Knitting for Dummies (For Dummies)

Want to know how to knit? This fun and easy guide shows you how to create beautiful, timeless pieces, whether you're new to knitting or you're ready for more advanced patterns. From scarves and sweaters to bags, pillows, and more, you'll find lots of projects for practicing and perfecting your skills. Plus, you get the latest knitting techniques and resources!

• Get ready to knit — choose yarn and needles, read pattern instructions and charts, and measure gauge

• Now you're knitting! — cast on, knit and purl, use basic stitches, make increases and decreases, and knit in the round

• Expand your knowledge — knit stripes and cables, work with multiple colors per row, do lacework, and more

• Make great garments — assemble and block pieces, make bands and buttonholes, close seams, and add finishing touches

• Handle common mistakes — know what to do if you drop a stitch or inadvertently add one

• Make great gifts — knit a baby's layette, a child's sweater, pullovers, jackets, and more

• Reap the added benefits of knitting — increase your creativity, learn patience, gain a sense of purpose, and soothe your soul

Open the book and find:

• Step-by-step instructions with helpful illustrations and color photos

• A fresh variety of projects, from beginner to advanced

• The latest yarns and stylish patterns

• Techniques every knitter should know

• Felted knitting projects

• Tips for relaxing stiff shoulders and fingers

• A detailed guide to knitting your first sweater

• the tools of the trade
• the basics
• how to read a pattern
• the fundamentals
• basic stitches
• techniques no knitter should be without
• what to do when you make a common mistake
• tips for knitting in the round
• how to knit some easy projects

More advanced? Try your needles at stripes, cables, twists, lace, Fair Isle, intarsia, and full garments. Knitting For Dummies, 2^nd Edition, will not only enhance the skills you already have, it’ll teach you new ones, from expert knitters who will guide you every step of the way. You’ll be on your way to knitting a new wardrobe in no time!

Knitting For Dummiesconsistently ranks among our top-selling Dummies titles since it published six years ago, with 300,000 copies sold. Knitting For Dummies, Second Edition is for those new to the craft who are looking for a great introductory guide, as well as those already familiar with knitting who are looking for an easy-to-read, fun reference that introduces them to new projects and techniques. This revised and expanded edition not only provides the latest information and resources, but also step-by-step how-to instructions for all the knitting techniques explained in the book. Using easier-to-follow photos and illustrations, the guide demonstrates basic knitting stitches and shows readers how to decipher patterns and work with multiple colors. It also explains how to fix common knitting mistakes and relax stiff shoulders and fingers. Most projects also offer a list of variations, so knitters can expand their understanding and design projects on their own. This new edition also features a new section covering knitting online (blogs, e-zines, and Web sites), a new chapter on felting knitted projects (which has become very popular among beginners), the latest new yarns and styles, a new bibliography, and new sample projects and patterns, including "your first sweater" (an easy top-down raglan that requires no piecing), a bag knit in the round, and a tubular neckerchief kind of scarf.

Tracy L. Barr is a professional writer and editor, and has been an avid knitter for more than 30 years.

Shannon Okey is the author of nearly a dozen books on knitting and other fiber arts and a columnist for knit.1 magazine. She hosts a call-in podcast about knitting and has appeared on many television shows.

Part I: Getting Ready to Knit.

Chapter 1: Two Needles, a Ball of Yarn, and a Little Know-how.

Chapter 2: Tools of the Trade.

Chapter 3: Taking the Mystery Out of Patterns and Gauge.

Part II: Knitting Primer.

Chapter 4: The Fundamentals: Casting On, Knitting, Purling, and Binding Off.

Chapter 5: Basic Stitches You’ll Use Again and Again.

Chapter 6: Techniques Every Knitter Should Know.

Chapter 7: Oops! Fixing Common Mistakes.

Chapter 8: Knitting in the Round.

Chapter 9: Practicing with Simple Projects.

Part III: Techniques for the More Experienced Knitter.

Chapter 10: Stripes — Yipes!

Chapter 11: Cable Musings and Interesting Twists.

Chapter 12: Let the Sun Shine In: Knitting Lace.

Chapter 13: Fair Isle and Intarsia Techniques.

Part IV: Making Garments.

Chapter 14: Anatomy of a Sweater Pattern.

Chapter 15: How to Knit a Sweater, Step by Step.

Chapter 16: Getting It Together: Blocking and Assembling Your Pieces.

Chapter 17 : Finishing Touches: Neckbands, Edging, Buttonholes, and More.

Chapter 18: Starter Garments.

Part V: The Part of Tens.

Chapter 19: Ten (Plus One) Unkinking Exercises for Knitters.

Chapter 20: Ten Quick Knitting Projects and Gift Ideas.

Part VI: Appendixes.

Appendix A: More Stitches and Cool Effects.

Appendix B: Knitting Resources.

Index.