I've been knitting for a long time, and for that whole time a book like this would have been SO useful. - most of my knowledge has been garnered via trial and error, and later on You Tube and other online tutorials! But, it is a huge pain to have to drag the laptop out when you need an explaination for some perviously unencountered instruction - this dictionary/encyclopaedia has them all at your fingertips - there will always be some things books are better at than the internet, and being easily to hand if you're on a bus or train is one of them (and if I had the paper version of this book I could also add 'sticking post-it notes on really useful bits' to that statement)

Kate Atherley covers pretty much everything; stitches, yarn weight, what a ball winder is, what a cable needle is etc. etc. Gauge (or tension as we used to call it in the UK) is thoroughly explained. My own particular blind spot - charted symbols - get a lovely clear explainatory table.

The vagaries of pattern writing are also covered; what do you do the first time you see the instruction to increase 'evenly across' but you'll be a bit out due to stitch count? - Atherley tells us, "sometimes the numbers just won't allow it - that's fine!" and proceeds to tell the reader how to tackle this. Atherly is a very good clear pattern writer, and that comes though here. She wants us to understand everything well, and explains in a way that should allow you to retain the information.

Having this book alongside is like having a wise knitterly friend beside you, one with infinite patience, who doesn't mind repeating themselve often. I'd recommend this book to both new and more experienced knitters alike.

Very detailed and laid out perfectly. Everything a beginner or intermediate knitter needs in their library. Explains everything you need to know from start to finish., And everything in between. Very clear and concise with photos that are clear for understanding. I very much recommend this book.

This book is awesome! it has everything you need to know about knitting! However it does not stop there. It is a dictionary that describes everything need to know to knit, buy yarn, what types to use, and what each fiber is good for. It goes into detail about everything on a knitting pattern from what the abbreviations stand for, and how to do what the terms used in the pattern represent. For example how to cast on stitches to the needles, which size needles to use, what type of yarn to use and how to finish a pattern when it is time to put the item together.

This book also shows how to knit cables, and other fancy patterns, how to block a sweater, how to care for the garment, how to pick up dropped stitches-in other words everything you need to know is in this book.

I gave this book 5 stars for being so complete and I think everyone should have a copy of this book tucked in their knitting bags!

This seems like a great addition to a knitter's shelf- however as an ebook I wouldn't recommend it as the layout, format and logic turned it into a binary presentation as opposed to a creative, knowledge-building experience.

Note: I received an Advance Reading Copy of this book through NetGalley for an honest review.

I have been knitting for over a decade now, and my mom is also a knitter. However, I am self-taught, using books and YouTube. While my mom reads patterns in Dutch, I am used to English terminology. On top of that, she knits in the English style (yarn in the right hand, throw the yarn) and I knit in the Continental Style (yarn in the left hand, pick the yarn). All this leads to it being difficult sometimes to ask my mom for help if I have trouble reading a pattern or finishing my piece.

In The Knitter’s Dictionary by Kate Atherley every little bit about knitting is explained. Not only what YO means, but also how to read a pattern, how to read a yarn label and how to substitute yarn. Of course the biggest part of the book is dedicated to explaining all those mystifying terms we knitters come across. Some are explained with a simple piece of text, but others (like the aforementioned yarnover) are explained with all their variants and an illustration.

What I love about this book is that it is very basic, but absolutely not only for new knitters. It explains a term in all kinds of settings (like the zero, in 0 repeats for a small size, or 0 decreases for a large piece). It also explains those terms you come across on knitting forums, like a yarn barf, tools, fiber types and styles (of clothing, like for a sweater). I love how Atherley also gives small tips and her personal preferences for some techniques, which makes it feel like she is helping you along with your project.

This is a good book as a companion to your knitting project, to look up any terms you might be confused by. I know I have used patterns that expect me to know exactly how to do something (like how to do a selvedge) and I have to go look up on YouTube what it even means. With this book in my (virtual) hand, I can just find all the information I need here, with some basic instructions and tips to get me started. A really good knitting reference, which gets it five out of five stars from me.

As author Kate Atherley states, this book is between a dictionary and an encyclopedia for knitters. Before the A to Z portion, there are informative explanations of tools, measurement, size, gauge, yarn and yarn substitution as well as a guide to understanding yarn labels. If a pattern is not understood by a knitter, projects can be slow or abandoned. So, from alpaca to Z-twist, you will find definitions, examples and techniques for hundreds of knitting terms. This is an essential and easy-to-use guide for all knitters to use and enjoy. Thank you to Interweave Books, F+ W Media and NetGalley for an e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

In this comprehensive dictionary, Ms. Atherley breaks down the mystery of knitting terms. Clear examples and illustrations, even the savviest of knitters can find the answer to whatever might be ailing their progress. This book should be an integral part of the knitter's library.

I've been knitting for well over sixty years, following patterns of varying complexity with success. I've knit Aran sweaters, socks by the dozen and I'm currently knitting blankets for a charity to sell. There hasn't been an occasion when I've been stuck and people have often come to me for help when they've been stuck. Would a knitter's dictionary really be of any help to me? I was surprised by just how much I got out of it.

What you get is a proper dictionary: we work our way through the mysteries of knitting, covering everything from the types of yarn which you're going to encounter, the equipment you're likely to need and exactly what those strange abbreviations in patterns really mean. We were still in the letter A when I was taken back to one of my more expensive mistakes. I had a navy skirt and shirt and thought that it would look very smart with a camel waistcoat, preferably in something rather luxurious. I bought some alpaca yarn and made my waistcoat. If I'd had The Knitter's Dictionary I could have saved a lot of money. It tells me that alpaca sheds, and my waistcoat shed big time - all over my navy shirt and skirt. Not only did it shed - it stuck to the clothes and finally I had to remove it with sticky tape. I never really managed to remove it all. There are plenty of little gems like this in the book. Acrylic freezes, which is why knitters don't use it for winter wear. Some yarns are more elastic than others - and this dictates what you can use them for and how you treat them.

The sections on yarn attributes and weights are gold dust: for me the information is worth the cost price of the book. I buy a lot of my yarn in charity shops and using the book I've already been able to sort my stash more sensibly. I loved the acronym SABLE too - stash acquired beyond life expectancy! I also learned that unravelling or picking back your knitting is called 'tinking' - tink is 'knit' backwards.

If I had to be picky about the book it's that it's really written for the North American market, with many of the phrases not being in common use in the UK - what we in the UK call casting off is binding off for instance. But - there's no reason now why I shouldn't buy patterns from across the Atlantic. I'll certainly be able to approach them with confidence. It's a book to keep handy in your work bag - you might be as surprised as I was about how much you'll learn.

A very informative A to Z of all terms in knitting. There are some line drawings to illustrate a point, and on the whole it is a very well written and easily understood book. It really covers a lot of information, and as the knitter of over 50years, it cleared up some terms/abbreviations that had me scratching my head in the past.
I think this would be very useful book for both beginners and experienced knitter (never to old to learn) Many book claim to explain all about knitting, but I think this one actually does what it says in easy terms

This would be a great book to give as a gift to a knitter! It really is a knitter's dictionary, with every knitting abbreviation & stitch in it! It would be so handy to have in your library, especially when tackling a new project that is a bit more complicated than you are use to knitting.

A WONDERFUL knitting tool - great reference that would stay with me and any needlework project. I’m often looking up terms and really enjoyed that there are many diagrams and illustrations in this dictionary.

The Knitter's Dictionary is an excellent book for beginners and experienced knitters. Information is presented very concisely. The definitions include all of the abbreviations commonly found in knitting instructions as well as definitions of other knitting terms and techniques.

This is an excellent resource for knitters of all skill levels and is definitely one I want to add to my permanent collection. The author shares her knowledge in easy to understand directions and,I believe, is useful for knitters of all skill levels.

I have been knitting for years, but I never really progressed past basic knitting. I'm always on the lookout for helpful material, I find this author fits the bill nicely.

Thank you F+W Media and Net Galley for this review copy. This is an awesome book! Atherley has created a comprehensive knitter's dictionary that has something for everyone. It would be an excellent resource for beginners, but it also included techniques for experienced knitters. This book is a valuable resource for any knitter. Though I have a digital review copy, I will definitely be purchasing a hard copy for reference. I think I'll use this knitter's dictionary regularly.

What it says on the tin, with a lot of explanatory diagrams. I am not really sure who the market for this is, given the existence of tutorials on the internet, but if you want hard copy when you look things up, this seems reasonably well-done.

Kate Atherley has done it again. Her newest book, The Knitting Dictionary, is a comprehensive reference of all things knitting in a concise 126 pages! This is a good tool for every knitter, both those new to the language and those who have been working with it for years. New knitters will delight in the second chapter, "Getting Started with Patterns" which builds on its promise and gives tips for how to successfully work a pattern (while experienced knitters will wish for a time machine).

The heart of this book, "A-Z of Knitting", is a cross between a dictionary and an encyclopedia. It cross references skills, terms, and tools with clear definitions, over 150 illustrations, and many helpful tips.

This is a wonderful guide for that moment when a knitter is faced with doubt for working a technique, heard something at knit night and didn't want to admit ignorance, or is simply curious. I think it's also a helpful guide to hand to a knitter's partner who wants to be able to improve communication (see the term yarn barf and illustration of a ball winder, as examples).

Kate's years of experience come through in this valuable volume and the illustrations by Julie Levesque (http://symposi.com) are beautiful and work in symbiosis with the text. Together they make this a comprehensive and concise reference book.

This book holds a coveted spot in my knitting bag!

This review also appeared in issue 65 | deep fall 2018 of knitty.

The book is not what I expected. I expected something on par with a stitch dictionary, but it is literally knitting terms dictionary - they explain knitting words, like "purl" and "ssk"
They did a good job on it. There is not much pictures. It mostly describes common terms and techniques without going into much detail. It is not a book that teaches knitting at all. Back of any reputable knitting magazine has most of the information found in the book, albeit in tiny print. I have not found any mistakes or discrepancies in the book. Nothing bad to say about the book, but it is just not as exciting or useful for me as an experience knitter as I hoped it will be.

I received a free digital copy of the book via NetGalley

I think this is a book I will be dipping into this book for many years. It literally is an A-Z of knitting, not a book you would read from cover to cover. I did think that the diagrams lacked a little, I couldn’t always work out what was meant and it would have been nice to have seen some photographs of some of the things, e.g. the ball winder.

I found the PDF version of this book far more helpful than the Kindle version. The Kindle version was six ways of messed up, but the PDF was glorious by comparison! This book is part knitters dictionary and part knitting encyclopedia. I learned so much! I found the section on reading charts extremely helpful as well as the section on Magic Loop (It's always been a mystery to me). There is a great section on gauge that every knitter should know, whether they choose to ignore it or not. Also useful is the section that explains the differences between English knitting and Continental, and so on and so on.
As I said, this book is jampacked with knowledge, and written by one of the smartest and most engaging knitters this side of Elizabeth Zimmerman herself. Buy this book for yourself if you're a knitter, or for a knitter you care about.

I plan on getting a dead-tree version of this book as soon as I can. I just know it will end up being the most consulted knitting book on my shelves!
I am honored to have been trusted with an ARC copy in exchange for a review.

I’m an avid knitter and I always keep an eye out for knitting books and videos so that I can recommend them to any friends who want to pick up knitting or are otherwise new to the craft. I also find it good to own some of these books myself for when I have a question or need to jog my memory on a stitch or something in that realm. One thing that I really like about this book is that it has information about what to look for in a yarn based on the type of project one is buying yarn for. It’s not something that I see often and it has some really good information on this topic, which is also extremely useful for people new to knitting.

The book has a nice layout that makes it easy to find what one may be looking for. It has a combination of written terms and graphs depending on the subject. It has a lot of useful information for new and old knitters alike. The only thing that I found it lacking was information on plant fibers and acrylic, especially since many people frequently use one or both. It’s not a problem for me, but it might be for someone who is interested in having that information all in one book. That said, I rather like this book and will definitely add it to the list of useful books that I recommend to others.