all things knitting related - she will help you sort out your gauge, unpick problems like twisted stitches and generally spruce up your knitting know-how in this pocket-sized reference book packed full of her purls' of wisdom. Patty is a well-known knitting 'agony aunt' and she will hold your hand as you tackle the problems that often beset knitters and get in the way of beautiful finished projects.

This handy guide will always be by your side to help you unravel your yarn problems and get you back on track. Packed full of practical advice for knitters as well as step-by-step instructions for a whole raft of knitting issues, this is the ultimate guide for anyone who's ever picked up yarn and a set of needles.

This isn't like other how to knit' books with basic information about casting on and how to form stitches (although there is a handy how-to reference section at the back for when you need a refresher), this is a book about the why' of knitting. Not about why we knit' but about why we knit the way we do'. By digging deeper into the why' Patty doesn't just fix your knitting problems she helps you to truly understand why the yarn/stitches/needles/tension are acting in a certain way and how to fix any issues.

She starts by looking at the basics and explores the anatomy of a stitch, examining how this affects the look, feel and shape of the finished knitted fabrics and how different knitting techniques affect the finished outcome. Patty examines the problems caused by common mistakes that many knitters make without even noticing before diving into more complex knitting issues and how to trouble shoot them. All of Patty's techniques and tips are illustrated with detailed step-by-step artworks for absolute clarity.

And, as you'd expect from a Patty Lyons book, there is a healthy scattering of humour and irreverence thoughout ; you might take knitting seriously but you don't have to be serious while knitting!

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781446309117
Publisher:	David & Charles
Publication date:	10/11/2022
Pages:	208
Sales rank:	47,106
Product dimensions:	5.80(w) x 8.20(h) x 0.60(d)

About the Author

Patty Lyons is a knitting designer and teacher. She has created content for all the key knitting brands including Craftsy, Interweave and Vogue Knitting and she writes a regular ‘Ask Patty’ column for Modern Daily Knitting.

Table of Contents

Preface 5

Introduction 7

Chapter 1 Fundamental Truths of Knitting 13

Knits And Purls And All That Jazz 13

Stitch Anatomy: The Naked Truth 14

How Our Stitches Are Built 18

Eastern, Western Or Combination: The Direction You Travel 23

Chapter 2 Gauge 27

The Miracle Mop Of Swatching 28

The Truth Is Out There (Or Make Your Swatch Be Your Best Friend) 31

Build A Better Fabric: Knitting Technique 39

Why Not Matching Gauge Is The Greatest Thing Ever 46

Chapter 3 Patterns 57

What To Knit With (Or How To Be A Top Chef Master) 57

What To Make: Size Does Matter 61

The Secret Language Of Patterns 64

Chapter 4 Cast-Ons 67

Long Tail Cast-On 67

Cable Cast-On 82

Keeping Track: Why Can't I Count To 100? 90

Chapter 5 Increases and Decreases 93

Decrease In Style 93

Increases: The Perfect Additions 110

Chapter 6 Pesky Problems and Secret Solutions 131

Join A New Ball: More Ways Than You Think! 131

Fix That First Stitch: Yarn Interrupted 140

Circular Knitting: Round And Round We Co 142

Short Rows In The Round: The Conspiracy Of Silence 151

End In The Round: Smooth That Slinky 156

Ribbing: Not Always For Our Pleasure 158

Sweater Skills 164

Chapter 7 Finishing 171

Build A Better Bind-Off 171

Blocking: The Finishing Touch 176

Weaving In Ends: Reversible Or Not? 178

Mattress Stitch: A Secret Start 180

Picking Up Stitches: Going Rogue 183

Best Buttonhole Ever 192

Setting In A Sleeve 195

Chapter 8 Final Words of Wisdom 199

About the Author 205

Acknowledgments 205

Index 206