UP, DOWN, ALL-AROUND BLOG TOUR & BLUE SKY ALPACAS GIVEAWAY!!!

Up, Down, All-Around Stitch Dictionary by Wendy Bernard || Published by STC Craft/Abrams || Photos by Thayer Allyson Gowdy

I adore stitch dictionaries. I can't get enough of them. Fun reading for me at night is perusing stitch dictionaries. Weird, but true.

I love seeing all the endless possibilities and the creative why's and how's. When I heard about Wendy Bernard's new book "Up, Down, All-Around Stitch Dictionary" I got super excited! A coil bound stitch dictionary that does all the work for you! Seriously! She's written it so that each stitch is shown with instructions & charts and can be knit in 4 different directions!!! Flat, in the round, bottom up, town down - you name it - she shows you! Genius!!! This is the first of it's kind and I'm so excited to be on the tour today sponsored by Blue Sky Alpacas!

I have spent some lovely hours slowly perusing this gorgeous book! True to the STC Craft/Abrams brand, "Up, Down, All-Around Stitch Dictionary" is as pretty as it is useful. Clear, and bright photographs, easy to follow instructions and charts - Wendy has written and compiled a book that is a must have for any knitters technical library. I cannot tell you how useful this book is. So much helpful information and I keep going back to the coil binding. I love that it lays flat while I'm knitting from it. Plus all the yarn used in the book is from Blue Sky Alpacas (whose yarn I adore) and the colors just pop from the pages! Wendy even has each chapter broken into color themes! WEEE! It does my book lovers heart so good to see this! It adds such a great texture & vividness to the swatches when you are flipping through the book itself.

Photos above: Thayer Allyson Gowdy

There are lots of special little details added to this book. Such as the fun graphic design! On the spine and bottoms of the pages where the stitches are written there are shapes that mimic the symbols used in knitting charts. I go gaga for things like this! I really loved this book and thoughtful design elements of the book itself. It's also broken up into great sections to make it easy to find what you're looking for.

Here's what's included:

// HOW TO USE THE STITCH PATTERNS

- Swatching Basics

- Swapping out Stitch Patterns

- How to Work With Charts

// KNITS AND PURLS   // RIBS   // TEXTURED, SLIPPED, AND FANCY   // YARNOVERS AND EYELETS   // CABLES   // LACE   // COLORWORK   // HEMS AND EDGINGS   // PROJECTS   

// APPENDIX

- Designing From Scratch

- Abbreviations

- Special Techniques

- Key

- Stitch Multiple Index

- Acknowledgements

- About the Author

Wendy Bernard also added some great chapters in this book that are very educational and useful for any knitter - designer or not. Such as the section on Swapping out Stitch Patterns - so handy! She also has a great chapter on the end that is on Designing from Scratch and she gives you 3 patterns that you can easily learn and design your own using the stitch patterns in the book! It's awesome!  There is a stole, a slouch hat, & some mittens! Also at the end of each Stitch Chapter there is a project using one of the stitches from that section and there are some darn cute patterns as well!

I couldn't resist whipping up a swatch of one of the stitches in the Textured, Slipped & Fancy chapter! I made mine using the Bamboo Stitch! A fun one! Doesn't it look so scrumptious in Blue Sky Alpacas Worsted Hand Dyed? This yarn is beyond heavenly and that color......swoon, it's color #2023!!!! I can't wait to knit more with this!

Needless to say this book is great! Patterns, design help, stitch dictionary & more Wendy always puts together books that are so valuable but also inspiring! I recommend this one to any knitter looking to add to their stitch dictionary library. It's got some great ones in it! Plus this book would also be a handy tool for knitting instructors or shop reference.

But that's not it.......I've also got an exciting prize to give away today!!!!

// THE PRIZE
- One lucky winner will win this lovely prize package:

- 3 drool worthy skeins of yarn from Blue Sky Alpacas (shown in the picture above & below)

- a copy of Up, Down, All-Around Stitch Dictionary by Wendy Bernard

- an adorable Pretty Cheep Project Bag

// HOW TO ENTER
- Leave me a comment letting me know what you love about stitch dictionaries.
- Bonus Entry: Like Blue Sky Alpacas and/or STC Craft on facebook and leave me a separate comment letting me know you did that too.

// THE RULES
- Open to US/Canadian residents ONLY.
- You must leave a valid email address in your comment or you will be disqualified.
- Giveaway is open until June 1st, 2014, midnight, PST.

Follow along the rest of the Up, Down, All-Around Blog Tour below! Lots of chances to win!!! Good luck and happy knitting everyone!!! A big thank you to STC Craft/Abrams and Blue Sky Alpacas for having me on the tour! Congrats on the wonderful book Wendy!

May 20: Knit and Tonic - we will also post Tour Info & Schedule on the Blue Sky Alpacas Blog.

May 22: FreshStitches

May 24: Hey Jen Renee

May 26: Very Shannon

May 28: Miso Crafty Knits

May 30: The Sweatshop of Love

June 3: Stockinette Zombies

June 4: Mari Knits

June 6: Lattes and Llamas

June 21: Wendy Bernard on the Ready, Set, Knit! podcast