First, the facts:

Title: 200 Fair Isle Motifs: A Knitter’s Directory

Author: Mary Jane Mucklestone

Published by: Interweave Press, 2011

Pages: 207

Type: Stitch Dictionary.

Chapters:

1. Essential Skills
2. Motif Directory

The In-Depth Look:

When is a stitch dictionary not just a stitch dictionary?

When it’s as creative as this one.

Hmm … okay, the joke was lame, but this book? So very not lame. So very worth taking a look at.

You know how stitch dictionaries work. They (usually) show you a photo of a sample swatch of the stitch, alongside a graph and/or row-by-row written instructions on how to knit it for yourself. Stitch patterns for colorwork are often even less complex–just a series of black and white boxes showing off the layout of dark-to-light stitches, but leaving the color decisions up to you. I love stitch dictionaries, but after a while, they tend to run together …

And then one like this comes along.

As is obvious by the title, this book is devoted to colorwork stitches–primarily the kind you would use in a Fair Isle design. It begins with the de rigeur pages talking about yarn and needles and how to weave in your ends … things you might have in multiple other books. It’s all very nice and helpful and don’t let me belittle it or anything, but … you’re going to want to hurry past it to get to the good stuff.

First, there’s the handy “Motif Selector.” It’s like a table of contents–visual samples of each of the stitch patterns laid in front of you so you can flip through to find one you like before heading to its actual page for the nitty-gritty stuff. Very handy.

Then, things start to get interesting. Yes, there are full-color pictures of swatches knitted up in these patterns. (Yawn.) Except … wake up … there’s more than one per pattern. You get to see the same chart in more than one color combination, so, for example, you can see what it would look like with 3 or 4 colors instead of just 2, or with the darks and lights reversed, or in a different color scheme that just looks completely different. You get options to spark your creativity right there in front of you. Not to mention the basic black-and-white chart to make the shape of the pattern really clear. Not only that, each pattern comes with a suggested way of repeating it in tiles to make an allover pattern.

I’ve never seen a stitch dictionary quite like this. I love it because one of the hardest things to do when looking at Fair Isle designs is to know how to combine colors. I’m not talking so much about the whole color-wheel thing or the idea of hues and grades and all that. I’m talking about looking at a motif that runs over 16 rows and being able to decide what to DO with that. Do you knit the whole motif in just two colors? Or should you vary it from row to row? Every other row? If you’re a beginner, it can be hard to know what to do, how to play with that, so a book like this which comes right out and SHOWS you what some possible options could look like, in graph as well as knitted format … well, it’s sheer genius.

If you’re at all interested in designing your own fair isle, this book is a must. Check it out on Amazon.com.

Want to see bigger pictures? Click here.

First, the facts:

Title: Knitting Stitches Visual Encyclopedia: 350 Stitch Patterns, Edgings, and More

Author: Sharon Turner

Published by: John Wiley & Sons, 2011

Pages: 240

Type: Knitting stitches

Chapters:

1. Knit and Purl Patterns
2. Rib Patterns
3. Bobbles and Textured Stitches
4. Slipstitch Patterns
5. Twist-Stitch Patterns
6. Cable Patterns
7. Drop-stitch, Yarn Overs, Eyeles and Lace
8. Borders and Edgings
9. Creative Stitches and Combinations
10. Color Knitting

Title: Crochet Stitches Visual Encyclopedia: 300 Stitch Patterns, Edgings, and More

Author: Robyn Chachula

Published by: John Wiley & Sons, 2011

Pages: 272

Type: Crochet stitches.

Chapters:

1. Simple Stitch Patterns
2. Textured Stitch Patterns
3. Lace Stitch Patterns
4. Unique Lace Stitch Patterns
5. Colorwork Stitch Patterns
6. Tunisian Stitch Patterns
7. Square and Hexagonal Granny Squares
8. Flower, Snowflake, and Joining Motifs
9. Edgings

The In-Depth Look:

It’s hard not to love a good stitch dictionary, and both of these seem to be good, solid specimens. Firstly because they ARE. Solid that is. Hardcover with lots of color photos and a good solid feel in your hand.

Both come with clear color photos of each stitch, along with both written instructions and a chart. I know a lot of people feel very strongly about having one or the other, and personally I think it never hurts to have both though I use charts most often. As an aside, I was almost surprised to see charts in a crochet book. The last time I crocheted anything of any complexity–a baby afghan for my now-18-year-old nephew–charted stitch patterns simply didn’t exist. I have no comprehension as to how easy or hard it is to follow one, though I’m almost tempted to pull out a crochet hook and give it a try.

Both books come with a basic glossary at the back explaining the stitches and their charted symbols, but these are very basic explanations. These books are not going to teach you HOW to follow instructions or what a Treble Crochet or C4B cable is. That is, they give a brief description, but you need to understand the basic techniques before you get here…but that only makes sense. Stitch dictionaries are about opening the possibilities to be creative, and usually you don’t get to that point until you have an idea how the basics work.

All in all, both of these stitch dictionaries are great. They’re nicely organized and all the stitches are spelled out in the Table of Contents, which makes it so much easier to find a specific stitch. The stitches are grouped by types of stitches, which makes browsing easy, and the hardcover binding does a decent job of staying open while you work.

Are they worth looking into? Absolutely.

Want to see bigger pictures? Click here.

These review copies were kindly donated by John Wiley & Sons. Thank you!

First, the facts:

Title: Alice Starmore’s Charts for Color Knitting: New and Expanded Edition

Author: Alice Starmore

Published by: Dover Publishing, 2011

Pages: 153

Type: Reference.

Chapters:

1. Introduction
2. Designing Patterened Sweaters
3. Traditional Knitting Patterns
4. Adapted Patterns
5. The Continuing Story
6. A Word on Color

The In-Depth Look:

What’s the first thing you think of when you think of Alice Starmore? Luscious cables? Rich colors? Gorgeous patterns in subtle, saturated color combinations?

Well, this book is nothing like that. If you’re looking for one of her famously impressive sweater pattern collections, this isn’t it.

But that doesn’t mean this isn’t a rich storehouse of treasure all the same.

This book is primarily a collection of black dots and white squares. The kind that look like cross-stitch patterns or, say, color-work charts … Lots and lots of them. Something like 110 pages of them.

This is a treasure-trove of charts. Collected by origin (Norway, Russian, Celtic, Birds & Flowers, and so on), it doesn’t so much as tell you what to do with them as give them to you to do whatever you wish. You can knit with them, embroider, stencil, mosaic … anything you like. The possibilities are endless.

Of course, this IS an Alice Starmore book, and it says right in the title that these are charts for knitting, and so there are guidelines for that. There are chapters on how to design a sweater using charted patterns, though, the sweaters themselves are the simplest, drop-shouldered kind of shapes. Like the other recent Dover editions, this is slightly updated from the old, out-of-print volume, but large chunks are exactly the same.

So far as I can tell (without having the earlier version), the “New and Expanded” part comes at the end, where she talks about “A Word on Colour.” The chapter begins, “When compiling and writing this book in 1991, my intention was to provide knitters with a comprehensive pattern source. I hoped they would use it to create their own colour schemes and then go on to incorporate them into garments to suit themselves in both style and size. … However, over the intervening years, many knitters have expressed to me a profound fear of working with colour, and, in many cases, a belief that they have ‘no eye’ for it. This prevents them from even beginning to attempt colour schemes of their own, despite having this readily available source of patterns.”

She then goes on to discuss exactly how to find color combinations that work. She doesn’t go into color theory and I can’t recall a mention of the color wheel or primary colors, but rather she talks about following your instincts. “Marvel with passion at the endless beauty in the world; surround yourself with beautiful yarns and colors and just plunge in.” This new chapter is only about ten pages long, but has some really good advice on how to start exploring with colors for your knitting. And, of course, everyone knows that Alice Starmore is an expert at mixing colors.

Ultimately, this book is definitely getting a space on my crowded bookcase. Not only are the charts themselves a huge resource for all kinds of things, but a look at how a true master can take these black dots and white squares and create magic just by changing colors is well worth reading.

Want to see bigger pictures? Click here.

Other posts for this author:

• Alice Starmore’s Book of Fair Isle Knitting
• Aran Knitting

First, the facts:

Title: Knitting Block by Block: 150 Blocks for Sweaters, Scarves, Bags, Toys, Afghans, and More

Author: Nicky Epstein

Published by: Potter Craft, 2010

Pages: 240

Type: Knitted squares.

Chapters:

Introduction
Notes on Gauge
Designing with Blocks
Gallery of Block Projects
Basic Building Blocks
Ornate Applique, Embroidery, and Cords
Creative Colorwork
Special Techniques
Cables and Counterpanes
Eclectic Style
Project Instructions
Edgings
Joinings
Mix-and-Match Blocks
Abbreviations and Techniques
Etc.

Pattern Size Range: N/A

The In-Depth Look:

This is Nicky Epstein doing what I love Nicky Epstein doing best–giving me lots of new toys to play with.

Well, a knitter’s toys, that is–lots of stitches, glorious stitches–followed by ideas of what to do with them. Just what I need to get my creative juices flowing.

Like her “Edge” books, or any of her other books of knitting detail (like her knitted flowers, knitted embellishments, not to mention the crocheted flowers and edge books, this book is provides a bunch of really lovely, discreet elements for you to play with.

In this case, they are knitted squares. Some are simple, some are ornate. Some are textured, some are colorful. Some have pictures, some have ruffles.

It’s a cornucopia.

I admit, some of these squares seem like a bit of a reach. What’s the point of sewing a zipper on a knitted square? And a number of these are based on a plain stockinette square that has i-cord appliqued on to make a picture or 3D image. That’s fine, even if I wish that those squares were KNITTED that way instead of requiring extra sewing later on. Because, well, some knitters hate sewing.

But, there are PLENTY of blocks here that owe their gorgeousness to the actual knitting process. And most of them are gorgeous. And it never hurts to be reminded that sometimes it’s the extra details that get added later are what lifts our knitting from “pretty” to “Wow.”

There are some full-blown patterns in here, as well–sweaters, hats, scarves–all made from an assortment of blocks. Like in her other collections, I think these are not only lovely to look at, but a hint at what is possible to create when you start with nothing more than a knitted square.

This is the genius of this book. A knitted square is the foundation of all knitting. The first thing off most of our needles was a simple square. It might have been garter stitch, it might have been stockinette. It might have been intended to be a scarf, but chances are, the first thing you knitted was some variation on a rectangle. There’s something comforting about knitting squares. There’s no shaping involved, nothing it has to “fit,” and it brings us back to the beginning. Except, in Nicky Epstein’s hands, that simple square is anything but simple.

In addition to the gallery of projects, I particularly like the “Mix-and-Match Blocks” pages at the end–a thumbnail of each block in the book with instructions to copy and cut the squares to make your own designs. Clever and helpful (even if not all knitters have access to color copy machines).

All in all? Well worth it! And it’s available at Amazon.com.

Want to see bigger pictures? Click here.

This review copy was kindly donated by Potter Craft. Thank you!

Other posts for this author:

Knitting On the Edge/Over the Edge/Beyond the Edge

First, the facts:

Title: Knitting Lace: A Workshop with Patterns

Author: Susanna E Lewis

Published by: First printing Taunton Press 1992, Current Printing Schoolhouse Press 2009

Pages: 209

Type: How-to.

Chapters:

I. Sampler Patterns
II. A Lace Knitting Workshop
1. Getting Started
2. Exploring the Sampler Patterns
3. Charting Lace Patterns
4. Using Lace Patterns in Garments

The In-Depth Look:

To put it simply, this book is a masterpiece, and that’s not a word I bandy about loosely. Recently reprinted by Schoolhouse Press, this is the story of Susanna Lewis’ classic recreation of a 19th century lace sampler for the Brooklyn Museum. She says in the introduction, “My job was to figure out how all the patterns were made. I started the project with great confidence, as I was a skilled hand knitter and had been knitting lace for many years, following complicated patterns in books both old and new. But I soon discovered how little I really knew about the principles of lace knitting and about the struture of lace. I had been knitting lace, but I didn’t know much about lace.”

The book starts quite simply–with the 92 lace patterns that make up the sampler–with each stitch charted and spelled out line-by-line. This alone makes the book interesting and worthwhile, but that’s just the start.

It’s part 2 that’s going to knock your handknit socks off. In the second half, the author takes everything she learned from charting all those lace patterns and shares it with you. Just knowing how to follow a lace pattern and knit it is not the same as understanding it,She explores what makes knitted lace in the first place, the motifs you can expect, how increases and decreases balance each other and add shape. There can be medallions of patterns or long, vertical edgings, and the only thing limiting you is your imagination. Like anything else, once you know the mechanics, you can do anything.

I’ve only recently gotten a copy of this book, and need to go back and study, well, the entire second half in depth, because a quick read is ultimately unsatisfying–like thinking you understand the “William Tell Overture” because you’ve heard the Lone Ranger theme. There is a TON of information in here, but it’s information that’s easily grasped because Susanna Lewis explains it so well. It’s amazing–not only as a piece of scholarship from charting that original lace sampler, but for all the lessons learned from it.

Of course, that’s the point about a sampler in the first place. The original stitcher uses it as a record of things she has learned, whether it’s embroidery stitches, knitting stitches, or mending techniques. It’s her own personal record of progress, and also a reference to use later on. By recreating this 19th century sampler, Susanna Lewis has done exactly that–used it as a reference, but also as a learning experience. The book just shares it with the rest of us.

There’s a reason this out-of-print book was selling for hundreds of dollars, but thanks to Schoolhouse Press, it’s back in print. Want to see it yourself? You can get a copy from Amazon.com.

Want to see bigger pictures? Click here.

First, the facts:

Title: Power Cables: The Ultimate Guide to Knitting Inventive Cables

Author: Lily Chin

Published by: Interweave Press, 2010

Pages: 175

Type: Stitches, patterns, reference.

Chapters:

1. Understanding Cables
2. Wide-Rib Cables
3. Ribbed Reversible Cables
4. Textural Cables
5. Travelling Stitch Cables
6. Colorful Cables
7. Raised Wale Cables
8. Phony Cables
9. Cable Integration

The In-Depth Look:

Lily Chin is a god.

Seriously, there is a reason this woman has such a reputation for being an innovative thinker and knitter, and she proves it yet again with this remarkable book.

She says in the introduction: “This book explores the possibilities of the knitted cable’s form and function. Although cables of all kinds will be discussed, special attention will be given to three areas: my system for charting cables of all kinds 9both regular and reversible); reversible cables; and integrating cables into a design, not just applying them.”

Yes, you read that correctly. Her own form of charting. And, yes, reversible cables. So your scarves and afghans aren’t eternally doomed to forever have a bad side to show to the world.

She starts, though, with a look at cables in general–what makes a cable a cable? Why do they work? Why do some look just fine on the back and others look like a mess? But then she starts examining the ways to make a cable work from both sides, and it’s then when her genius really starts to show. Would you have thought to make the cables ribbled? No, and I didn’t either.

You know how mind-blowing Cat Bordhi’s “New Pathways for Sock Knitters” book was? How it turned almost everything you knew about socks on its ear? This is that kind of book. It makes you think about cables in a way you haven’t thought about them before. Usually you just think about how to cross, left-right, front-back, how many stitches, and that’s it. You just DO it. Lily Chin stopped to think about why, and when she turned it around to look at the back, she opened up a whole new world.

The entire book is split into sections according to different types of cables, with analysis, stitch patterns, and actual, complete knitting patterns for bags and sweaters and such, ready for your needles. It’s amazing. It’s as revolutionary as a book about knitting cables can be.

This amazing book is available from Amazon.com.

Want to see bigger pictures? Click here.

This review copy was kindly donated by Interweave Press. Thank you!

First, the facts:

Title: Color Knitting the Easy Way: Essential Techniques, Perfect Palettes, and Fresh Designs Using Just One Color at a Time

Author: Melissa Leapman

Published by: Potter Craft, 2010

Pages: 158

Type: Patterns, stitches, and techniques

Chapters:

1. Understanding Color
2. Mastering Color Knitting Techniques Using Stripes
3. Creating Color Patterns Using Slip Stitches

Pattern Size Range: Varies

The In-Depth Look:

There are lots of books out there that examine color knitting, but this one focuses on color knitting using only ONE color at a time.

That’s right. Not intarsia. Not fair isle. Instead, this book is about adding color to your knitting with stripes and slip stitches.

The book starts with basic color analysis–a look at color analysis, hues and values, how to judge which colors go together and which don’t–all very thorough. My only complaint in this section is that when discussing the relationships of certain colors, the illustration will “dim” the other colors in the wheel so you focus on the colors they want you to look at. Except, the dimmed colors aren’t quite transparent enough, so the colors I was supposed to be looking at weren’t as obvious as they could have been. It took a little work to focus on the relevant colors. But, really, that’s not that important. The writing, the techniques, the analysis are all useful stuff.

The other two main sections of the book talk about adding color by using stripes, or by doing slip-stitch/mosaic colorwork. Both sections are split into three, basic sections–basic instructions, stitch patterns, and project patterns.

This is ideal, to my mind. Nothing makes me happier than knowing WHY I’m doing something, and having the author go to the trouble of not only explainining each technique to me, and then sharing an assortment of stitch patterns for me to play with, and THEN giving me actual patterns to knit? Well, it’s like heaven. You can skip over the explanatory stuff if you’re in a rush to get to the patterns, or you can skip the patterns while making up your own from the handy stitch collections. It’s your choice … and I love having choices.

Considering how wonderful Melissa Leapman’s books on cables are, I’m really not at all surprised that her book on color would be so much fun.

This impressive and handy book is available from Amazon.com.

Want to see bigger pictures? Click here.

This review copy was kindly donated by Potter Craft. Thank you!

Other posts for this author:

• Continuous Cables

First, the facts:

Title: Reversible Knitting: 50 Brand-New, Groundbreaking Stitch Patterns

Author: Lynne Barr

Published by: Stewart, Tabori & Chang, 2009

Pages: 192

Type: Stitches and Patterns, all reversible

Chapters:

1. Reversible Stitch Patterns

2. Reversible Designs

The In-Depth Look:

This creative book takes everything you know about knitting and turns it upside down and inside out.

Am I exaggerating? Maybe a little bit, but not as much as you might expect. Starting with the cover sweater which can be worn right-side up, upside-down, inside-out, this book makes you look at your knitting a little differently. Primarily, of course, it makes you think not about “right side” and “wrong side,” or “front” or “back” when you knit, but about making things that work equally well on either side.

The book is split into two main sections. The first? 50 brand new stitch patterns. Yes, you heard me. Fifty stitches. This is what happens when a creative knitter decides to look at knitting in an entirely new way … and then decides to share it with you. Who knew you could get knitting to look so much like crochet? Some patterns look more or less the same from front to back, some (like some of the cables) clearly have a … I won’t say “right” side, but a preferred side, while the reverse is still perfectly presentable on its own. Some stitches–I don’t know how she did it, but she ended up with two sides that looked completely different, and I keep thinking how wonderful an afghan made up of those squares, alternating in a checkerboard pattern, would look. There are even some double-knitting patterns which are unique in their own rights.

This, though, is just the first half of the book.

The second half is made up of reversible garments. Scarves, of course, but also sweaters, hats, socks, even dresses. Very, very cool reversible, knitted dresses. These designs are just as creative as the stitch patterns themselves. Seriously, the list of designers is like a Who’s Who of knitting: Cat Bordhi, Teva Durham, Debbie New, Wenlan Chia, Nancy Marchant, Laura Zukaite, Bonnie DesRoches, Norah Gaughan, Veronik Avery, Pam Allen, Eric Robinson, and of course, the author, Lynne Barr. They are creative and interesting, without being inaccessibly weird. (Okay, I admit that I thought the bikini-inspired socks you tie on were a little weird, but they were still nifty to look at.)

The “Special techniques” section at the back is excellent and filled with lots of, well, specialized techniques–not just the usual assortment of cast-ons and such that you’ve seen in dozens of other knitting books. This addresses how to Kitchener stitch graft garter stitch or ribbing, not just stockinette stitch, or how to cast-on with two colors for knitting in double-stitch. Since the whole point of the book is to make fabric reversible, it makes sense that there would be some techniques needed here that you don’t normally use. One thing I would have liked to see? Tips on how to weave in your ends so that they don’t show and automatically make one side “right” and one side “wrong” simply because of the little yarn tails showing. (Or am I the only one who has that problem?)

This is a wonderfully creative book, though. The photographs are illustrative and clear–especially for the stitch patterns, but also for the actual garment patterns as well. Garments come with schematics, and all in what seem to be clearly written instructions (though I admit to not having read all the patterns).

The book is available from Amazon.com for just under $20.

Want to see bigger pictures? Click here.

First, the facts:

Title: Knitting Brioche: The Essential Guide to the Brioche Stitch

Author: Nancy Marchant

Published by: North Light Books, 2009

Pages: 255

Type: How to, stitch patterns, and patterns.

Chapters:

1. Working Brioche Stitch Using One Color
2. Working Brioche Stitch Using More Than One Color
3. Brioche Stitchionary
4. Design Elements of Brioche Knitting
5. Projects

The In-Depth Look:

I’ve been sitting here in front of my keyboard for far too long, trying to think of how I was going to begin this review. My problem? I can’t think of anything bad to say, and everybody knows a good review needs to point out the bad as well as the good.

This is THE most comprehensive book on brioche knitting–that double-sided, dense yet springy stitch technique–I’ve ever seen. It’s impressive. It’s thorough. It’s … well, here’s what the blurb on the back says.

“Knitting Brioche is the first and only knitting book devoted exclusively to brioche stitch, a knitting technique that creates a double-sided fabric. This complete guide will take you from your first brioche stitches to your first (or hundredth) project, and even to designing with brioche stitch, if you desire.”

The book begins with an explanation of brioche stitch, and how to work the several variations. The best cast-ons to use, how to increase or decrease stitches. Then, it talks about how to add color to your brioche stitch.

Next is a stitch dictionary. Lots and lots of brioche stitches. 60, in fact, including some created just for this book. Then, there are 25 ready-made designs to knit. Hats, scarves, sweaters, and so on. These patterns are lovely and accentuate how versatile brioche knitting can be.

Really, it’s hard to come up with anything that could be better. The photographs are clear and helpful, both for illustrating techniques and for showing specific patterns. There is a thorough Table of Contents which lists all the sub-sections of each chapter, and there is an Index which lists each stitch and project, as well as the other highlights of the book.

The descriptions of this occasionally complicated technique are easy to read and understandable. The illustrative photos are helpful.

Even the projects are tempting. Attractive, creative, but very wearable.

Darn it, there’s just nothing wrong with this book.

Luckily for you, that means this book is fantastic and one you should run-not-walk to find if this is a technique that you are even remotely interested in. Because, trust me, you’re not going to find a better guide to brioche any time soon.

Still, it’s great books like these that make writing reviews so frustrating.

This annoyingly perfect book is available at Amazon.com.

Want to see bigger pictures? Click here.

First, the facts:

Title: 400 Knitting Stitches: A Complete Dictionary of Essential Stitch Patterns

Author: Potter Craft

Published by: Potter Craft, 2009

Pages: 256

Type: Stitch Patterns, lots of them.

Chapters:

1. Knitting Basics
2. Knit-Purl Stitches
3. Crossed Stitches and Cables
4. Slipped Stitches
5. Lacy Stitches
6. Double Stitches
7. Twisted Stitches
8. Cast-Off Stitches
9. Fancy Stitches
10. Symbols

Pattern Size Range: N/A

The In-Depth Look:

The bad part about reviewing a book of stitch patterns is that there’s really not that much to say. They’re just stitches, right?

Well, yes and no.

It’s true, you can’t really gush about how wonderfully the cables are crossed in stitch number 97, and you can only say so many things about the photography and what-not, but there are some things that make some stitch dictionaries better than others.

Photography. This book has nice, clear, photos of each stitch, color-coded by chapter.

Variety. Since there are so many different types of stitches in this book, variety isn’t really a problem, but on the flip-side, since there ARE so many different styles, you’re not getting 400 ribbing stitches, or 400 drop-stitch stitches, or a huge proportion of any one kind of stitch. They’re mixed and it’s a nice cross-section.

Originality. It’s true, a lot of the stitches in here are ones I’ve seen before, in other collections, but that’s almost inevitable. It’s true that knitting is endlessly creative, but there is a certain limit to the number of ways you can mix a knit and a purl to create an interesting pattern. Overlap is inevitable.

Information. I liked that each stitch had both written instructions for row-by-row knitting as well as a chart for those who prefer the visual approach.

Text. Well, there’s not a lot of that, here. Other than a brief chapter on techniques, the entire book is filled with what you came to see–the stitches themselves.

Format. I’ll just add another note here that I liked the size and shape of this book. Unlike some, it’s not an oversized book with huge pages that won’t fit into your knitting bag. It’s a reasonable size paperback with a folded-in cover to give the edges a little more protection. It feels good in the hand and not too heavy for the back. Though, the smaller pages mean that the charts are also smaller, which could be challenging for the visually-challenged, so keep that in mind.

Good collection, nice variety, a nice addition to your stitch library, this book is available from Amazon.com for less than $13.

Want to see bigger pictures? Click here.

This review copy was kindly donated by Potter Craft. Thank you!