I am very pleased to announce the first edition of Stitch by Bloody Stitch: Knitting Charts Explained (ISBN 978-0-9986569-0-8) is DONE!
Most documents are enabled PDFs. That means that you can highlight text, insert sticky-note comments, strike through and correct errors (sigh), and so on, even if you have only the free Adobe Reader. The only PDFs that aren’t enabled are those uploaded in August 2019 and later.
Yes, the book is long. Going “stitch by bloody stitch” means there are lots of partial charts that grow one symbol at a time. My goal is a comprehensive book, so I cover charting
- on paper and in the computer (hence two versions of some documents)
- for traditional and mirror-image knitters (hence two versions of some documents and MIK supplements for others)
In some cases, there are four versions of a chapter, to cover all the possible situations. Be sure to find the correct link for your style of knitting and charting.
Please, please, please, pop me an e-mail (address at above right) if you have a question or find an error. Part of the reason for doing each chapter and appendix in a separate PDF is to make it easier for all of us when I need to upload a corrected version of the file.
The Absolute Minimum
Just getting started with charts? Curious about them and what they can do?
Start in part 1 with the preface and read through chapter 2. Then read chapter 3 or chapter 4, depending on how you want to chart.
Part 1: Charting Basics
These chapters get you started, showing you how charts grow symbol by symbol, teaching you to chart all the basic knitting operations, and showing you how to use a chart as you knit.
| Front Cover | 2019-08-27 |
| Title and Copyright Page | 2019-08-27 |
| Table of Contents | 2019-08-26 |
| Preface | 2017-05-11 |
| Knitting Terminology | 2017-05-11 |
| If You Want to Print the Book | 2017-05-11 |
| Introduction | 2017-05-11 |
| PART 1: CHARTING BASICS | 2017-05-11 |
| Ch 1: Basic Knitted Fabrics | 2017-05-11 |
| Ch 2: The Unwritten Assumption | 2017-05-11 |
| Ch 3: Charting on Paper | 2017-05-11 |
| Ch 4: Charting in the Computer | 2017-05-11 |
| Ch 5: Working from a Chart | 2017-05-11 |
| Ch 6: Project 1: Purl Diamond with Seed Stitch Border | 2017-05-11 |
| Ch 7: Cables and Twists | 2017-05-11 |
| Ch 8: Project 2: Aran Sampler | 2017-05-12 |
| Ch 9: Decreases | 2017-06-07 |
| Ch 10: Increases | 2017-05-12 |
| Ch 11: The No-Stitch Symbol | 2017-05-12 |
| Ch 12: Decreases + Yarnovers = Lace (includes projects 3, 4, and 5) | 2017-05-12 |
| Ch 13: Colorwork | 2017-05-12 |
Part 2: Pattern Repeats
When a chart shows only a small area of stitches, you’ll probably work them over and over again. Learn how in these chapters.
Ever wanted to take a cool stitch pattern to a different project? Check out “Finding the Pattern Repeat.”
| PART 2: PATTERN REPEATS | 2017-05-19 |
| Ch 14: Working a Pattern Repeat | 2017-05-19 |
| Ch 15: Finding the Pattern Repeat (includes Project 6: Basket-Weave Hot Pad) | 2017-05-20 |
| Ch 16: Long Instruction Lines | 2017-05-20 |
| Ch 17: Tweaking a Chart | 2017-05-19 |
| Ch 18: Changing a Motif to an All-Over Pattern | 2017-05-19 |
Part 3: Multi-Size Garment Charts
The money chapters! Decipher charts for those gorgeous sweaters that don’t have written-out instructions—or that are in a language vous ne parlez pas/Usted no habla/Вы не говорите.
| PART 3: MULTI-SIZE GARMENT CHARTS | 2017-06-26 |
| Ch 19: The Basic Vest | 2017-06-26 |
| Ch 20: Bottom-Up Shaping has two versions, for charting On Paper or In the Computer MIKs, add your supplement for charting on paper or in the computer using shaping symbols or only blank areas | 2017-07-11 2017-07-11 2017-07-11 2017-07-11 2017-07-11 |
| Ch 21: One Chart, Six Sizes has two versions, for traditional knitters or mirror-image knitters | 2017-07-29 2017-07-29 |
| Ch 22: Top-Down Shaping | 2018-10-16 |
| Ch 23: Motif Starting Points | 2017-08-01 |
| Ch 24: “Right Front: Work as for Left Front, Reversing All Shaping” has four versions, for traditional knitters charting on paper or in the computer or mirror-image knitters charting on paper or in the computer | 2017-09-05 2017-09-05 2017-09-05 2017-09-05 |
| Ch 25: Optional Shaping Tweaks has two versions, for traditional knitters or mirror-image knitters | 2018-02-06 |
Part 4: Tips and Tricks
Take charting to the next level, and make it quicker and easier.
| PART 4: TIPS AND TRICKS | 2018-10-12 |
| Ch 26: More Charting Tips has four versions, for traditional knitters charting on paper or in the computer or mirror-image knitters charting on paper or in the computer | 2018-10-18 |
| Ch 27: New Knitting Operations has four versions, for traditional knitters charting on paper or in the computer or mirror-image knitters charting on paper or in the computer | 2019-08-26 2019-08-26 2019-08-26 2019-08-26 |
| Ch 28: Software Options | 2018-10-12 |
| Ch 29: Converting Ordinary Lines to a Multi-Column Table | 2018-10-13 |
| The HollyKnits Knitting Font Catalog | 2017-07-13 |
Part 5: Appendixes
All sorts of info: some deals with charting directly, plus a couple interesting detours and a few “Huh, who’da guessed?”
| APPENDIXES | 2018-10-16 |
| App A: Charting Rules | 2018-10-17 |
| App B: Lessons Learned | 2018-10-24 |
| App C: Answers | 2018-10-16 |
| App D: Dubious Practices | 2018-10-26 |
| App E: Do Charts Lie? | 2018-10-16 |
| App F: Better Written-Out Instructions | 2018-10-18 |
| App G: Crossing Cables on the Private Side has two versions, for traditional knitters or mirror-image knitters | 2017-07-12 2017-07-12 |
| App H is in two parts due to its length: Part 1: Designing by Charting Part 2: Charting Detailed Images | 2018-10-25 2018-10-25 |
| App I: Border Details | 2017-07-12 |
| App J: Lace Diamond Details | 2018-10-23 |
| App K: Garment Design Details | 2017-07-12 |
| App L: Enlarging a Paper Image | 2018-10-26 |
| App M: Abbreviations and Terms | 2017-08-02 |
| Acknowledgments | 2019-08-26 |
| About the Author | 2019-08-26 |
1,269 pages and 364,909 words have been uploaded as of August 26, 2019.