Vogue Knitting Quick Reference by Editor, Vogue Knitting Magazine                             (The Ultimate Portable Knitting Compendium)                                                                                                                                         ISBN 1-931543-12-7, Soft, spiral-bound, 128pgs, $19.95 US, Sixth & Spring Books, PO Box 1808, Altoona, PA 16603, 877-860-6164 US

Here is the book you need for a quick answer to knitting problems without searching through several knitting books for results.  The spiral allows you to lay each page flat for easy viewing, however, the front and back cover are not thick enough to keep both ends of the cover from tearing next to the spiral.  Since this is a reference book, it will receive a lot of use and a heavier cover would have been better.  It would of course, also have increased the price.

If you have never knitted before, you can learn within these pages with large clear instructions beginning with making a slip knot, how to hold your hands to knit and then how to knit.

Everything you need is within these pages:  Basic techniques including how to cast-on, knit and purl.  English and Continental style.  There are several ways to cast on and six of these are explained.  You will find basic stitch patterns including garter, stockinette, reverse stockinette, garter ridge, basic ribbings, seed stitch and double seed stitch plus various ribbings.  Increase and decrease techniques and binding off in both knit and purl stitches are provided.  Slanting and vertical decreases; slip stitch, knitwise and purlwise; binding off for both knit and purl stitches plus instructions for a three-needle bind-off are all within these pages.

The chapter for understanding knitting instructions is a big help, starting with what gauge is and how to make samples that provide you the correct size needle and fiber for your project.  You will find a complete table of terms and abbreviations plus knitting terminology.  The knitting terminology is set up like an A to Z dictionary, with complete easy to understand explanations of all those terms beginners see in magazines and wonder what they mean.  Knitting symbols lose their mystic once you look at the symbol craft charts.

You will find out how to correct your errors such as dropped stitches.  How to use circular and double-pointed needle, cast on and knit instructions simplifies what you might have thought as complex.

Learning to make color patterns with fiber is explored in the color-knitting chapter.  All the fancy stitches are illustrated such as Faire Isle and Intarsia and how to make horizontal and vertical stripes.  How to seam pieces together; picking up stitches; hems; buttonholes; pockets; zippers, embroidery; making buttons and pompoms plus a lot more finishing techniques are included.

Today, everyone wants to know how to knit with beads.  You will find those instructions plus how to knit with sequins too.  There are conversion charts for knitting needles and crochet hooks, US and metric.  There is also a conversion chart to figure substitute yarns.  Vogue Knitting Quick Reference is handy for travel and for at home.  I will keep my copy on my favorite reference book shelf for easy retrieval.