This blog post goes out to all of those technical knitters out there, those of us that like to explore, learn and document our findings. I have to say I do try but I am hopeless at keeping records of what I have done. So I have taken a look at two book series that might help me remedy that.

I’ll start with Patty Lyons Knitting Bag of Tricks and The Official Workbook.

Patty Lyons is a teacher and designer with an emphasis on showing you the ‘why’ of things not just the ‘how’. With both in-person and digital classes she explains techniques that we often take for granted. Describing them in a simple way and showing us why we might choose one over the other. This could be anything from the cast on to the cast off and everything in between.

The Knitting Bag of Tricks is a gem of a book and describes itself as having ‘Over 70 Sanity Saving Hacks for Better Knitting’. If thats not a tag line to tempt you in I don’t know what is. With tips on shaping, textured stitches and even the much debated swatching and gauging. This book is not pretentious but light hearted and humorous and one you can dip in and out of and always learn something. Though I think when you start you will want to read it from beginning to end. Your knitting will thank you!

The Official Workbook takes your knitting to the next level. Designed to be a learn as you do book there are exercises that will have you knitting, learning and documenting your findings. The book is hardback and wiro bound meaning it lies perfectly flat. It is giving me real Filofax vibes which I love, it even has stickers! After working through the book you will end up with a selection of swatches exploring a variety of techniques that you can apply to any future knitting project. The workbook references Knitting Bag of Tricks and together they create the perfect combo to transform your knitting skills.

Next is the Cocoknits Sweater Workshop and Sweater Worksheet Journal.

Cocoknits is a brand well known for providing beautiful tools for knitters but they also have patterns and a knitting technique called the ‘Cocoknits Method’ developed by founder Julie Weisenberger. Julie founded Cocoknits in 2007 and developed the method along with tools aimed at making knitting easier. She has been publishing patterns and teaching ever since.

The Cocoknits Sweater Workshop is a complete guide in creating seamless, top-down jumpers. The book takes you through the Cocoknits Method which can be applied to different shapes and styles of garments. Starting with the upper back and picking up from the shoulders to create a well fitted shoulder seam. Inside there are five base designs with variations that gives you a total of eight different designs. Open cardigans, shrugs, jumpers and tops can be knitted with a variety of yarn thickness creating light summer garments or heavier winter ones.

The Sweater Workshop book is enhanced by Sweater Worksheet Journal. This journal is printed with Cocoknits worksheets. These worksheets are ideal for filling out increases for the yoke of top down knitting projects. The sheets are colour coded that refer to different colourful stitch markers. By using stitch markers in conjunction with the worksheet you can easily knit through your project without referring to the pattern as you have worked out all the necessary numbers beforehand. This is also great as you have a written record of what you need to knit or have knit and can apply the numbers to the various designs in the book.