Lifestyle Book Reviews

Book Review: Knit Fix: Problem Solving for Knitters by Lisa Kartus

By Sandy Amazeen Sep 5, 2006, 1:49 GMT

Dropped and twisted stitches, too-small button holes, and mis-crossed cables are only a few of the knitting dilemmas tackled in this humorous and useful guide. ...more

Anyone who has picked up a set of needles and a ball of yarn has experienced that sinking feeling that comes with discovering an obvious mistake several rows down, this book addresses those inevitable mistakes and so much more. Whether you made a mistake in the color pattern, dropped a stitch or your toddler just pulled the circular needle out of your sweater, Kartus has the fix-it’s needed to get knitting again.

Beginning with the basics of stitch construction, developing a personal knitting philosophy and common mistakes Kartus then goes into troubleshooting, complete with diagnosis and recommended fixes. From there the reader is encouraged to take a proactive approach by solving problems before they grow out of hand starting with proper cast-ons, working in the round, buttonholes, color work, picking up stitches, grafting, binding off and the all-important blocking. Of special interest is the chapter on extreme fixes which tackles what to do when a finished garment has serious fit flaws. Whether the cast-on or bind-offs are too tight, too loose, the body of sleeves too narrow or the entire garment too big, there are solutions that don’t involve ripping it all out and starting over.

The crisp, clear close-up photography and well-written text is humanized by Kraus’s personal anecdotes of knitting woes, discoveries and ah-ohs that provide chuckles while defusing the inevitable frustration that comes with having to deal with mistakes. The covered spiral binding that allows the book to lay flat for easy reference is a nice touch as knitters of all levels will find themselves reaching for this repeatedly.