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Product Description
Following the success of Simple Crochet, Erika Knight has turned her attention to the novice knitter with this unique workshop-based how-to-knit book. With Simple Knitting you will learn to knit whilst creating your own accessible yet highly desirable basic projects that are at once essential and inspiring. Each of the 20 projects in the book teaches you a new skill, and builds upon and consolidates those knitting techniques already learnt from the proceeding projects, until you have mastered a wide repertoire of skills and amassed an enviable collection of gorgeous knitted items. More and more people are discovering the pleasures of knitting, yet many of today's new knitters have not had the same opportunity of previous generations to learn the necessary techniques. Who better to learn from than Erika Knight? With a series of workshop-style masterclasses which you work through as you create each knitted project, Erika guides you through all the key techniques, from plain stitches to more advanced cables and shaping, as well as broader design principles, such as putting together a colour palette. Simple Knitting provides a unique opportunity to learn the design secrets of one of the world's most highly respected knitwear designers. With inspiring photography by Yuki Sugiura that showcases each of the beautiful designs perfectly, supported with clear charts and artworks, Simple Knitting is the ultimate book to learn to knit from.
About the Author
Erika Knight is a much respected knitwear and crochet designer, as well as a sought-after fashion and crafts consultant. Erika has created knitwear ranges for many top brands including M&S, Whistles, Edina Ronay and Nicole Farhi in the UK, J. Crew and Gap in the US and Country Road in Australia. Through her work as a fashion forecaster, she has an uncanny knack of identifying and encapsulating forthcoming trends. The profile of knitting and other crafts has never been higher than it is now, and Erika has played a major role in this renaissance - she is seen by many as a knitting guru for her creativity, knowledge and vision. Simple Knitting is Erika's twelfth book to be published by Quadrille. Her previous knitting titles include: New Knits, Baby Bloom, Classic, Glamour, Classic at Home, Glamour at Home, Men's Knits and most recently Natural Nursery Knits. She has also written two crochet books, Simple Crochet and Essential Crochet and published a book on beading, Beads & Buttons, a collection of 20 simple jewellery projects to instruct and inspire. Author Location: Brighton
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
15 of 15 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback|Amazon Vine™ Review
(What's this?)
I already had another Erika Knight's book and was happy to get my hands on this one. It didn't disappoint. The book sets out to be a primer, containing the information you need to start knitting and it is just that.
The sections are laid out clearly; a materials and techniques chapter has 34 pages of clear photos and diagrams showing all the basic stitches and skills needed in the book, from casting on to ladder seams, while another 20 pages have the most useful stitches laid out with photos of tension squares clearly showing what they should look like. The projects range from the very basic garter stitch scarf to what is described as a timeless cardigan and all the instructions look clear and concise. Like Dumbledore, I enjoy reading knitting patterns but due to (ahem) time constraints in the summer holidays haven't yet managed to make any of the projects. Come the long winter evenings, though, I can see that my needles will be busy casting and cabling through.
Although Erika is a fan of quality yarn, she does understand that budgets don't always allow for cashmere. I love the very basic idea of a rag bag, literally a bag that she knitted from shirts cut into strips. I'm already eyeing my husband's ghastly maroon number as a possible, along with the jade one he has had since our marriage (17 years and counting) and wondering what he would say about the result (Nice bag? This old thing? I've had the material in the house for years)
The projects are mostly accessories and household items, a round cushion, throws with blocks and stripes, a cable hot water bottle cover that is just soooo Dahhling! Most are in wool or cotton, one is in silk, but the weight of the yarn is always clearly stated and substitutions would be easily made. Like a lot of fashion and homewares the book has a limited colour palette, mostly beige, cream, charcoal and brown, but personal preference would alter the appearance of the items.I'd love a deep red hottie cover, just in time for Christmas.
The writing is clear and concise, the photographs are a dream to look at, with projects presented in situ and studio. It won't look too out of place left nonchalently open at a page, much better than the creased middle pages of Woman's Weekly.
If I have a criticism of the book, it is only this; that the colourwork section projects leap from a colour block throw through a 2 colour Fair Isle pattern from a chart and finally into a really complex intarsia knit tea cosy with 11 colours of wool and a chart with a key. It's just too far a jump from the Fair Isle, and I wonder if a simpler introduction to intarsia wouldn't have been better. But that's nit-picking, and I'm sure that any reasonable knitter would substitute a different pattern for the complex one, I could imagine a really effective heart pattern would have been possible. Think I'll go look for my red and blue wool.... if you want me, I'll be by my fireplace frantically knitting....
The sections are laid out clearly; a materials and techniques chapter has 34 pages of clear photos and diagrams showing all the basic stitches and skills needed in the book, from casting on to ladder seams, while another 20 pages have the most useful stitches laid out with photos of tension squares clearly showing what they should look like. The projects range from the very basic garter stitch scarf to what is described as a timeless cardigan and all the instructions look clear and concise. Like Dumbledore, I enjoy reading knitting patterns but due to (ahem) time constraints in the summer holidays haven't yet managed to make any of the projects. Come the long winter evenings, though, I can see that my needles will be busy casting and cabling through.
Although Erika is a fan of quality yarn, she does understand that budgets don't always allow for cashmere. I love the very basic idea of a rag bag, literally a bag that she knitted from shirts cut into strips. I'm already eyeing my husband's ghastly maroon number as a possible, along with the jade one he has had since our marriage (17 years and counting) and wondering what he would say about the result (Nice bag? This old thing? I've had the material in the house for years)
The projects are mostly accessories and household items, a round cushion, throws with blocks and stripes, a cable hot water bottle cover that is just soooo Dahhling! Most are in wool or cotton, one is in silk, but the weight of the yarn is always clearly stated and substitutions would be easily made. Like a lot of fashion and homewares the book has a limited colour palette, mostly beige, cream, charcoal and brown, but personal preference would alter the appearance of the items.I'd love a deep red hottie cover, just in time for Christmas.
The writing is clear and concise, the photographs are a dream to look at, with projects presented in situ and studio. It won't look too out of place left nonchalently open at a page, much better than the creased middle pages of Woman's Weekly.
If I have a criticism of the book, it is only this; that the colourwork section projects leap from a colour block throw through a 2 colour Fair Isle pattern from a chart and finally into a really complex intarsia knit tea cosy with 11 colours of wool and a chart with a key. It's just too far a jump from the Fair Isle, and I wonder if a simpler introduction to intarsia wouldn't have been better. But that's nit-picking, and I'm sure that any reasonable knitter would substitute a different pattern for the complex one, I could imagine a really effective heart pattern would have been possible. Think I'll go look for my red and blue wool.... if you want me, I'll be by my fireplace frantically knitting....
9 of 9 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback|Amazon Vine™ Review
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I have long wanted to learn to knit but have absolutely no experience (was not taught in my school and my mother cannot knit) and have found it can be difficult to follow printed diagrams for this sort of skill. But after a quick flick through this book (which is stunningly produced, with beautiful photography and drawings throughout), I armed myself with a ball of wool and some chopsticks (didn't have any knitting needles, a problem I have now corrected!) and got down to business. There are clear instructions for two methods of casting on and a library of basic stitches and I was soon knitting away, experimenting with increasing and decreasing stitches, etc. When I decided to try casting off, that was easily done as well with the help of the author's instructions. A week later and I have two scarves on the go and am feeling confident enough to experiment with creating different effects.
There are a couple of minor issues however. I have found that for some points - eg starting a new ball of wool (knot it into first ball or knit it in in some clever way?) or changing colours for stripes - there are no real instructions given. I am unsure whether this is an oversight or whether the author has assumed these are such basic skills that we should know them automatically (this beginner doesn't!). I also found that special instructions for each project can be less explicit than I would have liked. Perhaps I just need an unusual amount of hand-holding? For these points I have marked this book down a star, but mostly I am just thrilled to be knitting!
There are a couple of minor issues however. I have found that for some points - eg starting a new ball of wool (knot it into first ball or knit it in in some clever way?) or changing colours for stripes - there are no real instructions given. I am unsure whether this is an oversight or whether the author has assumed these are such basic skills that we should know them automatically (this beginner doesn't!). I also found that special instructions for each project can be less explicit than I would have liked. Perhaps I just need an unusual amount of hand-holding? For these points I have marked this book down a star, but mostly I am just thrilled to be knitting!
5 of 5 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback|Amazon Vine™ Review
(What's this?)
I found this book a 'good looking' book, well designed and laid out, one you wouldn't mind lieing around the house on show. The items which can be made, (mittens, socks and hats etc), all look as though they wouldn't be out of place in a boutique fashion catalogue. However as someone who has never knitted I found the instructions confusing and not very easy to follow. I am sure someone who has had some prior knowledge / experience of knitting would find it useful but, perhaps, it is not quite there for a complete beginner.
Most Recent Customer Reviews
great for beginner knitters
A well laid out and easy to understand book. For a beginner knitter like myself the clear diagrams make it easy to follow the instructions
Published 4 months ago by Lesley Taylor
Exactly what it says on the cover
Everything about this book makes it perfect for the beginner or a knitter who wants to learn more stitch craft. Read more
Published 4 months ago by bookworm
Excellent!
To put this in context, I am not a beginner knitter, I've been knitting on and off for about 20 years. Read more
Published 7 months ago by Mr. M. P. Duffy
great projects, useful for reference
I got this book from the library but am going to buy a copy as I would like to keep it long enough to make some more of the patterns in the book, and also find it useful for... Read more
Published 9 months ago by Catherine
Unhelpful
As a complete novice to knitting, I sat down with this book, a couple of needles and some wool, and tried to get underway. I was utterly stumped. Read more
Published 9 months ago by elmsyrup
Pretty to look at, easy to follow
I've read a few how to knit books over the years, none of them have succeeded in teaching me what I needed to know but this looks like it might (finally!) do the trick. Read more
Published 14 months ago by Mark Webb
Style over substance
I bought this book - obviously perhaps - as I wanted to learn to knit and the product description made it sound like it would be a complete breeze if I followed the 'clear charts... Read more
Published 16 months ago by Robert Campling
Graduate from garter stitch and find some great ideas.
If like me, you can manage a lumpy bumpy garter stitch and can't make head or tail of a knitting pattern, then this is the book for you. Read more
Published 16 months ago by sam155
Okay (ish)
To be honest, I think it is awfully hard to learn something from a book. This was okay, but not the easiest to follow. Read more
Published 16 months ago by Bezerus Bezby
experienced knitter
simple knitting is a great book to get you started in the craft, i however have been knitting since a little girl and there is a stich index with some very interesting examples i... Read more
Published 16 months ago by gadget girl
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