Book Reviews
In this section, we share our individual perspectives and reflections on the books that have captured our attention. Each review represents a personal reading experience, offering insight rather than instruction, and aiming to inform and inspire rather than to persuade.
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Our views are entirely our own and do not represent any official or collective position. We believe that exchanging ideas about what we read can enrich understanding, encourage dialogue, and spark curiosity across our community of readers.
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We invite you to explore our reviews, join the conversation, and perhaps discover your next great read.
Structural Stitches
by Victoria Salmon
Book review by Helena Bond-a, Metropolitan Machine Knitting
There are knitting books that comfort you with familiar patterns, and then there are books that dare you to think differently. Structural Stitches belongs firmly in the latter camp. It isn’t about decorative motifs or cosy how-tos; it’s a statement about treating the knitting machine as a tool for building structure, shape, and invention.
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From the opening pages it’s clear: this is not a beginner’s guide. The author assumes you already know your way around cast-ons, weights, and carriages, and instead leads you into the exciting territory of loops, folds, pockets, braids, and raised forms.
Techniques often described as “advanced” elsewhere are here just the starting point. Partial knitting is transformed from a simple shaping method into a design language of spirals, peaks, chevrons, and controlled gaps. Braids aren’t decorative extras but structural connections and joining methods. Pockets shift from novelty to real architectural volume.
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One of the book’s strongest qualities is how it puts material choice at the centre of the process. Yarns are described not in terms of softness or colour, but for how they behave—whether wool will spring back, cotton will hold a clean edge, or elastane will stretch and form. It’s a refreshing viewpoint that encourages knitters to think like problem-solvers as well as designers.
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The writing has the kind of honesty that experienced makers will appreciate. Limits are clearly stated: certain structures simply won’t hold beyond a few rows, floats can become messy, and weight control is always a challenge. But these admissions add trust, not disappointment.
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That said, the amount of information can be overwhelming. Multi-colour pocket techniques or lifted-stitch patterns will require slow reading, careful testing, and perhaps several cups of tea. A short troubleshooting guide would have been a helpful addition. And beginners should be warned: this book will not guide you step by step.
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But for knitters who enjoy a challenge and love the excitement of discovery, Structural Stitches is a treasure. It is smart, boldly technical, and full of inspiration. Far from being just another knitting book, it’s a strong invitation to think bigger, push further, and see the machine not as a limit but as a tool of creative possibility.
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Verdict: Demanding, energising, and deeply rewarding — a must-read for advanced machine knitters who value structure as much as surface.
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Machine Knitting Techniques:
Cables
by Bill King
Book review by Helena Bond-a, Metropolitan Machine Knitting
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I was recently invited to review Bill King’s Machine Knitting Techniques: Cables—a request I accepted with real enthusiasm. As someone passionate about machine knitting and creative textile construction, I welcomed the opportunity to explore a book devoted entirely to the art and engineering of machine-knitted cables.
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Machine Knitting Techniques: Cables is a focused, richly detailed guide to cable construction on both single- and double-bed machines. King presents a wide range of methods—pressed relief, single-tool cables, oversized grafted cables, racked rib cables, deflected rib structures, bias fabrics incorporating cables, stitched and smocked cables, and more. The result is a compelling demonstration of just how inventive cable knitting can be when paired with imagination and a willingness to experiment.
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The book lays out an impressive variety of cable types: from foundational cable crossings to jacquard cables, all-racked designs, plaits, mock-rib cables, partial-knit cables, trims, intarsia cables, purl-based structures, patchwork cables, bubble and striped cables, and even ombré variations. King’s explanations show how each can be achieved using different machine settings, tools, and techniques, and how thoughtful adjustments can produce striking results.
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In my view, this is a book best suited to knitters who already have some experience with machine operation. The techniques require a solid grasp of machine handling, patience in working through complex manoeuvres, and confidence to correct inevitable mistakes. For knitters ready to expand their skill set, however, this book offers a treasure of possibilities.
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King also speaks candidly about the creative “limitations” of machine knitting—though I would argue these are more technical obstacles than true boundaries. Machine knitting and hand knitting each have their strengths, and sometimes one is simply more practical than the other. Ultimately, the only real limits in knitting are the ones we place on ourselves.
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For those concerned about access to tools, there is good news: today’s knitters have far more options than rummaging through charity shops and car boot sales. Online marketplaces, along with specialised retailers easily found through searching engines, offer a wide selection of tools at reasonable prices. The modern knitter is far from restricted.
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Overall, Machine Knitting Techniques: Cables is a valuable and inspiring resource. It expands the understanding of what cables can be on a machine, proving that the technique is not confined to a single familiar form. The book encourages exploration, challenges expectations, and provides knitters with a wealth of new techniques to integrate into their practice.
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For machine knitters seeking fresh ideas and technical growth, this book offers both education and inspiration.
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Knitters—let’s get knitting!
Neat Knitting Techniques
by Jo Shaw
Book review by Helena Bond-a, Metropolitan Machine Knitting
Every knitter has at least one book they keep within arm’s reach—the one that gets opened again and again, not just for patterns, but for answers. For me, Neat Knitting has become that book. It is, quite simply, one of the most useful and thoughtfully written technique books I’ve come across.
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What makes this book stand out is its central idea: neatness is not something you add at the end, but something you build in from the very beginning. The author doesn’t talk about “finishing techniques” as a final step; instead, she reframes them as “neatening techniques” that run through the whole life of a project, from needle choice and yarn selection to cast-ons, shaping, blocking, and troubleshooting.
The opening chapters set the tone beautifully. Rather than diving straight into tricks, the book starts with consistency and informed choices. Needles, for example, are not treated as an afterthought, but as the foundation of your knitting experience.
Different shapes and materials—metal, wood, bamboo, carbon, plastic—are discussed in terms of how they affect tension, comfort, and ultimately the look of your fabric. The same depth is given to tools like stitch markers, rulers, waste yarn, and crochet hooks, all linked back to one goal: a cleaner, more controlled result.
The sections on yarn and fibre are equally strong. The author explains animal, plant, and synthetic fibres in clear, practical terms—how they behave, how they wear, and how they affect drape and stitch definition. Colour, contrast, dye style, and yarn construction (single, 2-ply, 3-ply, and beyond) are covered with examples that make you rethink how you pair yarn with stitch patterns. It’s the kind of information that quietly transforms your future projects.
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One of the real highlights is the treatment of swatching and gauge. Rather than scolding the reader, the book makes a convincing case for swatching as a powerful tool: not just to hit the numbers, but to test fabric behaviour, fit, yarn usage, and even long-term growth. The step-by-step approach to accurate swatching—flat, in pattern, and in the round—is detailed, logical, and very achievable.
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From there, the book moves into cast-ons, shaping, purl problems, working in the round, and ribbing with the same thorough style. Familiar techniques such as long-tail, cable, twisted German, provisional, tubular, and centre-out cast-ons are explained clearly, but always with an eye on neatness and purpose: when to use which, what each edge will look like, and how elastic or decorative it will be. Decreases and increases are examined not only by name (k2tog, ssk, k2tog-L, lifted increases, make ones, backward loops) but by how they behave visually in the fabric and how to position them for the cleanest lines.
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I especially appreciated the honest discussion of common issues: rowing out, loose edges, untidy ribbing, ladders in circular knitting, uneven yarnovers. Instead of treating these as personal failings, the author breaks down why they happen and offers several practical solutions, including small adjustments to hand position, tension, and technique. It feels kind, knowledgeable, and very realistic.
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Although the content is technical, the tone never becomes cold or intimidating. The writing is clear, organised, and encouraging, with helpful photos, diagrams, and flow charts to support the explanations. It reads like being guided by a very experienced, very patient tutor who genuinely wants you to succeed.
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In my view, Neat Knitting is ideal for confident beginners who want to move beyond the basics, as well as intermediate and advanced knitters who are ready to refine their work. It won’t teach you how to knit your very first stitch—but it will absolutely teach you how to make your knitting look more polished, intentional, and professional.
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Verdict: A smart, generous, and deeply practical guide to cleaner, more beautiful knitting. If you care about how your work looks and lasts, this book deserves a permanent place on your shelf.
