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Patty Lyons' Knitting Bag of Tricks: Over 70 sanity saving hacks for better knitting
Do you wish your knitting was better and that you had an expert knitter by your side to help you when it goes wrong? Then this is the book for you - it even has a special lay-flat binding so you can keep your hands on your needles.
Patty Lyons is an expert in all things knitting related - she will help you sort out your gauge, unpick problems like twisted stitches and generally spruce up your knitting know-how in this pocket-sized reference book packed full of her purls' of wisdom. Patty is a well-known knitting 'agony aunt' and she will hold your hand as you tackle the problems that often beset knitters and get in the way of beautiful finished projects.
This handy guide will always be by your side to help you unravel your yarn problems and get you back on track. Packed full of practical advice for knitters as well as step-by-step instructions for a whole raft of knitting issues, this is the ultimate guide for anyone who's ever picked up yarn and a set of needles.
This isn't like other how to knit' books with basic information about casting on and how to form stitches (although there is a handy how-to reference section at the back for when you need a refresher), this is a book about the why' of knitting. Not about why we knit' but about why we knit the way we do'. By digging deeper into the why' Patty doesn't just fix your knitting problems she helps you to truly understand why the yarn/stitches/needles/tension are acting in a certain way and how to fix any issues.
She starts by looking at the basics and explores the anatomy of a stitch, examining how this affects the look, feel and shape of the finished knitted fabrics and how different knitting techniques affect the finished outcome. Patty examines the problems caused by common mistakes that many knitters make without even noticing before diving into more complex knitting issues and how to trouble shoot them. All of Patty's techniques and tips are illustrated with detailed step-by-step artworks for absolute clarity.
And, as you'd expect from a Patty Lyons book, there is a healthy scattering of humour and irreverence thoughout ; you might take knitting seriously but you don't have to be serious while knitting!
Patty Lyons is an expert in all things knitting related - she will help you sort out your gauge, unpick problems like twisted stitches and generally spruce up your knitting know-how in this pocket-sized reference book packed full of her purls' of wisdom. Patty is a well-known knitting 'agony aunt' and she will hold your hand as you tackle the problems that often beset knitters and get in the way of beautiful finished projects.
This handy guide will always be by your side to help you unravel your yarn problems and get you back on track. Packed full of practical advice for knitters as well as step-by-step instructions for a whole raft of knitting issues, this is the ultimate guide for anyone who's ever picked up yarn and a set of needles.
This isn't like other how to knit' books with basic information about casting on and how to form stitches (although there is a handy how-to reference section at the back for when you need a refresher), this is a book about the why' of knitting. Not about why we knit' but about why we knit the way we do'. By digging deeper into the why' Patty doesn't just fix your knitting problems she helps you to truly understand why the yarn/stitches/needles/tension are acting in a certain way and how to fix any issues.
She starts by looking at the basics and explores the anatomy of a stitch, examining how this affects the look, feel and shape of the finished knitted fabrics and how different knitting techniques affect the finished outcome. Patty examines the problems caused by common mistakes that many knitters make without even noticing before diving into more complex knitting issues and how to trouble shoot them. All of Patty's techniques and tips are illustrated with detailed step-by-step artworks for absolute clarity.
And, as you'd expect from a Patty Lyons book, there is a healthy scattering of humour and irreverence thoughout ; you might take knitting seriously but you don't have to be serious while knitting!
Readers Top Reviews
jennybknitting-in
I’ve flicked through the book and thoroughly read 2 chapters and I already know this book is going to be invaluable. I have followed Patty Lyon’s for a few years, discovering her from the Modern Daily Knitting site, and I love to read her How To advice columns. Sometimes I have experienced the same problem, but a lot of the time it’s something I’ve never experienced or even heard of in knitting, but I love to get my needles out and give Patty’s advice a go, so that I gain new skills and improve my knitting. This is exactly what this book is too, and I know I’m going to reach for it whenever I get stuck on a project or if I’m between projects and want to do some swatches and learn new ways to decrease etc. It’s made me think about the fabric I’m creating when I knit, and how the stitches work together, something I’ve not really thought of before. I recommend this book to every knitter, of all skill levels, I really think it will take pride of place on anyones book shelf, and become one of their most invaluable tools. Also, the binding is supposed to look like that! It’s a special sewn stay flat binding which means you can put it down and it will stay open on the same page so you can knit and follow along!
Tania Marshalljen
I am an advanced knitter and have been paid to teach classes so when I say this book is a must have, please pay attention! So many issues explained with methods to improve your knitting all in one place. For example: flatter SSKs, CO in purl, how to achieve even YOs and smoothing out those wonky 1st and last stitches of a knitted CO. Read the book all the way through like a novel, then go back and bookmark specific techniques. If you're a knitter who wants to know why your stitches (mis)behave as they do, this book has the answers. And to think I only pre ordered it because I am a fan of the illustrator, Franklin Habit. I expected it to be be fun, not chock full of truly meaningful and helpful content.
Johnny GrantTania
Can you find knitting tips on YouTube? Yes, and I have. But this book takes knitting tips to the next level because Patty Lyons explains WHY her tips ("tricks") work. As a teacher, she doesn't just explain the "how"; she also explains the "why." Patty's book gets at the architecture of knitting, both in the diagrams and in the narrative, to explain why certain problems occur and how to improve a specific technique. As a knitter, I rarely stop to think about the causes of a problem, but this book showed me why they occur as well as how to fix them. If you want to see an example of this, check out her section on the long-tail cast on. The things I learned! There is plenty in this book for novice knitters as well as those more experienced. Patty designed the book so that it's small enough to keep by your side when knitting and has a cover that stays open when using it. This thoughtful step in the book's design process is another indication of what makes Patty an excellent instructor: she's always thinking about the knitter she is teaching.
SeekingJohnny Gra
The content of the book covers so many of the things I have had issues with as a knitter. 1 Cookie math- which breaks down how to adjust for my gauge 2. One move SSK- I knit a fair amount of lace, this technique is a time saver and looks better. 3. Short rows- with good explanations and illustrations how to do the variations. 4. fixing the ribbing from flipping up.-So important for knitting sweaters. 5. Shoulder shaping- smooth , no stair steps. 6. My favorite chapter-Pesky problems and easy solutions I love the instructions, they are to the point and not wordy. The illustrations are on the same page as the instructions so i don't have to flip back and forth through pages. The book chapters is arranged so it makes sense and is easy to find what I am looking for. Thank you for putting your expertise and knowledge in a book for knitters, and the book size I can fit easily in my knitting bag.
akaGracieSeekingJ
I've been knitting for many years, but have never figured out how to pick up a dropped stitch from a cast-on row. Patty just explained it to me (page 79). Before that, though, on page 69, she showed me how to cast-on without a slip-knot (well, she explained and Linda Schmidt illustrated in a way that made it clear). I now know how to increase into the row below (page 124) and bind off in pattern without that stupid loop at the end (page 175). Most exciting to me: I believe I *can* do short rows. For me, pages 151-155 were so enlightening & encouraging that I think my eyes welled up a bit. I mentioned just 5 that immediately leaped out, but there's so much more I'll be putting into use, including finally learning to read my knitting now that I know what I should be looking for. The photography clarified the information throughout the book, too, and of course Franklin Habit's illustrations were charming. I've read a lot of instructions over the years (Lucy Neatby & Carol Sunday are just two whose explanations have helped me in many ways, e.g., how stitches work), but somehow I never was able to put into practice the specific actions I've mentioned here. This book came along at exactly the right time for me, and it will remain in my knitting basket for quick reference. Patty Lyons is a genius, and I hope she continues to share her discoveries with us.
