If you're tired of making sweaters with sleeves that are the wrong length, necklines that droop, armholes that are too tight, and an overall look that's not quite right, then let Seater Design in Plain English come to your rescue. In clear, straightforward terms, Maggie Righettie shares her knitting know-how and good fashion sense so that, no matter what your knitting level, you can overcome the fear of failure, avoid costly mistakes, adapt already-existing patterns, and plan and create sweaters that really fit and look terrific-sweaters that will be worn for many years to come. Topics and techniques include: -Understanding the nature of yarn and pattern stitches -Choosing the most flattering color and design for the wearer -Taking accurate body measurements -Estimating the amount of yarn you'll need -How to tell whether or not a sweater will look good on you-before you start to knit -How to alter printed patterns so they really fit -How to understand the mathematics of gauge and pattern design -Plus start-to-finish instructions for thirteen classic sweaters Each technique is illustrated with clear diagrams, sketches, or photographs. Complete with conversion charts and a personal-measurements record-keeping section, Sweater Design in Plain English takes the guesswork out of every creative knitting effort.

The definitive classic on crocheting for years, the first edition of Crocheting in Plain English equipped readers with easy-to-follow, friendly advice on creating their dream crochets. A lifelong crocheting teacher and designer, Maggie Righetti offered both basic principles and step-by-step instructions to get crocheters started and to perfect their techniques. In this latest edition, completely updated and revised for today's crocheter, Righetti dispenses more of her invaluable wisdom, covering virtually everything you need to know about crochet, including: * Selecting threads and yarns * Determining gauge * Working with the right tools * How to interpret patterns and instructions * Increasing and decreasing stitches * How to fix mistakes * Basic stitches (chain, double, treble, slip) * Sixteen different fabric pattern stitches * Assembling the finished product * How to block, clean, and care for crocheted articles * And much, much more! Each technique is illustrated with clear drawings, charts, or photos. Complete with a new introduction and a detailed glossary of crochet terms, Crocheting in Plain English is one sourcebook no crocheter should do without.

A start-to-finish guide to crocheting that covers materials, hooks, gauge, stitches, patterns, joining, finishing touches, correcting mistakes, and washing crocheted items.

This handy guide unravels the mysteries of terms, symbols, and abbreviations to make pattern reading easy for knitters of all levels. Knitting can be a challenging craft, but even more challenging than knitting itself is the cryptic language—a mix of abbreviations, numbers, jargon, punctuation marks, and other symbols—in which patterns are usually written. It’s no wonder so many beginners (and even some whose skills are quite advanced) are intimidated by the bewildering code—or that so many yarn-shop owners grow frustrated by the amount of time they must spend deciphering patterns for the uninitiated. Enter Knitspeak, a knitter’s dictionary that disentangles the mysteries of pattern language and translates it into plain English, helping knitters to easily transition from confused to confident. Andrea Berman Price’s essential guide—written in a friendly, reassuring tone and formatted for quick reference—begins with an overview of how knitting patterns are organized. It then offers a comprehensive alphabetical listing of all the abbreviations, words, phrases, and symbols typically encountered in patterns. Knitspeak’s many easy-to-understand drawings clarify basic and not-so-basic needle techniques, and a series of sidebars deals with issues ranging from keeping track of simultaneous shaping to substituting yarns and reading a yarn label. The book’s appendix is filled with valuable tips, charts, and worksheets.

Easy-to-follow lessons and patterns.solutions to nagging problems.

A guide to making Shetland lace projects, including traditional Shetland motifs, patterns, and insertions such as cat's paw, candlelight, horse shoe and many more.

Classic "how-to" book covers everything from winding yarn and fundamental stitches to making patterns and garments, blocking, and more with over 250 technique diagrams illustrating every basic step and pattern.