About the Book
The practical, pocket-sized manual that every knitter needs, from Morgane Mathieu of popular knitting blog 'Trust the Mojo'.
From casting on to casting off, The Knitting Companion is your indispensable guide to mastering the art of knitting. This comprehensive mini guide is packed with clear instructions and beautiful photographs, making it perfect for both beginners and experienced knitters.
This gorgeous little book contains tips, techniques and trusted advice on everything from reading a yarn label and choosing your needles to adapting a pattern and picking up stitches. Whether you are knitting your first project or your fiftieth, this comprehensive mini guide is a treasure trove of knowledge, perfect for dipping in and out of for quick reference.
Inside you'll find:
A comprehensive introduction to knitting essentials: learn about yarn types, needle sizes and other equipment you'll need to get started
A step-by-step guide to knitting techniques: discover essential stitches, increases, decreases and finishing techniques, all illustrated with clear diagrams and photographs.
Expert advice on reading knitting charts: understand pattern symbols and how to follow knitting charts with ease
Tips for choosing the right yarn and needles: Learn how to select the perfect yarn and needles for your project, ensuring a successful outcome
Guidance on adapting patterns: discover how to customize patterns to fit your preferences and create one-of-a-kind pieces
The Knitting Companion is the perfect resource to help you achieve your knitting goals. With its user-friendly format and expert advice, this book is a must-have for any knitter's library.
Table of Contents:
Introduction
PART ONE: What you need
Reading a yarn label
Yarns
Needles
Other equipment
PART TWO: Choosing a make
Reading a chart
The tension (gauge) swatch
Choosing the right size
Choosing your yarn
Different types of construction
Adapting a pattern
PART THREE: Knitting techniques
Casting on
The stitches
How to hold the yarn and needles
The first row
Changing yarn
Casting (binding) off
Increases and decreases
Slipped stitches
Twisted stitches
Troubleshooting common errors
PART FOUR: Finishing and sewing together
Blocking
Seams
Which seam to choose
Picking up stitches
Buttonholes
Weaving in yarn tails
Appendix
Acknowledgements and publication information
About the Author :
Morgane Mathieu is a knitting designer based in Paris, France. She is the founder of the Trust the Mojo website (www.trustthemojo.com), where she sells her designs and shares her knitting know-how in the form of colourful patterns and tutorials.
After training as a textile designer and a leather-crafter, Morgane gravitated towards knitting, her lifelong passion. In 2013 she created her first collection for We Are Knitters, which led to a long-term collaboration. Over the years, she has partnered with many yarn brands, including Katia Yarns and Phildar.
Find Morgane on Instagram: @morganem2
Review :
For newbies intimidated by the likes of the trusted manual Vogue Knitting: The Ultimate Knitting Book (2018), French author Mathieu offers a kinder, gentler, and much less imposing introduction. The content is mostly rudimentary: needs, choices for yarn, pattern, and measurements; basic knitting techniques; and finishing and sewing together. What stands out are Mathieu's instructions for reading a chart (as it's a fact there is no standard chart or symbols), her tips and tricks (for example, don’t change your needles or brands of yarn midstream!), and the pros and cons she offers for different alternatives in construction, casting on, and the like. Illustrations and photographs are spot-on, especially in the more difficult how-tos, such as those for finishing and sewing. Includes table of stitch-to-row ratios.
The practical, pocket-sized manual that every knitter needs, from Morgane Mathieu of popular knitting blog, Trust the Mojo.
A pocket guide with big crafting energy - all you need for knitting confidence!
Every knitter needs a reliable go-to: something to turn to for guidance, a technique refresher, or a dose of inspiration. 'The Knitting Companion', a fun and practical pocket-sized manual by Morgane Mathieu of the blog Trust the Mojo, is exactly that - the equal parts of resource and creative spark.
This curated guide supports every stage of your knitting journey. With clear instructions and beautiful photography, it covers everything from reading yarn labels and choosing needles to mastering increases, decreases, and finishing - all in a friendly, no-fuss tone that makes even the trickiest steps feel manageable. It also breaks down knitting charts and symbols, helping readers gain confidence with more complex patterns.
'The Knitting Companion' is the a translation of the original French edition, now available in English and ready to delight a whole new generation of knitters. Compact, clever and full of expert advice, it makes knitting feel not just doable - but joyful and endlessly fun.
As the title states, this is a perfect little companion book for knitters who are just starting out or have been knitting for only a short time. Although, I will be honest, I still manage to find things I didn't know about, so it is very useful. The book is just the right size to put in your knitting bag. This does, however, mean that the print size is small so remember your glasses if needed.
The book is clearly set out in four sections which take you through the whole knitting process, from choosing what wool and needles to use to how to finish your project. I found the section about yarns very useful, especially the differences between US, Australian and the UK wools. The photos are very helpful and, if anything, I would have liked to see more of these. The chapter on how to adapt patterns was interesting and it was useful to remind myself of the different methods of joining seams.
The appendix has a very useful chart to help with tension and how many stitches to pick up around armholes and necklines. Finally, the section on common errors was very informative and the photo of the knitted swatch showing the mistakes was most useful and something you don't often see in such books. This is definitely a book you can dip in and out of and is well worth adding to your collection.
This handy and accessible guide has been developed for improving knitters, and is packed with useful advice to boost your skills and confidence. Topics covered include choosing yarns and sizing, reading charts, shaping, gauge, construction methods and neat finishing.
