Product Description

Knitted one too many sweaters that scream "homemade"? Help is here! Finishing techniques are the key to turning out professional-looking projects. This comprehensive reference gives you the know-how you need to get gorgeous, polished results every time.

o More than 50 expert techniques cover increases, decreases, seams, blocking, decorative finishes, and more

o Master each method with step-by-step illustrations, easy-to-read text, and dozens of color photos

o Bring along this handy guide wherever you go; the spiral-bound design lies flat for trouble-free knitting

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #44001 in Books
• Published on: 2002-10-01
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Spiral-bound
• 128 pages

Features

• ISBN13: 9781564774521
• Condition: New
• Notes: BUY WITH CONFIDENCE, Over one million books sold! 98% Positive feedback. Compare our books, prices and service to the competition. 100% Satisfaction Guaranteed

Review
I actually heard about this book on the Webs podcast awhile back before I obtained a copy. I remember hearing on the podcast that this book was essential for all knitters. And, I have to say, they were right! For me, who is someone who learned to knit out of some flimsy little 12 page book from a big box craft store, I still (even almost six years later) feel like I am missing some of the skills that could make my knitting look incredible. This book covers almost everything I would want to know about those finishing techniques. The book covers all kinds of things: cast ons, increases, decreases, selvages, bind offs, seams, picking up stitches, borders and button holes. While the first few sections were a review for me, the material in seams, picking up stitches, and button holes I found particularly useful.
Each section includes descriptions on the technique, written out steps on how to execute the technique, a pro/con list, and a couple diagram/pictures. The photos of the actual knitting were very clear and I found it nice to have those pics in there. The next time I make a buttonhole, you can bet I will be referring to this book and then checking to see if my knitting looks like the picture!
I seriously mean it when I say that I think just about every knitter can benefit from having this book. It will fit in most knitting bags, and it covers lots of stuff that you might not have memorized if you aren't doing it in your knitting all the time. --Jennifer Hansen, Knitting Like Crazy

Starting at the very beginning of this book, we get a page full of finishing "secrets" like, "Never trim an end until you're sure you're not going to use it somewhere for a seam." Then, we move to cast-ons... Just looking at the Table of Contents should pretty much reinforce that this book on finishing techniques is covering pretty much everything you could hope for. I can't honestly say that I can think of something obvious that was left out. There are some other ways of casting-on, for example, but the 7 most common are here (Long-tail, Knitted-on, Cable, Picot, Chained, Tubular, and Provisional). So, instead of giving you a page-by-page recap of what's included, how about a nice overview? With each tip or technique, the author provides the following:
* A brief description.
* A photo of the technique. These are consistently clear, with contrasting colors when necessary to make it easier to see--like, white yarn to illustrate the picked-up stitches around a red neckline.
* A contrasting list of "Benefits" and "Drawbacks" for the technique. I like an author who gives you all the reasons you might or might not want to use something, rather than just saying something like "This is the best one, use this."
* "To Work"--the step-by step instructions on how to put the technique into action.

That all sounds pretty thorough, doesn't it? Well, it IS. Barring some magical way to embed video into a paper book, it seems hard to imagine a book full of instructions that would be clearer. The author explains things clearly and is fair about expressing opinions about "this technique is better for this problem, but that one would be better for that." I particularly liked that the how-to illustrations are color-matched to the photographs heading each technique--so, if the photo was of a white pocket sewn onto a purple sweater, the drawing illustrating additional details is also of a white pocket and a purple background. It's just a nice little touch that shows the attention to detail that makes this book work.

There is no index, but the Table of Contents list every technique in the book, under its correct heading, so if you're looking on instructions for sew in a zipper, it's easy to find that it's on page 100. You know that I love books that are not only well-organized but which make sure you can find things! Also a nice touch? It's a hardcover book (or at least mine is), but inside those covers, it's spiral-bound, which means it opens and stays open on a given page, so that you can put both hands on your knitting needles to use the techniques without having to figure out how to hold the book open.

What don't I like? Not much, really. It is an excellent book of its kind, with good, helpful detail, logically laid out and clearly expressed. Being hardcover means that it will stand up to abuse, but it does make it a little more unwieldy for stashing in your knitting bag, but, well... All in all? So very worth it.
My Gush: Basically, if you're looking for a finishing technique, this is the place to come. It's great and a fabulous reference. --Knitting Scholar

About the Author
Home: Whidbey Island, Washington

Nancie M. Wiseman has written articles and designed patterns for Martha Stewart Living, Knitters, Interweave Knits, and many other national knitting publications. Along with seven videos and six books to her credit, Nancie owns a wholesale business called Nancie Knits.

Also by Nancie M. Wiseman:
Knitted Sweaters for Every Season
Knitted Shawls, Stoles, and Scarves

Customer Reviews

This one goes in the knitting bag, not on the shelf
First, my copy doesn't look anything like the photo here. It has a wonderful covered spiral that is very appropriate for use while you're actually knitting. I've been carying this one around with me ever since I got it. Since I've forgotten what my GM and Aunties tried to teach me when I was little, and I just recently picked up this obsession again, I consider myself to be self-taught, or book-taught. I just never learned advanced techniques, and I really need the pictures to show me what to do. There are no classes available in my little out of the way town. The lovely little church-lady expert that helps me out, well, I just don't want to bug her at 1 AM! In no time, I was doing more professional looking garments, and making items that my family will actually wear in public. They're "custom made and designed" now, not just home-made.
The book includes Cast-ons and Bind offs as well as all kinds of increases, decreases, seams, picking up stitches, borders and bands. It even has about 8 different kinds of buttonholes. Then there's the techniques that I had never heard of before: I-cord, and knitted shoulder pads, and a very unbiased discussion on the different uses of flat knitting versus circular knitting. And finally, the worksheets help get you on the right path to keeping track of what you plan on doing. An index is the only thing missing from this book.

From "knitting" to "finished garment."
If you have a closet full of bags with knitted pieces and you are stumped as to the steps to get to a SWEATER, this book can help.

I have a simple pamphlet about knitting finishing which has been my standby for years. But this book is much nicer, as it has a lot of color illustrations that really show how the finish should look. The photography and choice of yarn colors lets you see clearly how to pick up stitches for a band, how the sewing should look, how to insert a zipper. The spiral binding is hand for laying down flat as you work a finish as a swatch or for real on your sweater. The book is small enough to fit in a normal tote bag, but not so small as to be hard to read.

If someone is a knitter in your family, this would make a good gift--even though I've been knitting for years, this is a very handy thing to pop into the knitting bag and carry along. I really like it.

Basic for some; just right for others
The way a garment is finished is often what distinguishes a professional-looking product from one that looks "hand made" in the bad sense of the term. You can find information on finishing techniques in most knitting references, but you have to wade through lots of other material to find it. This book focuses only on finishing and provides multiple options for many of the basic aspects of construction--from casting on to binding off and beyond. The illustrations are clear and the author let you know the pluses and minuses of each technique. Much of this information may seem basic to expert knitters, but it's knowledge that many knitters acquire through trial and error (with the emphasis on error). It's nice to have the options listed in one place, even if the pros & cons lists get repetitive. I wish that Wiseman had included some material on blocking as well, but that information is available elsewhere. Even so, this is a nice little book, small enough to be carried around with your projects, but big enough to be easily read.