Your Knitting Library : Books Every Knitter Should Have

A Fine Fleece by Lisa Lloyd
After checking this book out of the library countless times, I finally purchased my own copy.

I've bought a few new books lately, and it got me thinking about knitting books in general.  There are a lot of them out there!  It's easy to be overwhelmed at the pace of new releases, especially for pattern books.  But it's also very tempting to add to your book collection!

There are a few types of books I think every knitter should have on their bookshelf, even if they are only "occasional" knitters:

Pattern Books -
These are the shiny new baubles that the publishers dangle before us on a regular basis.  It can be a book of sweater patterns, shawls, or socks, or all of the above.  But the gist is....you want to knit this!  A few of these may be in the category of "I want to knit this entire book!" or "I want to live in this book!"
A few of my favorites in this category include :
A Fine Fleece by Lisa Lloyd
Vintage Modern Knits by Kate Gagnon Osborn & Courtney Kelley
Knitting Classic Style by Veronik Avery
Knitting Green by Ann Budd

Reference Books-
Every knitter should have at least one reference book, but preferably more.  Because no one book can cover everything (except maybe the newly updated Principles of Knitting).  These books are the backbone of your knitting life.  Need to do a cable cast on?  Don't know how?  A reference book will tell you.
Vogue Knitting Quick Reference by Vogue Knitting
Knitter's Companion by Vicki Square
The Principles of Knitting by June Hemmings Hiatt

Stitch Dictionaries -
Sometimes I just want to put a different stitch in it!  These are where I can lose myself for hours, no days.  Sometimes I'm looking for a particular type of stitch, and sometimes I'm just looking.  That's when I can usually look at each stitch pattern and imagine several possibilities for each one.  Oh, the ideas!
Barbara Walker Treasuries (Several volumes)
Harmony Guides (Several volumes)
Stitchionary by Vogue Knitting (Several volumes)

Knit Lit -
Knitting based fiction, humor, essays, cartoons, etc.  Every knitter should have one of these just for sheer enjoyment.
Knitting Rules by Stephanie Pearl-McPhee
It Itches by Franklin Habit

Challenging Books -
Scare yourself a little!  Everyone has techniques they haven't tried, and yarn they haven't worked with.  You should have at least one, preferably two or more, books that you think are a little "beyond" you.  Not enough to scare you witless, but enough to inspire and challenge you.
Shirley Paden's Knitwear Design Workshop
Double Knitting: Reversible Two-Color Designs
Mastering Color Knitting

If you're a book lover like me...you've already got a long wish list.  So why not add a few more?