4.24

4

Jul 13, 2010

I moved into my aunt and uncle's attic seven winters ago, graduated from college but without a job. No friends except my five-month-old cousin (who was good company, but still!). I had never lived in Minnesota before, but I had heard that the winters were long, cold, and dark. I decided to take up a hobby. Given my newfound nordic surroundings, I thought knitting was just the thing.

I didn't have the money to take a class, so I checked out Stitch 'n Bitch from the library and got some yarn and I moved into my aunt and uncle's attic seven winters ago, graduated from college but without a job. No friends except my five-month-old cousin (who was good company, but still!). I had never lived in Minnesota before, but I had heard that the winters were long, cold, and dark. I decided to take up a hobby. Given my newfound nordic surroundings, I thought knitting was just the thing.

I didn't have the money to take a class, so I checked out Stitch 'n Bitch from the library and got some yarn and needles with a coupon to Micheal's. With only this book and lonely nights, I taught myself to knit.

First, Stoller explained the basic elements of knitting. She coupled her instructions with illustrations and witty captions, making them easy to understand and follow. Where more than one method existed, she included instructions for each. (That is how I, a right-handed American, ended up knitting the left-handed English way!) After the basic stitches came (brilliantly) a list of the most common knitting woopsies and how to fix them. The remainder of the book contained fun patterns with illustrations, photos, and clear-as-day instructions. The patterns included projects for pets, babies, and hipsters. I made several of the projects and still wear them.

Once I taught myself to knit that solitary winter, I was hooked for life. Now I never go anywhere without something to knit, and friends and family know to expect home-stitched gifts from me. I have taught others to knit. I even went to a knit-in protest at the state capitol! Knitting has become more than a hobby; it has been a means of making friends, connecting with relatives, and expressing my (limited) creativity. It has been a terrific past-time, and I am grateful to Stoller for opening the door. ...more

5

Mar 14, 2007

not your grandma's knitting book!

this is an excellent knitting 101 primer, and i'm not just a member, i'm the fan club president. it made a knitter out of me. who else can explain stitches to you using When Harry Met Sally?! idiot-proof instructions to get you on your way and a great reference book to keep coming back to to brush up. the patterns are actually something you would make (witness the very cute wristbands i knit my first week) and the illustrations are very clear. yay for this not your grandma's knitting book!

this is an excellent knitting 101 primer, and i'm not just a member, i'm the fan club president. it made a knitter out of me. who else can explain stitches to you using When Harry Met Sally?! idiot-proof instructions to get you on your way and a great reference book to keep coming back to to brush up. the patterns are actually something you would make (witness the very cute wristbands i knit my first week) and the illustrations are very clear. yay for this series. i'm taking up crochet next... ...more

5

Dec 12, 2008

This book opened my eyes to so many possibilities in knitting! Having grown up in the 70's with garish acrylic yarn afgans on the back of the couch of not only our home but every home I went to and every home on tv... to open this book and see what people thought up? Awesome! It's hipster knitting at it's best- because it's not Hipster SNOTTY!

I have made the Hot Head hat in this book several times. The patterns are well written by actual knitters. Debbie Stoller has a wonderful writing style. This book opened my eyes to so many possibilities in knitting! Having grown up in the 70's with garish acrylic yarn afgans on the back of the couch of not only our home but every home I went to and every home on tv... to open this book and see what people thought up? Awesome! It's hipster knitting at it's best- because it's not Hipster SNOTTY!

I have made the Hot Head hat in this book several times. The patterns are well written by actual knitters. Debbie Stoller has a wonderful writing style. Her tone is light and funny but she still manages to get the concepts through at the same time. I love the illustrations as well. In the How To portion of the book there are sketches - and the model is wearing black nail polish in the drawings. LOVE THAT.

I have bought this book several times and given it as gifts. I gave one to my teenaged niece and another one to my Mom who is pushing 70. (Put away the ball of acrylic mom and take a look at this!) It's a great book and every knitters library should hold a copy of it. ...more

4

Feb 02, 2013

This book is a lot hipper than I am. While normally I could take or leave that kind of attitude, the book is genuinely helpful. There's an earnestness in its hipness. (It almost reads like "Take Back the KNIT!")

This book is truly for the beginner, and targets a younger audience (or one with a younger sensibility). It helps you start out, select your yarn, it sits with you while you go about your business in text and charts, and flub up and talks you through some potential fixes. It has all sorts This book is a lot hipper than I am. While normally I could take or leave that kind of attitude, the book is genuinely helpful. There's an earnestness in its hipness. (It almost reads like "Take Back the KNIT!")

This book is truly for the beginner, and targets a younger audience (or one with a younger sensibility). It helps you start out, select your yarn, it sits with you while you go about your business in text and charts, and flub up and talks you through some potential fixes. It has all sorts of information that I (painfully) picked up over time, paid other people to teach me, or have sadly managed to do without. But no longer!

Knitting is visual and kinetic, and it's a problem when dealing with written material (this book, say). I mean to say it's best taught in person with the teacher moving around and pointing and talking where you can see it and bring it up to your face and poke/turn the work. But in book form, it's a completely different thing.

The diagrams are pretty clear, but I have issues with drawn art vs the photograph. Photography might be difficult to see, more complicated illustrations have some element of 'not quite seeing it' for me because I suspect (wrongly, I'm sure) that the illustrator is taking a short cut or two because drawing all of those loops is a pain and that what I'm really looking for is the part where the yarn just somehow becomes some other strand. I suppose my ideal is the photograph with an illustrated line or two overlaid describing the thing the writer is talking about.

The patterns at the second half of the book are hit or miss for me, but like I said, it's hipper than I am. (And it was published in 2003, if that gives you any idea of how unhip this reviewer is.) Still, there's a good handful I'd be interested in trying and another handful I think would be interesting to people I know. ...more

4

Feb 13, 2012

When people see you knitting in public (or when they come to your house) they often ask you to teach them. I hope that doesn't sound like bragging, but to clarify, people don't ask me to teach them to knit because I'm such an amazing superlative knitter, I think it's because they realise on some level that it's actually not too difficult a skill once you pick it up. I've given some super-basic knitting lessons to a looooot of people.

This book is the one that I recommend to EVERYONE who wants to When people see you knitting in public (or when they come to your house) they often ask you to teach them. I hope that doesn't sound like bragging, but to clarify, people don't ask me to teach them to knit because I'm such an amazing superlative knitter, I think it's because they realise on some level that it's actually not too difficult a skill once you pick it up. I've given some super-basic knitting lessons to a looooot of people.

This book is the one that I recommend to EVERYONE who wants to learn to knit. Yes, the best way to learn is probably to get someone to show you, but this book is the second best thing for a) when your teacher can't be around to help you or b) if you don't know any knitters to begin with. In my case, it was my mother who first taught me to knit but this book taught me how knitting works. Kind of like the difference between knowing a foreign phrase from memory and knowing which part is the verb, subject, object, etc. Thanks to this book I don't just know how to knit, I know how to solve my own knitting problems and make my own decisions rather than relying on a pattern or my mum.

My only criticism is that a few years on from its initial publication, the "sassy" language of the book seems pretty dated. Knitting has gone from uncool-grandma-hobby to a hip resurgence, and now it's gone back to being lame again because it's the last decade's hot fad. The idea of young people doing crafts isn't particularly subversive anymore, so there's nothing really shocking or ironic about captions like "knit happens" and it kind of makes me cringe. That said, under all the sass it's a really useful book. It's basic enough to stop you getting lost, and it's comprehensive enough to cover most of the problems you'll encounter. ...more

2

Nov 28, 2007

This book has more potential than it lives up to. It was the first knitting book I ever bought and I relied heavily on its instructions for how to knit/purl. As a result I can knit, but my purl is backwards (not a knit, not a purl, something peculiar - but effective as far as I'm concerned). I've since found better instructions on the internet.

I appreciate the attempt to create a guide for the 'younger' set, but besides the scarves, there are no patterns I'd care to follow. Skulls on sweaters This book has more potential than it lives up to. It was the first knitting book I ever bought and I relied heavily on its instructions for how to knit/purl. As a result I can knit, but my purl is backwards (not a knit, not a purl, something peculiar - but effective as far as I'm concerned). I've since found better instructions on the internet.

I appreciate the attempt to create a guide for the 'younger' set, but besides the scarves, there are no patterns I'd care to follow. Skulls on sweaters is a bit too cool for me. ...more

4

Mar 19, 2012

Great resource for the beginning knitter.
Between this book, youtube, and my friend JK, I am now able to: cast on, knit, purl, and bind off CONSISTENTLY and with success.

Dudes, let the yarn bombing begin!

5

Feb 17, 2015

It's a great book, and I've finished ages ago. But it is a constant reference book that I go back to all the time. So it's kind of a forever browsing kind of book :)

5

Jan 05, 2014

I loved the writing style of this book....very creative! Being a brand new knitter a little over 2 years ago, this book has been a great go-to when I've needed to look up how to do certain techniques. It's a keeper!

5

May 06, 2011

I love this book! I've made five of the patterns in it, and they all came out beautifully. The illustrations are very clear and ideal for the beginning knitter. Plus, Debbie Stoller is just funny and awesome (read BUST!) If you're just starting out and you can only buy one knitting book, buy this one.

Her crochet book, Happy Hooker, is great too -- I taught myself how to crochet in a night using only that book (no web videos needed!)

4

Feb 16, 2009

This book was on my "Currently Reading" list for a whole year. It definitely helped me learn to knit, but I got stuck with projects that were more complicated than a basic scarf. I'm going to take a class to expand my skills and then pick up the book again and tackle some of the cool projects in it. Bottom line is that when it comes to something like knitting, you can only learn so much from a book. That being said, this is a great place to start.

Update: Now that I am taking a knitting class, This book was on my "Currently Reading" list for a whole year. It definitely helped me learn to knit, but I got stuck with projects that were more complicated than a basic scarf. I'm going to take a class to expand my skills and then pick up the book again and tackle some of the cool projects in it. Bottom line is that when it comes to something like knitting, you can only learn so much from a book. That being said, this is a great place to start.

Update: Now that I am taking a knitting class, this book has become invaluable. It's given me great pattern ideas, and it's a reference between classes when I get stuck on something. Really glad I have it around and am upping my rating from three stars to four.

...more

5

May 17, 2010

Very easy and fun to read. I know some people have trouble learning to knit from a book, but I found SnB to be very accessible; Deb Stoller really gives you all the basic tools you need to go off and start knitting. Her writing style is laid-back and humorous while still being informative -- and I loved all of her little illustrations. I was 18 when I learned how to knit, and it was nice to have a book that wasn't geared toward old ladies with old lady patterns. (No offense to any old ladies Very easy and fun to read. I know some people have trouble learning to knit from a book, but I found SnB to be very accessible; Deb Stoller really gives you all the basic tools you need to go off and start knitting. Her writing style is laid-back and humorous while still being informative -- and I loved all of her little illustrations. I was 18 when I learned how to knit, and it was nice to have a book that wasn't geared toward old ladies with old lady patterns. (No offense to any old ladies reading this.)

There is at least one error: when describing the yarn-over increase, she teaches it as if "yo" equals yarn-over knit 1. I somehow missed this and always did my yo's correctly, but I've heard of people who learned to knit from SnB and would screw up on lace patterns by adding that extra stitch in their yarn-over. (I also wish one of the patterns in the book had included lace work, since it's so widely used and not too complicated for a beginning knitting book -- just a series of increases and decreases. Oh well, can't have everything.) ...more

4

Apr 23, 2014

Well, what can I say - I learned to knit from this book (with perhaps a few You Tube videos where watching someone's fingers was needed) so it must have been a success.

Stoller's jokey, irreverent style can get a little irritating at times, but it's still much preferable to a dry old Reader's Digest How To ... style, because a cuss and a joke can make things stick. And I've gone from barely knowing one end of a knitting needle from another to knitting a snood (you may know it better as a cowl) Well, what can I say - I learned to knit from this book (with perhaps a few You Tube videos where watching someone's fingers was needed) so it must have been a success.

Stoller's jokey, irreverent style can get a little irritating at times, but it's still much preferable to a dry old Reader's Digest How To ... style, because a cuss and a joke can make things stick. And I've gone from barely knowing one end of a knitting needle from another to knitting a snood (you may know it better as a cowl) and then a hat using 5 double pointed sticks: yes five of them, at the same time too!

There are things in this book that I haven't yet tried (such as intarsia, used in Fair Isle patterns) but if I waited until I'd done everything in this book then I'd never review it. So ... if you want to learn knitting from a book, then this has at least one successful pupil.

Oh - I bought this book because of one specific pattern "Under the Hoodie", which was why I wanted to learn to knit in the first place (having shrunk my favourite knitted hoodie). I haven't yet made that jumper, but will come back when I do :).

(#13 in my Year of Reading Women)
...more

5

Oct 21, 2017

Good read. loved the history she includes and all the great information. can't wait to try some of the projects!

4

Jan 30, 2016

Very good info, clear instructions, and great for teaching yourself as a beginning knitter - however the patterns they provide is very out dated and nothing I would actually wear

3

Oct 05, 2011

Slightly more helpful in getting me going with knitting; in particular, picked up good technique for holding yarn while working. Only made one pattern, and that was a basic ribbed scarf. Wouldn't mind trying some other things if I pick up my own copy.

5

Sep 14, 2011

I'm so inspired after visiting Hill Country Weavers in Austin (http://www.hillcountryweavers.com/main/) and talking with knitting buddies Kristen and Chaiti!

The instructions in this book are clear and I look forward to making some of the patterns... but does anyone actually wear knit bikinis? Ew.

3

Dec 30, 2009

This was the first real knitting how-to + projects book I ever purchased. I actually bought it before I had taken any knitting classes in the hope that I would be able to teach myself. Ultimately, that little plan didn't work out. I also attempted a pattern from this book as one of my first non-supervised projects: a felted bag. Despite my vast lack of knowledge and expertise, the bag turned out pretty well, but I ended up donating it to Goodwill.

There are a few intriguing patterns in this book, This was the first real knitting how-to + projects book I ever purchased. I actually bought it before I had taken any knitting classes in the hope that I would be able to teach myself. Ultimately, that little plan didn't work out. I also attempted a pattern from this book as one of my first non-supervised projects: a felted bag. Despite my vast lack of knowledge and expertise, the bag turned out pretty well, but I ended up donating it to Goodwill.

There are a few intriguing patterns in this book, but as I've purchased more and more knitting books, this one has fallen by the wayside. It is a good reference for techniques and how-to, but not my favorite relative to projects. ...more

3

Jan 04, 2009

I was looking to learn how to knit and was recommended this book as a learning manual by both a friend and a reliable knitting store in my neighborhood. And so I enthusiastically purchased it.

I have to say that for cold start beginners (I knew how to crochet had NEVER knitted before, had never closely inspected anyone knit before), you're better off watching a video of knitwitch.com (which is really how I learned how to cast, knit, and purl--it's an amazing site!) It's just way too difficult to I was looking to learn how to knit and was recommended this book as a learning manual by both a friend and a reliable knitting store in my neighborhood. And so I enthusiastically purchased it.

I have to say that for cold start beginners (I knew how to crochet had NEVER knitted before, had never closely inspected anyone knit before), you're better off watching a video of knitwitch.com (which is really how I learned how to cast, knit, and purl--it's an amazing site!) It's just way too difficult to learn how to knit off a diagram, or at least the diagrams in Stitch 'N Bitch.

Once you learn the basics, however, Stitch 'N Bitch is awesome. I also like the enthusiasm with which it is written and the very down to earth voice and tone.

...more

5

Jul 12, 2011

I haven't followed any of the patterns yet, but I love this book without them. The author has a PhD in psychology of women and is the founder of a feminist magazine called BUST, which also happens to be very cool. Along with some of her own family history, which I thoroughly enjoyed, she gives a short history of knitting. Who knew that Egyptians knitted blue and white socks in 1000 A.D.?! I also loved the American Red Cross poster from WWI asking women to "Knit Your Bit" because "Our Boys Need I haven't followed any of the patterns yet, but I love this book without them. The author has a PhD in psychology of women and is the founder of a feminist magazine called BUST, which also happens to be very cool. Along with some of her own family history, which I thoroughly enjoyed, she gives a short history of knitting. Who knew that Egyptians knitted blue and white socks in 1000 A.D.?! I also loved the American Red Cross poster from WWI asking women to "Knit Your Bit" because "Our Boys Need Sox" and apparently they did so right alongside injured soldiers who knit for their comrades to continue their service while recovering in the hospital (which might be useful information for PTSD research). Plus there is lots of info about fiber, tools, organization, stitches, casting, binding, technique, diagrams, fun word play and even knitting rhymes. Most importantly, this book makes me want to knit, which I suppose is the point. ...more

5

Apr 24, 2014

I am always just missing things. I was born a generation late for the women’s lib movement. I completely missed Brat Pack movies; I was a mere 5-year-old when St. Elmo’s Fire came out and just watched it for the first time a few weeks ago. I found Stitch ‘N Bitch ten years after its first printing.

But what a jewel in the desert, this treasure I found in a used book store. Stitch ‘N Bitch highlights the anti-knitting sentiments of the early feminist movement, how it was looked down on as I am always just missing things. I was born a generation late for the women’s lib movement. I completely missed Brat Pack movies; I was a mere 5-year-old when St. Elmo’s Fire came out and just watched it for the first time a few weeks ago. I found Stitch ‘N Bitch ten years after its first printing.

But what a jewel in the desert, this treasure I found in a used book store. Stitch ‘N Bitch highlights the anti-knitting sentiments of the early feminist movement, how it was looked down on as domestic drudgery in a time when women were climbing corporate ladders. But now, a whole new generation is reviving knitting, reconnecting to their roots with a modern twist.

Debbie Stoller shares her family’s connections to knitting, basics on learning to knit, and ways to create your own Stitch ‘N Bitch group. For any knitters who haven’t read this book (or perhaps felt turned off by the title), I highly recommend giving this book a read-through. It’s a wonderful addition to any knitting library and a much-needed bridge between feminism and fibrous arts.
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5

Aug 19, 2015

This book is so fun! I picked it up on a whim and bought it right away after flipping through the color photos of the projects it contains. I couldn't pass up the hat with kitty ears!

The writing style is like listening to a good friend who wants to teach you how to knit. It covers both basics (knitting & purling) & the more advanced techniques (cables, Kitchener stitch, etc). I already knew how to knit before I bought the book, but this is going to be a handy reference to hold on to when This book is so fun! I picked it up on a whim and bought it right away after flipping through the color photos of the projects it contains. I couldn't pass up the hat with kitty ears!

The writing style is like listening to a good friend who wants to teach you how to knit. It covers both basics (knitting & purling) & the more advanced techniques (cables, Kitchener stitch, etc). I already knew how to knit before I bought the book, but this is going to be a handy reference to hold on to when I tackle more involved projects, and to remind me of simple things that I forget how to do!

The patterns are so fun, each is by a different knitter and they all have appeal. I've already bookmarked several for future knitting (if you were curious, I plan to make the felted bag, the kitty ear hat, and maybe the fluffy cat bed — and I don't even have a cat). As a bonus there are sewing patterns/instructions for knitting accessories: a tote bag, a straight needle roll-up case, and a hanging circular needle organizer. I definitely plan to make those, too! ...more

5

Feb 18, 2018

I used this book in combination with YouTube videos in my journey to knitting, and I am happy with the results! The book is easy to follow and hilarious. This “bitch” was in stitches. Eh? Knitting pun? Okay, never mind. Great book, though!

2

Aug 09, 2018

The book itself was not any help to me personally. I was not even able to learn how to cast on or do a knit stitch from this book, although I did spend hours trying to decipher it.

I learned through my great aunt & the YouTube channel "ExpressionFiberArts" after she passed.

I did not care for the language. I did know from the title that it would have it, but I figured it could be overlooked if it helped me learn how.

I did not care for the neo-feminism, not sure what it had to do with knitting. The book itself was not any help to me personally. I was not even able to learn how to cast on or do a knit stitch from this book, although I did spend hours trying to decipher it.

I learned through my great aunt & the YouTube channel "ExpressionFiberArts" after she passed.

I did not care for the language. I did know from the title that it would have it, but I figured it could be overlooked if it helped me learn how.

I did not care for the neo-feminism, not sure what it had to do with knitting.

I did not see any patterns I wanted to make.

I know that some people love this book, and found it very helpful, which is why I purchased it. At the time I got it, there were no good videos on YouTube (now there are), no free advice online I could find, and I was having trouble figuring it out myself.

I gave it to my sister when she wanted to learn (I'd teach her but she hates people who aren't neo-feminist, so this book seemed like a perfect fit for her).

I DO appreciate the author trying to bring back this lost skill. There are so many useful life skills and arts we have lost in our modern society. We no longer know how to make our own clothes or cloth items, repair them when they are damaged, to build things from wood. Furniture, for example, many pieces are simple, easy, and quick to make. We no longer know how to make beautiful, useful pieces. We do not know how to grow our own food. Many of us do not even know how to cook or bake anymore! ...more

1

Jul 16, 2017

Not a good book in general. The design is low-budget black and white.
I feel sorry for beginners who find this book, like I did before I knew better, and think this is what knitting can be: The patterns are severely lacking in fashion sense, some are incredible poorly written, I learnt that the hard way. A lot of the patterns look rushed and poorly made, not at all flattering.
The books motto is "not your grandmas knitting". Whatever, book.
Grandmas did incredible work of things we newer knitters Not a good book in general. The design is low-budget black and white.
I feel sorry for beginners who find this book, like I did before I knew better, and think this is what knitting can be: The patterns are severely lacking in fashion sense, some are incredible poorly written, I learnt that the hard way. A lot of the patterns look rushed and poorly made, not at all flattering.
The books motto is "not your grandmas knitting". Whatever, book.
Grandmas did incredible work of things we newer knitters can only dream of, vintage knitting books and leaflets are amazing. Learn from them and not this fairly cheap-looking book. Youtube has some excellent resources from all over the world and it's all for free.
I sold my copy, good riddance. ...more