My Booklist

 Recently, I read a story about a woman who wanted to go to college but couldn't afford it and kept her high school English teacher's reading list.  She figured she would get a liberal arts degree equivalent by reading everything on the list.  This got me thinking about what kind of reading list would be helpful for a knitter or crocheter?  Let's see what kind of list a well-read knitter should read we can put together.

• The Principles of Knitting – June Hemmons Hiatt. 
• The Knitter's Book of Yarn – Clara Parkes. 
• Japanese Knitting Stitch Bible – Hitomi Shida. 
• Knitter's Almanac and Knitting without tears – Elizabeth Zimmermann. 
• A treasury of Knitting Patterns – Barbara G. Walker
• Vogue Knitting - The Ultimate Knitting Book -- Vogue Knitting Magazine
• The Knitter's Book of Knowledge -- Debbie Bliss
• Ultimate Sweater Book -- Amy Herzog
• Stitch 'N' Bitch Nation -- Debbie Stohler
• Knitting Workshop -- Elizabeth Zimmermann

Why are these books on this list?

These books are basics in the knitting world for getting you started learning how to knit.  A few of them will start you with getting a ball of yarn and these needles and here is how you cast on, here is how you do the knit stitch, here is how you bind off.  Let's make this now that you have the knowledge.  

One of these books is a literal encyclopedia.  It shows you many ways to cast on, and do the various stitches (knit, purl, increase, decrease, bind off.  It doesn't do a lot with stitch patterns, but there is an education in drafting a pattern and gauge.  Blocking is also heavily discussed.  (Hint:  We all have our preferences for this.  I'm of the opinion that some things require it like lace and some things don't like garter stitch scarves.)

Stitch Dictionaries are incredibly useful.  With your plain basic garments and accessories, you can add stitch patterns, color work patterns, cables, and lace.......  The sky is the limit in these.  Mix and combine them to your heart's content.