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Haley Mathiot (9 KP) rated Knit Simple Knitting Workshops: Clever Tips Techniques to Guarantee Success in Books

Apr 27, 2018  
KS
Knit Simple Knitting Workshops: Clever Tips Techniques to Guarantee Success
Editors of Knit Simple magazine | 2011
10
10.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
This book has everything: Basic learn to knit and crochet instructions, lists of recommended tools, materials, books, and tons of basic beginner patterns that have the potential to be taken to the next level. I love it! Great for any beginner knitter.

However I have yet to find a book that has clear enough instructions to teach someone to actually knit a stitch. It's very hard to photograph a movement, and the basic knitting instructions in this book were no better than any others.

There was every sort of pattern: hats, scarves, socks, mittens, shawls, necklaces, flowers, sweaters, blankets etc. This book covered all the categories very well.
  
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Haley Mathiot (9 KP) rated Knitting with Gigi in Books

Apr 27, 2018  
KW
Knitting with Gigi
Karen Thalacker | 2007
8
8.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
Knitting with Gigi is an awesome kid’s book for any child (or adult!) who wants to learn to knit. There are good instructions and wonderful illustrations to help learn the basic cast-on (starting), knit stitch, decreasing (making it a different shape), and bind-off (ending). Some knitting books are very difficult to learn how to knit from, but the instructions in Knitting with Gigi are very clear. 8 kid-friendly projects make up the second half of the book, all of them easy to follow and perfect for a beginner.

Gigi also has a website where kids can join the “Gigi’s kindness corps” and knit for those in need. Her website also includes videos of instructions to get to “the next step” so to speak. The videos explain the purl stitch, different cast-on methods, and techniques of finishing. By the time a young knitter has finished the projects in the book and watched and learned the information in the videos, they will be ready to go further into the knitting world.

I want to point out a wonderful thing that Gigi (who speaks in verse) has said: “Practice makes perfect will never apply. We all make mistakes, no matter how hard we try. So be of good cheer and do not despair. With time and some care you’ll have something to wear.” Every young knitter should hear this—and experienced ones, too!

The only thing I wish this book had touched on (but didn’t mention) is gauge. Gauge is important because everyone knits differently (example: I knit loose with wool and tight with double pointed needles, so my hat or mittens or whatever else I made might not fit, even if i followed the instructions 100%) so sometimes yarn or needle changes have to be made to make sure things fit. The patterns in the book were not dependent on gauge, (which is probably why it wasn’t brought up) but it is still an important thing for any knitter to learn.

Recommendation: boys and girls ages 6+. Adults could learn to knit with their kids with this book too!

**Thank you to Martingale and Company for providing my review copy!**
  
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Suswatibasu (1702 KP) rated Station Eleven in Books

Jul 26, 2017  
Station Eleven
Station Eleven
Emily St. John Mandel | 2015 | Fiction & Poetry, Science Fiction/Fantasy
8
7.9 (29 Ratings)
Book Rating
"Thoughtful apocalyptic concept"
This novel mixes an apocalyptic scenario with real life dramas from a bygone era. The various narratives are engaging and the back and forth stories knit together all the different subplots. The fact that it surrounds a troupe of performers with a past history in the arts makes for a different kind of dystopian fiction.