How to Knit

Leslie Ann Bestor makes learning to knit fun and easy. Bestor's simple, fully illustrated instructions lead you through the basics of knitting, from choosing the right needles and yarn to reading a knitting pattern. You'll quickly learn techniques for expertly casting on, executing knit and purl stitches, binding off, blocking finished projects, and much more. Even if you've never held a pair of knitting needles before, this easy-to-follow guide will have you knitting in no time!

An Invitation to Knit: Shortcut to Getting Started Chapter 1: When You're Ready to Cast On Chapter 2: The Basic Stitches: Knit, Purl, and ... Slip Knit Stitch Know-How - Purl Stitch Power - Slipped Stitch Savvy - Reading Your Stitches - Name That Fabric! - Changing to a New Ball of Yarn - It's Over: Binding Off - Weaving in the Ends - Blocking for the Perfect Finish Chapter 3: Shaping Up Your Knitting: Increases & Decreases Exploring Increases - Mastering Decreases Chapter 4: We All Make Mistakes Rescuing Dropped and Runaway Stitches - When Ripping Back Is the Only Option - What the Heck Is Gauge? Chapter 5: Getting Down to the Tools and Materials Needles Are Not All Alike - Accessories Add to the Fun - The Real Magnet of the Knitting World: Yarn Chapter 6: Learning to Decipher Patterns Sizes and Measurements - Data about the Yarn - Translating Knitting Shorthand - Working with Pattern Stitches - Learning to Read Knitting Charts - Staying on Track - Multiples and Total Stitch Counts - A Set of Simple "Recipes" for Scarves - Next Steps - Three Things That Make a Good Knitter Appendix Yardage Guidelines for Items You Might Like to Knit - Knitting Needle Sizes - Standard Yarn Weight System - Reading List - Online Resources Acknowledgments Index