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5 Essential Knitting Stitch Dictionaries
Five stitch dictionaries worth owning, from the classic Barbara G. Walker treasury and a Japanese stitch bible to modern colorwork and in the round books.
Stitch dictionaries are the first place we go to for inspiration.
Whether it’s for colorwork, cables, or something totally unique, they’re an invaluable resource.
Here are a few we think are worth investing in, if you don’t already own them.
Vogue Knitting: The Ultimate Knitting Stitch Dictionary
What is it?
Based on the best selling Stitchionary series, this book combines stitches from multiple volumes into one giant reference.
Why you should own it?
It’s beautiful (like most things Vogue does) and it has more stitches than almost any other stitch dictionary.
Japanese Knitting Stitch Bible by Hitomi Shida
What is it?
A collection of knitting stitches originally published in Japan in 1996. Until this book was published in 2017 it was quite difficult to find Japanese stitch dictionaries.
Why you should own it?
Japanese stitches are “different,” in a good way. They’re meticulously charted, incredibly detailed, and absolutely gorgeous. If you want to challenge yourself, this is a great place to start.
AlterKnit Stitch Dictionary by Andrea Rangel
What is it?
This book is filled with modern stranded colorwork motifs, from cool geometric patterns to rows of little sheep.
Why you should own it?
If you want to level up your fair isle or other stranded colorwork projects this book will give you some “non-traditional” ideas to work with. Also check out her followup book coming out this October.
The Ultimate All-Around Stitch Dictionary by Wendy Bernard
What is it?
Every wondered how to turn a stitch pattern from flat to in the round? This book does all that work for you and more.
Why you should own it?
This is actually one of three books in a series by Wendy Bernard, any of which are worth having in your library.
A Treasury of Knitting Patterns by Barbara G. Walker
What is it?
The OG of knitting dictionaries, this series was one of the first to collect stitch patterns all in one place.
Why you should own it?
While it’s written a bit differently than more modern books, it still has some of the most people knitting stitch patterns ever.
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