Book ~ "Complete Knitting Skills" (2013) Debbie Tomkies

From Barron's ~ Absolute beginners can learn to knit and experienced knitters can expand their repertories when they take advantage of this absolutely unique approach to knitting. Complete Knitting Skills is an illustrated manual, augmented with an innovative series of accompanying online tutorials. Knitters can learn techniques from the book’s photo-illustrated step-by-step instructions - or they can access the closely related online tutorials, using their smartphone with QR codes printed in the book. They can also access tutorials on their laptop via the internet. Most often knitters will want to use both book and tutorial in tandem, taking advantage of the best that both have to offer. The tutorials present the advantage of start-and-stop instruction, so that knitters can practice new techniques at their own pace. This truly exceptional combination book-and-video knitting course presents

• A wide range of knitting techniques, including lace, cables, textured patterns, beaded knitting, and more 
• A trouble-shooting SOS section that shows how to spot mistakes and avoid them 
• Advanced techniques for experienced knitters to give their knitted items that professional touch

Here is a combination package that gives beginners the confidence to tackle more advanced projects, while also delighting experienced knitters with a wealth of new techniques. The book features approximately 800 color illustrations. 

This is an excellent book if you are a beginner or an experienced knitter.  It starts right at the beginning and walks you through all the steps:

1. Equipment and yarn - needles, accessories, gadgets and gizmos, the language of yarn, choosing and substituting yarn, and recycling and repurposing
2. Getting started - reading patterns, following charts, gauge, flat and circular knitting, holding the work, casting on, the knit stitch, the purl stitch, increases, decreases, joining new yarn and binding off
3. Finishing - seaming, picking up stitches, neat necklines and perfect bands, fastenings and care of knitted items
4. Taking it to the next level - adapting to fit, choosing the right cast on, the best increase for the job, choosing the right bid off, steeking edgings and trims, buttons and buttonholes, pockets and felted/fulled knits
5. Advanced knitting techniques - working in the round, lace and open work, cables, textured pattens, loop stitches, entrelac, fair isle and stranded colour, intarsia, duplicate stitch, bead work and embellishments
6. Knitting SOS - avoiding common errors and fixes, fudges and tweaks
7. The knitting community - finding other knitters, sharing and selling your work, knitting for charity, knitting terminology and abbreviations

There are many many colour pictures to show you step-by-step how to do things.  Plus you can scan a code or there is a link if you want to watch a video.  Here's an example:



I received a copy of this book at no charge in exchange for my honest review.