The owner of my local yarn shop tells me that her distributor for books has informed her that Knitter's Handbook is no longer being printed. Copies are still available at Amazon and other outlets but when they are gone, that will be all. It looks like this wonderful book is going the way of Principles of Knitting.

Arenda

Why do publishers do this?! Do they think that there are only so many knitters in the world and they must all have a copy by now, so may as well stop printing more? Maybe if enough people complain, the publisher will reconsider.
This is a great book, and I'm glad I got mine. I didn't even have to order it, I found it on the shelf at Barnes & Noble one day.
I would love to get my hands on a copy of "Principles of Knitting". I wonder what it would cost me if I could find one?
Diana

I learned several months ago that Montse Stanley has died. I don't know if that fact has anything to do with it not being published in the future.

She died quite a long time ago. A new, very truncated edition of her book was published a year ago, and was a mere shadow of the full-blown original.

One possibility is that the publisher, Reader's Digest, is changing its strategy. A friend who recently retired as an editor there says there have been a lot of changes, none (according to her) for the better.

It's a mystery to me why more publishers don't keep every book's files on hand (they take up no warehouse space) and print/bind/ship on demand. Many academic presses are doing this to cut production and distribution costs.

BaaBaa,
I got a copy of her book back last fall, and didn't know there was another version of it. I assume that the version I have is the full version, but how would I know? I have a paperback copy and it's almost an inch thick. Has wonderful color pictures of knitted items scattered throughout. Please tell me I got the "good" one. I would not be happy to find I got the edited version.
Diana

Diana--
Look up Montse Stanley on Amazon.com. The two books are listed right next to each other. (I tried supplying a link but cut-and-paste doesn't seem to work on this forum.) It does sound as though you got the original. The other is called "Simply Fabulous Knitting" and the reviewers really tear it apart.

PS Thank you for the heads-up, Arenda. Because I am living in two places at the moment (long story), I just ordered another copy of the Handbook so I'll never be far from one. Plus an extra just in case. For a book of this caliber it's surprisingly inexpensive ($13.57 at Amazon, less than $8.00 used.) Considering that you can pay $30-50 for a designer pattern book from which you'll learn little, it's an huge bargain.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: BaaBaa,

Diana,
If you want some idea of what it would cost for that book check it out on E-bay. Unbelievable!

Sheepish,
Even without giving me a figure, I think you answered my question. Sounds like something I can't afford. Good thing I have other books.
Glad to hear I have Montse Stanley's origianl book, not the cut down one. I love that book. Great answers and has helped me a lot with getting through Level 1. Speaking of which, I may actually be sending that out soon. Just have to finish up my blocking report and print everything out. Yeah!
Diana

"Principles of Knitting" is, according to Hiatt's publisher, going to be available in a new edition in the fall of '09. We'll see...

Meanwhile, as BaaBaa noted, why don't publishers take advantage of print-on-demand for books like these, on so many subjects? Very short sighted, but as someone from the book retailing world, not unusual for publishers.

Jude

Borders Bookstores and Borders.com have the Stanley book for $19.99. I purchased one today.

Hope this helps.

Here is where orignal copies of Montse Stanley's book may be found.

http://www.alibris.com/booksearch?qwork=2801806&matches...=works*listing*title

Principles of Knitting - I know this book is very expensive so I have been getting it from the libraries; however, I went to look up the technique of: Twine Knitting/ Swiss somethings and I could not find any information on this topic. Only a slight inference to it - in double knitting section.

Can someone tell me how to find this information?

Do you mean Swedish Twined or Two-End Knitting?
There are several books on the subject, one of which is available RIGHT NOW on ebay.

I'm not sure whether it's the one by Anne-Maj Ling, in which case I'd grab it; or the one by Birgitta Dandanell, which is somewhat less terrific. You can get either from Amazon.