Barbara Walker wrote this tome 1968 and it is still the most well-known and comprehensive collection available. Over 500 patterns are illustrated here with excellent photographs. Patterns have been gathered from many sources, some modern and some hundreds of years old. Walker covers eleven categories, from knit-purl combinations to lace. Each pattern comes with complete directions and a photograph. Most are accompanied by a descriptive text giving details about the origin and use of the pattern.
No knitter or designer (or aspiring designer!) should be without this book and the others in the Walker Treasury series, which is thorough, comprehensive and definitely an indispensable tool!