Sonderbooks Book Review of The Purl Stitch

Reviewed March 21, 2004.
XRX Books, Sioux Falls, 2003. 184 pages.
Available at Sembach Library (746.46 MEL).

I’m now completely convinced that I want to own the entire set of The Knitting Experience books as soon as they come out.

This book continues the presentation of the techniques of knitting begun in The Knit Stitch. Again, it has clear, wonderfully photographed instructions. It has simple but beautiful and versatile patterns. It has thoughtful meditations on knitting and life.

I know I’m going to want to make several of the beautiful designs in this book. It explains clearly how to substitute yarns, so I think I will be able to find a lovely yarn in a local yarn store and use it in a pattern from this book.

Now the techniques continue to the second basic stitch of knitting, the purl stitch. Of course, this means that most of the designs are in stockinette stitch, but there are other patterns as well. Sally Melville includes more techniques for finishing and fixing mistakes now that your repertoire is more complete, though she does include some basic techniques from the first book at the back.

This book will be great to create from, but it was also fun simply to read through it and ogle the patterns and learn more about knitting.

Reader comment: Mary says: Hi, a web search brought up your review of The Purl Stitch...a down-to-earth book that is at precisely the right level for a not quite new knitter. Usually books jump from learning to knit to more challenging patterns, with not much in between. This book fills that niche.

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Book Reviews by Sondra Eklund

****The Knitting Experience Book 2

The Purl Stitch

Becoming Intuitive

by Sally Melville

photography by Alexis Xenakis