Not Your Mama's Knitting

Heather Dixon

Description

This is knitting with attitude. Choose from nearly thirty designs, follow the simple directions, and knit fun, trendy items to dress yourself, your friends, your home, a baby, or even a pet. This guide covers must-know techniques, tools of the trade, customizing designs, and more. Get clicking and express yourself with hip, hyper-chic designs any fashionista would covet.
Introduction.

PART ONE: All That a Gal Needs.

Chapter One: Have It Your Way: Seeing Beyond the Pattern.

God or Science? The Evolution of Knitting.

The Not-So-Distant Past.

The Here and Now.

Chapter Two: Two Sticks and Some String.

If It’s Long and Pointy, You Can Knit with It.

DIY Needles.

Where Width Is More Important Than Length.

The Long and the Short of It.

Stringing You Along.

Reading a Yarn Label.

Yarn Shopping.

Subbing Yarns.

A Knitter’s Tool Kit: Other Stuff You’ll Need.

Chapter Three: Beginners, Start Your Engines: Basic Techniques.

On the Casting Couch: Casting On.

Get a Grip! Holding the Yarn and Needles.

Bring It On! The Knit Stitch.

How to Bind Off.

Purls of Wisdom: The Purl Stitch.

Getting the Round In: Working with Double-Pointed and Circular Needles.

Knit One, Purl One: Gallery of Stitch Patterns #1.

Chapter Four: Shape Shifters: Increasing, Decreasing, and Other Fancy Things to Do with Your Knits and Purls.

Increase the Love: Basic Increasing Maneuvers.

Slimming Down: Basic Decreasing Stitches.

A Hole in One: Knitting Lace and Pointelle Patterns.

Feather and Fan.

Allover Lace and Lace Panels: Gallery of Stitch Patterns #2.

Chapter Five: Twist and Shout: Knitting Cables and Bobbles.

Switch-a-Roo: How to Knit Cables.

Simple Six-Stitch Cable.

Goodness, Gracious, Great Balls of Yarn: How to Knit Bobbles.

Reading a Chart #1.

Cables and Bobbles: Gallery of Stitch Patterns #3.

Chapter Six: Painting by Stitches: How to Knit with Different Colors.

Starting a New Ball of Yarn.

A Stripe of a Different Color.

Two Techniques for Multicolor Knitting.

Twisted Up in Knots: Tips for Yarn Tangle Management.

Reading a Chart #2.

Fair Isle and Intarsia: Gallery of Stitch Patterns #4.

Chapter Seven: It Ain’t Over ’til the Fat Lady Pins: Finishing and Blocking.

Seams Like a Nice Girl: The Correct Stitching Method for the Job.

Picking Up Stitches.

Binding Off.

Buttonholes.

How D’You Like My Weave? How to Weave in Your Loose Ends.

The End Is in Sight: Blocking Your Finished Item.

Chapter Eight: Everything but the Kitchen Sink: Embellishments.

Embroidery.

Couching.

Appliqué.

Now in 3D!

I-Cord.

Ha Hem!

Crochet.

Chapter Nine: Oops, I Made a Big Booboo! Fixing Mistakes.

Frogging.

Unknitting.

Reworking Stitches.

Dropped Stitches.

Chapter Ten: ’Sall Greek to Me: How to Read a Knitting Pattern.

Patterns 101.

Size Is Important: Understanding Gauge (Tension).

Special Notes or Instructions.

Following the Instructions.

PART TWO: …And a Bag of Chips.

Chapter Eleven: Heads Up!

Bean Beanie.

Put-Your-Hair-Up Hat.

Cable Access.

Bar Code.

It’s a Cinch.

Bobbles and Balls.

Chapter Twelve: Playing Footsie.

Pirate Socks.

Toasty Tootsies.

Not-Quite-’70s Legwarmers.

Boot-i-licious.

PDA Mittens.

O Gloves.

Chapter Thirteen: Full Fluffy Jacket.

Sweet and Seamless.

Split Personality.

Boudoir.

Girly.

Frosty.

Wildflowers.

Macho Picchu.

Chapter Fourteen: Bag Ladies.

Techno Bag.

Techno Junior.

Bandolero.

Chapter Fifteen: Rug Rats.

Little Boy Blue/Alpha Female.

Pampered Pooch Pullover.

Tutti-Frutti Baby Set.

Chapter Sixteen: Home Buddies.

Hearts & Stars.

Loopy Landing.

Indulge.

PART THREE: Junk in the Trunk.

Chapter Seventeen: Make the Buy.

Book Reviews.

Magazines.

Enter the Internet.

Free Is for Me.

Suppliers of Featured Yarns.

Chapter Eighteen: Knitters of the World Unite.

All the Fun, with Added Group Benefits.

Swap Shop.

Daytrippers.

A Knitted Gift Exchange.

Cyber-Knitting.

Blogging.

APPENDIX.

Reference Tools.

Designer Bios.

Index.

Sujets

• Loisirs
• Loisirs créatifs et artistiques
• Couture et Tricot
• Crafts
• Hobbies
• Knitting Needleworf

Informations

• Publié par: Turner Publishing Company
• Date de parution: 30 avril 2010
• Nombre de lectures: 1
• EAN13: 9780470892794
• Langue: English
• Poids de l'ouvrage: 1 Mo

Extrait

Copyright 2006 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Hoboken, New Jersey. All rights reserved.
Published by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Hoboken, New Jersey
No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, scanning or otherwise, except as permitted under Sections 107 or 108 of the 1976 United States Copyright Act, without either the prior written permission of the Publisher, or authorization through payment of the appropriate per-copy fee to the Copyright Clearance Center, 222 Rosewood Drive, Danvers, MA 01923, [phone], fax [phone], or on the web at www.copyright.com . Requests to the Publisher for permission should be addressed to the Legal Department, Wiley Publishing, Inc., 10475 Crosspoint Blvd., Indianapolis, IN 46256, [phone], fax [phone], or online at http://www.wiley.com/go/permissions .
Wiley, the Wiley Publishing logo, Not Your Mama s, and related trademarks are trademarks or registered trademarks of John Wiley Sons, Inc. and/or its affiliates. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners. Wiley Publishing, Inc. is not associated with any product or vendor mentioned in this book.
The publisher and the author make no representations or warranties with respect to the accuracy or completeness of the contents of this work and specifically disclaim all warranties, including without limitation warranties of fitness for a particular purpose. No warranty may be created or extended by sales or promotional materials. The advice and strategies contained herein may not be suitable for every situation. This work is sold with the understanding that the publisher is not engaged in rendering legal, accounting, or other professional services. If professional assistance is required, the services of a competent professional person should be sought. Neither the publisher nor the author shall be liable for damages arising here from. The fact that an organization or Website is referred to in this work as a citation and/or a potential source of further information does not mean that the author or the publisher endorses the information the organization or Website may provide or recommendations it may make. Further, readers should be aware that Internet Websites listed in this work may have changed or disappeared between when this work was written and when it is read.
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Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication data is available from the publisher upon request.
ISBN 13: 978-0-471-97382-9 ISBN 10: 0-471-97382-3
Printed in the United States of America
10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
Book design by Elizabeth Brooks Cover design by Troy Cummings Interior photography by Matt Bowen Illustrations by Joni Burns, Shelley Norris, and Jake Mansfield Book production by Wiley Publishing, Inc. Composition Services
Free bonus pattern available online!
Be on top of the smartest fashion trends with the Night Falls Scarf by designer Jane Thornley. To access your copy of the pattern, go to www.wiley.com/go/NYMknitting .
About the Author

Photo by Jimbo Matison
Heather Dixon taught herself to knit at the age of six and never looked back. She studied knitwear design in Nottingham, England, and has had several of her pieces featured in the British press. After working as a freelance designer in Italy, she moved to New York City to become the designer of RELAiS Knitware, a line of contemporary ladies sweaters. In her spare time, Heather designs a line of accessories, the patterns for which can be bought from her website, www.armyofknitters.com . She teaches a weekly knit clinic, is a regular at the Tuesday evening meetings of the New York Stitch n Bitch, and has patterns featured in Stitch n Bitch Nation, The Happy Hooker, Inknitters magazine, and the online magazine Knitty.com .
Contents
Introduction

PART ONE
All That a Gal Needs

CHAPTER ONE
Have It Your Way: Seeing Beyond the Pattern
God or Science? The Evolution of Knitting
The Not-So-Distant Past
The Here and Now

CHAPTER TWO
Two Sticks and Some String
If It s Long and Pointy, You Can Knit with It
DIY Needles
Where Width Is More Important Than Length
The Long and the Short of It
Stringing You Along
Reading a Yarn Label
Yarn Shopping
Subbing Yarns
A Knitter s Tool Kit: Other Stuff You ll Need

CHAPTER THREE
Beginners, Start Your Engines: Basic Techniques
On the Casting Couch: Casting On
Get a Grip! Holding the Yarn and Needles
Bring It On! The Knit Stitch
How to Bind Off
Purls of Wisdom: The Purl Stitch
Getting the Round In: Working with Double-Pointed and Circular Needles
Knit One, Purl One: Gallery of Stitch Patterns #1

CHAPTER FOUR
Shape Shifters: Increasing, Decreasing, and Other Fancy Things to Do with Your Knits and Purls
Increase the Love: Basic Increasing Maneuvers
Slimming Down: Basic Decreasing Stitches
A Hole in One: Knitting Lace and Pointelle Patterns
Feather and Fan
Allover Lace and Lace Panels: Gallery of Stitch Patterns #2

CHAPTER FIVE
Twist and Shout: Knitting Cables and Bobbles
Switch-a-Roo: How to Knit Cables
Simple Six-Stitch Cable
Goodness, Gracious, Great Balls of Yarn: How to Knit Bobbles
Reading a Chart #1
Cables and Bobbles: Gallery of Stitch Patterns #3

CHAPTER SIX
Painting by Stitches: How to Knit with Different Colors
Starting a New Ball of Yarn
A Stripe of a Different Color
Two Techniques for Multicolor Knitting
Twisted Up in Knots: Tips for Yar Tangle Management
Reading a Chart #2
Fair Isle and Intarsia: Gallery of Stitch Patterns #4

CHAPTER SEVEN
It Ain t Over til the Fat Lady Pins: Finishing and Blocking
Seams Like a Nice Girl: The Correct Stitching Method for the Job
Picking Up Stitches
Binding Off
Buttonholes
How D You Like My Weave? How to Weave in Your Loose Ends
The End Is in Sight: Blocking Your Finished Item

CHAPTER EIGHT
Everything but the Kitchen Sink: Embellishments
Embroidery
Couching
Appliqu
Now in 3D!
I-Cord
Ha Hem!
Crochet

CHAPTER NINE
Oops, I Made a Big Booboo! Fixing Mistakes
Frogging
Unknitting
Reworking Stitches
Dropped Stitches

CHAPTER TEN
Sall Greek to Me: How to Read a Knitting Pattern
Patterns 101
Size Is Important: Understanding Gauge (Tension)
Special Notes or Instructions
Following the Instructions

PART TWO
And a Bag of Chips

CHAPTER ELEVEN
Heads Up!
Bean Beanie
Put-Your-Hair-Up Hat
Cable Access
Bar Code
It s a Cinch
Bobbles and Balls

CHAPTER TWELVE
Playing Footsie
Pirate Socks
Toasty Tootsies
Not-Quite- 70s Legwarmers
Boot-i-licious
PDA Mittens
O Gloves

CHAPTER THIRTEEN
Full Fluffy Jacket
Sweet and Seamless
Split Personality
Boudoir
Girly
Frosty
Wildflowers
Macho Picchu

CHAPTER FOURTEEN
Bag Ladies
Techno Bag
Techno Junior
Bandolero

CHAPTER FIFTEEN
Rug Rats
Little Boy Blue/Alpha Female
Pampered Pooch Pullover
Tutti-Frutti Baby Set

CHAPTER SIXTEEN
Home Buddies
Hearts Stars
Loopy Landing
Indulge

PART THREE
Junk in the Trunk

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
Make the Buy
Book Reviews
Magazines
Enter the Internet
Free Is for Me
Suppliers of Featured Yarns

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
Knitters of the World Unite
All the Fun, with Added Group Benefits
Swap Shop
Daytrippers
A Knitted Gift Exchange
Cyber-Knitting
Blogging

APPENDIX
Reference Tools

Designer Bios

Index
Dedicated to the memory of my knitting mamas, Alice and Dora.
Acknowledgments
I ve reached the age where a large number of my friends are popping out babies left, right, and center. This book is my little baby, and the whole process has been like a pregnancy. First there was the flirtation with the lovely and talented Roxane Cerda at Wiley Publishing where the idea was conceived. Then came the morning sickness and sleepless nights worrying about whether I would be a good enough writer.
All my spare time was spent huddled under a blanket with laptop perched on my ever-growing belly-there was no time for healthy eating or exercise! My fabulous editor Lynn Northrup helped me to breathe and plan the chapters. I would have pulled out all of my hair without her gentle encouragement and guidance. The labor was long and at times quite painful but worth all the sweat and tears as now I get to be the proud parent of a beautiful little book. I ll watch it make its way out to where it will hopefully entertain, encourage, and enlighten knitters all around the world.
None of this would be at all possible without the wonderfully talented designers who contributed their gorgeous designs featured in this book-big, wet snogs to you all! Big thanks to Sharon Turner and Kristi Porter for their technical editing, and to Cindy Kitchel for reviewing all of the patterns and giving helpful suggestions.
Huge amounts of love and thanks to the members of my Tuesday night Stitch n Bitch NYC crew, everyone at The Point, and my Thursday evening students at Klatch for your friendship and encouragement, especially to Nadine Fishelson for knitting the enormous Bobbles and Balls and Jill Astmann for knitting the stitch pattern swatches. To Johanna Li, Jessamyn Lee, Michelle Mudry, and Jenn Wendell for editorial help and insightful content; to Debbie Stoller for advice and connections; and to Jill Roth for letting us stay in her country house!
Love forever to my wonderful friends Chris Crowley and Valda Girgenso