Stitch 'n Bitch Nation by Debbie Stoller

Stitch 'n Bitch Nation Reviews

• 
  Allison

  I usually don't put knitting books on the list of books I've read (because does reading K1,P1,*,K2tog,YO,ssk etc. really count as reading?) but this one had lots of other things to read. Each of the 50 patterns included a little bio of the knit designer as well as how the pattern came about. Interspersed throughout are tips like knitting on the airplane, recycling yarn from thrift store sweaters, making needles from chopsticks, splicing yarn, etc. There is also a full section on the many ways you can change a pattern in many various ways to suit yourself.
• 
  Joanie

  Okay, I really haven't "read" this-perused it more like it.
  
  After many years of wheedling, I finally agreed to let my mother teach me to knit. Two days after my crash course (where I started with 42 stitches that have somehow grown to 58) my mother gave me this book. The back has an overview of basic techniques and stitches which my mother thought would be helpful to me. While I can't quite see myself making things like a knitted tankini, a tank top with a mudflap girl, or my own fishnet tights it is fun to read about how each person learned to knit, developed the pattern etc.
  
  There are a pair of red knit pants with a devil tail hanging from the back that I think would be too funny for my 17 month old but in reality he'll probably be 20 before I actually manage to get them done. Maybe I'll start with a scarf.
• 
  Haka

  It’s at the sad point where it’s painfully outdated, and not yet outdated enough to be a cute, throwback read. The author is totally legit, though.
• 
  Missy Angus

  If you knit, a must own.
• 
  Antoinette

  This year during winter break I decided to make an effort to actually sit down and read through this book. I have had it since it first came out, as the original served as my introduction to knitting. I feel as though I have learned a lot, and I am ready to take on some more advanced projects. That isn't really saying much, because I mostly crochet, but at least I am slightly more interested in taking on some knitting.
  
  Using my handy Ravelry membership, I was able to scout out a bunch of errors in patterns. I find this very disappointing, because SnB is supposed to be a leader in the knitting revolution. Grandma may have had boring taste, but she never would have messed up a pattern! I find myself flipping through my mom's old knitting books more and more, to find possible solutions to the errors in some of the patterns. More than being full of errors, a lot of times I just found the patterns silly. Why go through so much work when it could be so much easier?
  
  Also, a lot of the patterns were too juvenile for me. I may be 21, but I will not be wearing a deconstructed sweater with silhouettes of naked women anytime soon. I could see the appeal of such patterns, and I am glad such things exist, but it seemed like a bit much. I am still looking for more "solid" patterns. The beginning chapters were very interesting. It is also nice to read different methods of
  getting things done, and I appreciate the brief tales of knitting in the past.
  
  Overall, I am very glad I actually sat through and read this. It gave me endless ideas, but unfortunately those ideas were mostly about how I could make the patterns better. I enjoyed reading the biographies of designers, the happy models, and the yarn porn. Other than that, I am not sure many of these patterns will make my to-do list.
• 
  Peggy

  The book's title is already indicative that it tries to completely change the public perception that knitting is for grannies. As we know now (this book was published in 2004 - now 10 years ago) - it worked. Or at least I think it did. Knitting is hip again.
  
  My favourite part of the book was the first section where it explains the sizing and how to convert different yarns - basically an idiots guide and the second step once you know the basics of knitting. I also liked the fresh patterns.
  
  I would not recommend the book for a complete beginner. Though the basics are explained at the end, I think it would be good to get a 'Complete Beginners' book first. But this book is ideal if you have trouble understanding changing the size, the yarn, the style. Also, if you want fresh patterns which are still easy - I did not knit all of them of course, but I think they all don't look to difficult. I think you will also enjoy the little bit of gossip from 'real knitters' dotted around the book.
  
  As this is an US publication, the yarn brands / yarn stores will be all US based, and there were quite a few I didn't know and struggled to convert to UK brands. I suppose you can put your yarn converting skills learned in Part 1 to good use straight away.
  
  More on my blog:
  
  http://thepegsterreads.blogspot.co.uk...
• 
  Lain

  After falling in love with "Stitch and Bitch," I automatically ordered "Nation." Unfortunately, I returned it soon after I got it. I looked through it and realized there wasn't a single pattern that I would wear.
  
  I am a thirty-something Californian, so I'm not stuffy or ultra-conservative. But this book definitely fell on the other side of the "hip" line from me. I would imagine it would appeal to a certain audience, but I wasn't in it.
  
  The first book had a much wider appeal. I'll be sticking with that one.
• 
  Destiny Dawn Long

  As with the first Stitch n Bitch volume, when I purchased this I found it quite helpful, but I feel as though I've outgrown it. Once in a while I will reference it if I need to clarify something in a pattern I'm working. But I also have found better resources now. Some of the patterns in the book are nice, although others seem a bit dated. Many of them also had to have post-publication corrections posted to the book's website, because of errors. I hadn't realized this the first time I tried to work one of the patterns and ended up rather frustrated.
• 
  Sarah

  I bought Stitch n' Bitch Nation after loving the first book so much - there's not much to add in the way of basic knitting information, but it's a great reference for knitters who are ready to get a little more advanced. There are chapters on designing your own projects, and substituting yarn; there are also several more patterns that look less like "I made this myself" and moer like "where did you get that?"
• 
  Candace

  bless you, debbie stoller, for giving me the confidence to tear a pattern apart and knit a sweater. *and* for making bust magazine. in all seriousness, the 'stich n' bitch books gave me the itch to pick up my needles and remember what my mom taught me when i was twelve. the patterns aren't my favorite (thus the 4 stars), but as far as knitting books go, the writing is great -- very fun and easy to understand.
• 
  Tonileg

  This book really needs a better directory with photos of the possible knitting patterns, because no one actually reads every page and then memorizes the where each pattern is. I love how Rowan has a photo of each project in the back of the magazine so you can easily find your project when you come back with your yarn.
  Beginner book for starting out knitters with a wide range of projects for men, women, children and animals with differnt sized yarns (mostly Aran and DK).
  3 stars
• 
  Dyah

  terusannya SnB Knitter's Handbook. selain instruksi dan pola, isinya tentang komunitas SnB di berbagai kota di USA dan luar negeri. SnB sampe ke Jepang dan Ostrali segala. Kenapa nggak bikin baru aja ya..kenapa harus SnB. Mungkin kalo di Indonesia bikin JutNda..raJut dan reNda ...huahahaha..namanya butut.
• 
  angrykitty

  another fun knitting book. i like the cat toys, and have made a few of the mice for my cat. liked this one better than the first due to the fact that there are more colored pics, and i just kind of liked the projects better. truth be told though, i'm way more into crocet than knitting at this point. gotta get the snb crochet book i guess.
• 
  Jennifer

  I've made the Fairly Easy Fair Isle sweater for myself and several "head huggers" head bands as gifts. These are pretty simple straightforward projects. They are not finely-finished or finessed projects. In a way, Debbie Stoller's books are supposed to be about real people knitting, but they tend to leave me feeling "not cool enough".
• 
  Anna

  i am a bad knitter because i try to teach myself how to do things as i go along, but i like this book, and currently trying to knit up the baby bunny hat for my new lil niece. the directions are difficult to understand being that i am a novice, so i often have to look up how to do things on youtube. but it's coming along quite well.
• 
  Sydney-Michelle

  This is one of my favourite knitting---wait, no, one of my favourite CRAFT books of all time. The patterns are fresh and current and fun, and rather simple to follow. I loved the layout of the book, and the colour pictures are gorgeous. I highly reccomend it, even just for the awesome tips you'll pick up through out.
• 
  Emily

  I won this book from a Good Reads giveaway. This book is great. I am a novice at knitting and really only loom knit but I can't wait to try out these patterns. The directions seem easy enough. My sister is going to make the Joey Ramone doll for my daughter as a baby doll. I was excited to receive this and excited to begin!
• 
  Gabriella

  This book is a great reference book for anyone who knits! I don't love all of the patterns (though I did bookmark a handful that I really liked), and the information on yarn stores in the back is a bit outdated, but there is some really useful stuff in this book. All of the information in the first part of the book is great for understanding patterns, and customizing/altering patterns and yarn.
• 
  lauren

  first knitting book i bought. taught myself pretty much out of this book. good, solid first book
  
  sidenote: if you are going to make the spring armwarmers, make sure you go to the website and get the corrections before you are completely frustrated with incorrect pattern notes in the book.
• 
  Melissa

  There are a lot of things I'd like to make for kids in here. I could go have a kid or I could just find somebody else's that I like enough to knit for. One of these things might be easier than the other.
• 
  Brenna Flood

  While some of the patterns seem fun, there are more patterns in here that I know I would never make, due to the simplification and finish of the final objects - they look very basic, not a lot of flair here that would lend more professional finish.
• 
  Heather

  At least one of the patterns in this book is positively infuriating. As I set out to knit it, I suspected that it was rife with errors, and a brief search presented me with dozens of message boards dedicated to fixing this particular pattern. Haven't tried any of the others... yet.
• 
  Rachael

  I'm very new to knitting, and this book is a lot more advanced than I thought it would be. A lot of the projects are cute, but way too challenging for me. I'm attempting to knit a bag ("the saucy tote")and we'll see how it turns out. The pictures are good, and the models are quirky.
• 
  amber

  check the errata for this book!! i struggled with the spiderweb caplet until i realized it was wrong. i ended up going to crafster for some good advice because that pattern was so unclear even after reading the errata...
• 
  Rachelle Nicolette

  More Stitch 'n' Bitch = More Fun.
  
  I made the legwarmers from this book. The legwarmers made me look like I have elephant legs. I'm not savvy enough to tweak patterns to fit me better. Perhaps I'm just smaller than most.
• 
  Brianne

  Once again, Debbie Stoller brings out the sass in knitting. This time, it's patterns from her readers across the nation that's shared in this book. Great patterns!! I'm making the baby sweaters with the skulls and crossbones for my sister right now!
• 
  Alaina

  After reading it, was sorry I had spent the money. Her first book was great, but I didn't feel this had anything to add to warrant an entire book. But definitely had clear, easy to follow instructions.
• 
  Ariel Servadio

  My first book about knitting ever, before I even really knew how to do it, and now it's my all time favorite/bible. I constantly use it as a reference when I forget how to do things (that and
  http://www.knittinghelp.com) and appreciate the range of patterns offered (now that I can read them).