Engaging and informative at first. Pictures in black and white do not assist with visual learning. Has a few intermediate patterns. Not good for basic beginners. ( )

Would that all knitting books were as companionable, friendly, and interesting as this one! Even when giving instructions for casting on, she's liable to say something like "Now, cast on 24 stitches--this may seem like a measly sum at first, but wait," etc. ... the patterns are conversational and her conversation is lively and delightful.

This is a good book for the beginning-ish knitter ... I'm about 2 1/2 years into this hobby, and felt I could appreciate/understand most of this book (whereas her Knitting Around, which has marvelous autobiographical digressions, is quite a bit beyond me knitting-wise).

She writes about knitting rather like M.F.K. Fisher writes about cooking--that's a very high compliment indeed!

4 stars and not 5 because it's still a "how to knit garments" kind of a book, and even the very best books of practical instructions don't feel 5-ish to me. They would have to transcend, and this comes close but not quite.

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I've never understood why people rave about this book (or Elizabeth Zimmermann). She didn't reinvent the wheel or invent knitting, and it gets really tiring to listen to some knitters go on and on about her. More often than not, in her attempts to remind people that they're in charge of the knitting, not the other way around - a noble cause, I must admit - she just ends up being condescending. (Why she jumps to the conclusion that everyone else besides her is necessarily afraid of their knitting is baffling.) ( )

Basic techniques and easy to follow directions for garments to fit all sizes