Knitting in Plain English

Rating:
Summary: A very good reference
Review: As a beginning knitter, I find "Knitting in Plain English" to be an excellent tutorial. However, I have a couple words of warning. The most important is this: the method Righetti describes as "Continental or European purl" is actually something known as "combined" purling. She does warn of the danger of twisted stitches when using this method, but if you want to know how to do true Continental purl, do a Google search and there are plenty of websites that show the correct way. Also, I haven't read every pattern stitch in the book, but although the pattern she gives for seed stitch is correct, she describes it as "knit into a purl and purl into a knit" -- which is incorrect. I won't list every error in the book, but just wanted to use these examples as a way of pointing out that if something seems wrong, get a second opinion.

My other problem with Righetti's style in general is that she's very opinionated. While she says over and over again to experiment and do what works for you, the implication is always there that her way is best and that's that. Know as you read that although she has a lot more experience than the average beginner, she doesn't know what works best for everyone.

That said, Righetti's book has been very, very valuable to me in my efforts to learn to knit. She discusses things a lot of authors tend to overlook, and her directions and diagrams are mostly very clear. I would recommend the book, as long as you realize that her word is not gospel and that other experienced knitters may disagree.

Rating:
Summary: Fantastic resource
Review: I am a novice knitter who can't learn fast enough. This book has some great lessons, including some on problems I didn't realize I was having. I especially liked the author's honesty about how difficult buttonholes are. You could learn how to knit from this book but it is probably most useful as a learning tool once you've made a few scarves and have moved on to reading patterns.

Rating:
Summary: Fantastic resource
Review: I bought this book several years ago on a whim, since I'd been knitting off and on for over 30 years, and thought I knew just enough. Boy was I wrong! Once I began to read Knitting in Plain English, I became engrossed. Maggie's conversational style makes it so easy to read, before I knew it, I had read half the book as if it was a novel. And the things I learned! For instance, she opened my eyes to the fact that most of the pictures shown in pattern books are very deceptive: there has to be a reason the models hold their arms at such unnatural angles. It's because the sleeves don't fall right if they stand naturally. I never noticed that! And then she goes on to explain what to do to about it. For years I never worried about those "gauge" thingies. I just bought the yarn and needles the pattern said I needed. No wonder I got so many funny sized items! And I never knew there was more than "my" way to cast on. I have since taught myself the long-tail method just from her illustrations and explanation. Fascinating! Today, I'm much more careful in my selection of yarns, and never, ever knit anything up without a gauge swatch. This book is never far from me now, and I go back often to get advice. As far as I'm concerned, it's a must-have for any knitter.

Rating:
Summary: Your absolute best introduction to knitting!
Review: I find many "instructional" books on knitting techniques rather dry and boring. i thumb through them and put them down rather quickly because of the straghtfoward 'textbook" type writing. I am in no way saying these tech books do not have their place - they are enormously valuable. They just are not a "fun read" at the same time.

Maggie Righetti bypasses this with wit and a "lets sit down and chat"attitude. She conveys information in an easy to understand manner and is fun to read!

Kudos to you Maggie! I will read this book over and over.

Rating:
Summary: I may need to brush up on my English!
Review: I give "Knitting," 2 stars because I taught myself how to crochet using "Crocheting with Plain English," and I feel a sense of loyality, but overall as a new knitter, I found "Knitting in Plain English" to be annoying. I finally ended up buying "The Complete Idiot's Guide to Knitting and Crocheting." It's a great newbie book. The drawings are easy to read, and it had great starter projects. For example, the very first project is a dishcloth. I have made a dozen of these, and buy learning the basics (increase, decrease & How TO Knit), I was able to move on to more complex projects.

The only downfall to "Idioots" was I ended up outgrowing it pretty quickly which was sort of distressing. I am still looking for a book on "How a dumb Girl makes a Sweater," but it took me through the baby steps of knitting and for that I am greatful.

As much as I wanted to like, Righetti's Knitting, I couldn't. Maybe after I have learned more.

To be more specific:

1. I hated the projects (and it sounds like Maggie did, too. One of her projects is called Dumb Baby Sweater. How not inspiring.

2. The book is very wordy, and yet not specific. I also felt visually deprived a great deal fo the time. (I ended up learning more from how to's on the internet

3. She writes for 55 pages, before the first cast on. And once again, when she does cast on it's very wordy.

Maybe in a few years, after I have learned more I will learn to love this book, but at this time I can't.

Rating:
Summary: Must-Have book for any level knitter!!
Review: i have been knitting for about 10 years. i bought this book when i was first learning, and i still refer back to it when i have a question. there are books with clearer illustrations, but maggie righetti is so funny and down-to-earth that i always check this book first. her strong suit is making you feel good about knitting - she wants it to be a pleasurable pasttime for you, not a marine drill. a dropped stitch isn't a catastrophe - just fix it! a wrong pattern stitch isn't the worst thing in the world - just correct it in the next row! this is how knitters knit in the real world. or at least, it's how i feel comfortable knitting, so that's why i love this book. i can't recommend it highly enough!!

Rating:
Summary: anecdotal
Review: I must say, I enjoyed reading this book. The author talks about knititng in a very casual, anecdotal manner--you hear stories of knitters she has known, of yarns she has purchased, of sweaters she has knit. Many of her stories are amusing while also practical. Reading this book is like learning from the mistakes of others.

However, alone, this book is not enough to teach you how to knit. While it is worthwhile reading for the tips you pick up, if you need to look up a particular technique, you might be better using a book that is more organised, or with chapter headings that are less humourous and more informative.

When you first start to knit, reading this book is like having a friend by your side telling you where you can go wrong, and for that is very useful. But it is best used in conjunction with some other less chatty book, such as Debbie Bliss's "How to Knit" or one of the many encyclopedias of knitting techniques (many excellent OP titles can be found at second hand bookstores).

Rating:
Summary: Learn by doing
Review: This is an excellent book for beginners. I wish I had read it sooner. If you can knit and purl, you're ready to read this book. The author takes you through several areas of knitting explaining the pitfalls that can happen and how to avoid them. What I most like about this book is that Righetti stresses the need to be exact, to plan, to problem solve and to troubleshoot. At the end of the book she has little projects that she guides you through. Now these are very, very hokey and at least one of them is downright creepy (that capulet thing) . However, the skills that they teach, and the way she teaches them, make them very, very worthwhile. For example, in the middle of making a baby sweater she has you take the work off your needles and try it on a baby and measure it to make sure it fits--if it doesn't, she wants you to figure out how to fix the problem. That's what I liked about Knitting in Plain English. Righetti gives you skills that make you independent. Instead of blindly following a pattern, hoping against hope that it will somehow turn out, she teaches you to see the big picture, to think ahead.
I have to admit that when I first got this book I was very disappointed. (very few pictures..LOTS of chapters to read before she even has you pick up a pair of needles) After I had some knitting experience under my belt, I went back and re-read it. SLOWLY. I was amazed at how relevant and applicable to my own knitting the book was. All the mistakes I had made could have easily been avoided. This book will make you a smarter,more effiecient knitter in control of your craft. It will help you enjoy the process of knitting as well as the finished product.

Rating:
Summary: Knitting in Plain English
Review: This is the knitter's bible. It should be the second knitting how-to book you buy. It is best if you have learned how to do a basic knit and purl first from an easy knitting book/kit. Now you need to know everything from how to fix your mistakes to how to properly seam a sweater and this is the best book out there. It gives you multiple ways to cast on or increase. It's true that the knitting projects are old fashioned, but they are designed to get you started on basic procedures such as increasing, decreasing, seaming, and shaping.