Circular Knitting Workshop by Margaret Radcliffe + A Giveaway

It's Monday and it is the beginning of December. That means it is time for a new book giveaway. I'm hosting giveaways all this month every Monday. Today's giveaway is a great one if you are a knitter. I have been wanting to share Circular Knitting Workshop: Essential Techniques to Master Knitting in the Round by Margaret Radcliffe for a while now. Never got to it until today! This fantastic, helpful, thorough tome of a book was published by Storey Publications in 2012 and they have sent me a review copy and will send the winner this book. Thank you Storey.

Please excuse the poor quality photos guys - it was a gray day and the reflections from the lights were quite bad on the glossy paper. I wanted to get this giveaway up on Monday, as promised, and give you all plenty of time to enter.

I have been a "circular knitter" from my beginning days back when I was 19 years old - beginning with a knit in the round yoke sweater. Those were the glory days of "yoke sweaters" - especially those from Iceland. Isn't it funny how that trend is now back and knitters everywhere are re-discovering those techniques?  (Check out Kate Davies new book Yokes.)

I used the word tome to describe Circular Knitting Workshop because it is. Dictionary.com describes a tome as a book, especially a very heavy, large, or learned book. And that it is - 310 pages of 8 1/2 x 11" paper with a soft cover.  Margaret Radcliffe has written several books and they are always well-researched, thorough, and precise. Margaret does not gloss over any of the techniques she offers. Each technique is thoroughly taught and photographed so that you will be able to master them by following her words and the photos by John Polacek. Edited by my friend and editor Gwen Steege.

Circular Knitting Workshop begins with Cast On Techniques - 31 pages worth! Next up is how to Knit Circularly - including double points, one circular, two circulars, i-cord, and more. Next is Finishing Techniques - Cast Offs, Hemming, Seaming, Grafting, and more. 

Margaret then teaches you how to convert a "flat - back and forth" knitting pattern to an "in the round" version. This is invaluable help. Once you become a circular knitter, you frequently do not want to turn back to the back and forth method. Since most publications give their patterns in "back and forth" verbage, you will understand how to "fix" the patterns and knit them circularly. She shares how to translate back and forth charts into circular knitting too.

The first 101 pages are all technique for circular knitting. The book then includes 210 more pages of circular knitting projects. Beginning with very simple projects - headbands, hats, and potholders, further chapters include 
• Bags and Hats
• Scarves and Shawls
• Socks
• Mittens and Gloves
• Vest and Sweaters

Each project in these chapters is written for a certain yarn BUT THEN Margaret instructs you how to change the pattern to fit your yarn and your body. This is pure magic. If you are wanting to "design your own" knitwear and become a "knitwear designer" which it seems everyone wants to be these days, Circular Knitting Workshop should be in your library. Do you have yarn for which you can't find a pattern? Use this book to help you knit a project anyway.

If you are a newbie to circular knitting, this is the book you need to begin your journey. If you are an experienced knitter, you still need this book - it will teach you many tricks to better your knitting. It is not particularly a "fashion knitting book" although the layout looks current. There are no photos on people - everything is shot flat and simple which is perfect for this type of book. Circular Knitting Workshop is one which you will probably keep in your knitting library for your lifetime. If you don't win, you might want to put CKW on your Christmas wish list!

Do you want to win your very own copy of Circular Knitting Workshop? Here's how to enter.....

Answer the following question in the comments section. 
Circular or flat knitting? Why?

Contest ends Saturday December 13th at 11:59 p.m. 
US Residents only please. As always, leave an easy way to get a hold of you - email, Ravelry or blogger id.


Contest is over - the winner Jeannette O has been notified and I am waiting for her address. Thanks everyone for entering!

Unfortunately, the book giveaways are only open to US Residents. The reason for this is I ask publishers to donate books and ship the giveaway copies to the winner. Shipping for books to Canada and overseas is extremely expensive because of the weight of the book and the postage charges. In fact, it usually costs more to ship a book than the retail cost of the book. These folks are being nice to me (and my readers) and I think it is unfair for them to incur ridiculous shipping costs. I'm sorry for this if you are an overseas reader but I'm sure you understand my reasoning.