10 Best Knitting Books for Beginners – Start Another Hobby!

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Japanese knitting stitch bible—250 exquisite patterns by hitomi shida

Knitter’s handy book of top down sweaters—basic designs in multiple sizes & gauges

Knit stitch dictionary—250 essential stitches

Knit happy with self striping yarn

Knitting without needles—a stylish introduction to finger & arm knitting

Outlander knitting—the official book of 20 knits inspired by the hit series

Star wars—knitting the galaxy

Vogue knitting—the ultimate knitting book

400 knitting stitches—a complete dictionary of essential stitch patterns

First time knitting

10 Best Knitting Books for Beginners - Start Another Hobby!

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Knitting has long since decades ago been a thrilling craft for many. Kids, too, adore playing around with needles and yarns. But if you’re a beginner, your efforts would be rendered futile without the right set of techniques and inspiration. Newbies and adept crafters alike learn most of the newfangled designs and functional hacks using knitting books.

So, if you’re thinking of getting acquainted with the basics, investing a few bucks in guidebooks is quite much worthwhile, particularly if you don’t have any useful knitting skills.

Best Knitting Books for Beginners (Reviews)

Before kickstarting your knitting hobby, you want to borrow some tips from books known to have dense pointers on all that goes into the craft. Same as other buying guides which we’ve published before, we took the time to make an in-depth comparison of all options in the market and came up with a list of quality books that would give you insights into the world of knitting, especially if you’re a beginner. They’re also suitable for experienced knitters.

Check the list out so you can get a rough idea of the books that suit your knitting goals best.

1. Editor’s Pick: First Time Knitting

This is the ultimate guidebook if you’re looking to learn the essential hacks for knitting stitches, more so if you’re a newbie in the craft. We marked it as the overall best since it’s suitable for knitters with all levels of experience. You’ll most likely relish the hat and mitten patterns illustrated in this book.

There are also dozens of exercises to teach you useful skills for knitting using natural or synthetic fiber such as nylon and wool. ‘First Time Knitting’ is a practical guide that demonstrates the therapeutic aspect of knitting using a combination of versatile techniques. As a beginner, you’ll be in the loop with tips on the right needles to use, depending on the kind of project you want to work on.

2. Best for Techniques: 400 Knitting Stitches—A Complete Dictionary of Essential Stitch Patterns

As the title of the book suggests, there are about 400 knitting stitches you can work with to skill up. It has the most elaborate techniques handy for beginners that are split into 8 chapters. Each category is easy to follow, and the volume of information is dense, so be sure that you won’t be a half-baked knitter after completing this guidebook. You’ll learn multifunction techniques such as knitting a purl, twisted patterns, crossed and cables, as well as lacy styles, just to hint a few.

Compared to most other options, this it’s among the few books with gripping instructions that are well-written to make the learning window as short as possible. Most knitters use it as a reference dictionary since it holds a large pool of techniques that prove to be useful in most knitting projects.

3. Best for Trends: Vogue Knitting—The Ultimate Knitting Book

The times when classic knitting techniques used to reign supreme are long gone. These days, knitters want to try out contemporary ideas, and that’s what every beginner should be aiming for. ‘Vogue Knitting’ is an updated edition with rigorously outlined steps of advanced knitting techniques. There are different patterns to try out, ranging from mosaic to brioche and double knitting.

Knitting stuff like hats, mittens, sweaters, gloves, and socks will seem like child’s play after reading all the chapters in this book. You also get to experiment with your DIY ideas with more than 1600 photos and 25 shawl shapes which are carefully illustrated in step-by-step criteria. For quicker referencing, there are footnotes that sum up everything you’ve learned under each category.

4. Best for Kids: Star Wars—Knitting the Galaxy

Kids, too, need to be introduced to knitting projects at an early stage. What makes this book the most sought-after option under the kids’ category is its entire theme which inspires fantasy and a string of creativity in a bubbly but in-depth manner. This book features about 28 patterns pictured in a beaming color tone, making the whole learning exercise quite thrilling to kids.

The patterns mimic apparel, toys, home decor crafts inspired by different movie characters. Besides the color works, this book is beginner-friendly, and a lot of reviewers have left positive comments about their personal experiences. If your kid is overly obsessed with aliens and everything about extraterrestrial life, then this book would be a perfect starting point.

5. Best for Inspiration: Outlander Knitting—The Official Book of 20 Knits Inspired by the Hit Series

Any level of ingenuity or imagination would for sure need a little bit of inspiration, especially if this your first time attempting to try out some knitting ideas. We picked the book since it’s inspired by the popular series Outlander. Knitters who are yearning to get around the highs and lows of the craft would get the most out of the 20 projects patently illustrated in this book.

Same as the theme of the series, most of the listed projects will teach you to do rustic knits for apparel, accessories, and home decor items. The projects are featured using scenic photos that are appealing to newbies and those looking to make knitting their regular hobby.

6. Best for Arm Knitting: Knitting Without Needles—A Stylish Introduction to Finger & Arm Knitting

Arm knitting is among the top trends in yarn crafts. It doesn’t take long to finish compared to most other knitting projects and lets to make larger stitches than those made using needles. ‘Knitting Without Needles’ is a perfect blueprint for learning how to loop yarn using bare fingers. There are about 30 patterns to test your skills spread across different chapters of the book.

You’ll learn the art of casting-on and how to place your right arm through the loop to make stitches. If you also want to make swift progress when binding off your stitches, this book will give you the ins and outs of finger and arm knitting using incredible photography and user-oriented instructions that are perfect for kids too.

7. Best for Patterns: Knit Happy with Self-Striping Yarn

Let’s face it—there’s no doubt how overly monotonous and unexciting it would be if all your projects featured the same pattern. This book will give you intense inspiration for your next project, more precisely if you want to discover different patterns for accessories, apparel, and baby sweaters. You can make a fanciful self-striping yarn using 20 bright and ingenious patterns listed in the book.

If you want to add a rainbow-like detail to your project without losing track of the yarns or weaves, then you want to test the whimsical impressions crafted by the book’s author Stephanie Lotven who is also a knitwear designer. If you look around, you’ll probably notice that this is the book with the most unique knitting patterns that are boldly trending.

8. Best for Knit Stitching Tips: Knit Stitch Dictionary—250 Essential Stitches

Such a colorful guidebook for different kinds of techniques would be a huge plus for anyone wanting to hunt through the rudiments of knit stitching. You’ll have access to about 250 knit stitches and lace patterns often used by adept knitters. The book has a photo glossary of eccentric stitch patterns with helpful pointers that make beginner-level seem like a breeze.

It’s rare to find a dictionary with some background about the different fabrics which you’re likely to work with when working on your knitting projects. And even if you already have a knitting book close to this one, be sure that you’ll learn a bunch of variations that would make your patterns look a lot more distinct and creative.

9. Best for Sweaters: Knitter’s Handy Book of Top-Down Sweaters—Basic Designs in Multiple Sizes & Gauges

If you want to be skilled at knitting sweaters using functional stitch designs, you want to purchase this book—it’s worth the price. And more reason why we find it fit for knitters looking to eminently focus on making sweaters is its multitude of designs such as saddle shoulder, circular yoke, set-in sleeve—the list goes on. Apart from beginners, this is a resourceful book for both intermediate and seasoned knitters.

The charts and instructions features in the book will help you knit sweaters of different sizes in a snap. You’ll have a seamless transition when learning bind-off and cast-off techniques, which are quite useful especially if you’re looking to knit sweaters a lot more often.

10. Best for Classic Designs: Japanese Knitting Stitch Bible—250 Exquisite Patterns by Hitomi Shida

‘Japanese Knitting Stitch Bible’ is a perfect book for inexperienced and skilled hobbyists looking to try out antique designs. There are 260 patterns to play around with, and each comes with a set of guidelines, so you don’t miss the fine details that make your project look functional and exquisite. This book features a range of whimsy stitch designs, including edgings, twists, and cables.

Whether you want to make a vintage scarf or fingerless mittens, the Japanese knitting stitch bible will teach you the ropes using engaging and easy-to-follow techniques. It’s worth the price more precisely if you’re longing to experience a long-winded escapade while knitting classic designs at the comfort of your home.

Final Thoughts

Hopefully, you found a few books that match your knitting interests. Knitting becomes less strenuous if you have tips on how to cut corners, and buying any of these books, depending on your interests, will help perfect your forthcoming projects. Don’t miss sharing this post with other DIYers who have a knack for knitting.

We’ll be quick to update this post in case we bump into other books that appear to have useful guidelines on how to go about knitting. Also, share your thoughts in the comment section right below so we can engage further about the best knitting books for beginners.