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11 reviews
6 of 6 people found the following review helpful
Good at teaching to read patterns & make up own projects
14 Jun 2011
Format:Paperback
"Crocheting in Plain English" gives in-depth instruction on how to crochet. The author assumes you're an absolute beginner, but this book is also useful for beginners in general and people who have taught themselves to crochet.
Actually, this book almost has too much information for the absolute beginner. When I read the first few chapters, I had never bought yarn or any of the equipment. I was hoping to save time and money by getting it right the first time. I was almost overwhelmed by the depth of information she gave. Yet she sometimes didn't give enough information when I really wanted more (like she said she found one general type of hook better than another, but she didn't really say why). After working with several types of yarns and hooks, I understood that whole section, but it wasn't clear until then. And I did end up having to buy another set of hooks (Susan Bates hooks) to replace the Boye hooks I'd initially bought.
I also found it a bit ironic that she (very poetically) stated that you must hold the hook and yarn in a certain way--and I already knew from watching a few YouTube videos that not everyone did it that way--yet later, when teaching stitches, she was very "do whatever works for you" in attitude.
Overall, though, I found this book to be very useful and instructive. I think it's main strengths are teaching you to read patterns, teaching you to understand how various "fancy stitches" are put together so you can "mix and match" to make your own, and helping you understand how to create your own project patterns. I had problems figuring out three of the non-basic stitches (due to either a poor illustration, an error in the pattern diagram, or her using a term that she usually used to mean something else), but I did eventually figure them all out.
The book covered:
Chapter 1 - The history of crochet.
Chapter 2 - Being honest with yourself when picking projects.
Chapter 3 - Choosing threads and yarns (sizing, quality, finishes, and color & dye lot).
Chapter 4 - Choosing crochet hooks (parts of, shapes, material made of, and sizes).
Chapter 5 - How to determine gauge for a printed-instruction project.
Chapter 6 - Introduction to reading patterns.
Chapter 7 - Other supplies (bag, scissors, yarn needles, tape measure, ring markers, etc.).
Chapter 8 - Basics: how to hold the hook, make a slip loop, and crochet left- or right-handed.
Chapter 9 - Chain Stitch (how to do it and the pattern abbreviation)
Chapter 10 - Single Crochet Stitch (American) (how to do it, what it's good for, and the pattern abbreviation)
Chapter 11 - Half-Double Crochet Stitch
Chapter 12 - Double Crochet Stitch
Chapter 13 - Treble Crochet Stitch & longer stitches
Chapter 14 - Slip Stitch
Chapter 15 - Several ways to add new yarn/change colors.
Chapter 16 - Increasing (several methods)
Chapter 17 - Decreasing (several methods), Puff Stitch
Chapter 18 - You don't have to work through both loops, you don't have to put your hook in the next stitch, and several other variations. Making a circle. Crab stitch. Crossed stitches. Picots. Popcorn stitch.
Chapter 19 - How to improvise and invent.
Chapter 20 - Several ways to fix mistakes.
Chapter 21 - Fancy stitches: mesh fabrics, filet crochet, open V, simple double crochet shells (2 ways), combining a shell and V (2 ways), ripple afghan stitch, fishnet, arch stitch, herringbone, diagonal popcorns, lover's knots, spiderweb, up-and-down stitch, my lady's fan, and Queen Anne's lace.
Chapter 22 - Making medallions and Motifs: Black-Eyed Susans, Granny Squares, Spiral Pinwheel Hexagon, Irish Rose Square with Picots, Pineapple in Square, and circular flower motif.
Chapter 23 - How to add lace edgings to linens. Edging patterns: picoted double crochet shells, morning sunrise, handmade rickrack, lovely lace, festive fans, pineapples, and violets.
Chapter 24 - Crocheted decorations: cabbage rose, pansy, double daisy, chrysanthemum, 5-point star, 4-leafed clover, and butterfly.
Chapter 25 - How to do multicolor jacquard crochet patterns. Patterns: balloons, never-ending triangles, and plaids.
Chapter 26 - Several methods of joining several-piece projects together.
Chapter 27 - Decorative finishing touches: how to make fringe, tassels, pom-poms, twisted monk's cord, crocheted cord, and yarn buttons (round or flat).
Chapter 28 - How to store and wash crocheted objects.
Chapter 29 - Project: Sampler Scarf
Chapter 30 - Project: Easiest Sweater
Chapter 31 - Projects: Table/Tray Mat, Treble Crocheted Striped Afghan, Raglan Baby Sweater, and Baby Bonnet.
Glossary, Common Symbols chart, Suggested Websites, Index
Actually, this book almost has too much information for the absolute beginner. When I read the first few chapters, I had never bought yarn or any of the equipment. I was hoping to save time and money by getting it right the first time. I was almost overwhelmed by the depth of information she gave. Yet she sometimes didn't give enough information when I really wanted more (like she said she found one general type of hook better than another, but she didn't really say why). After working with several types of yarns and hooks, I understood that whole section, but it wasn't clear until then. And I did end up having to buy another set of hooks (Susan Bates hooks) to replace the Boye hooks I'd initially bought.
I also found it a bit ironic that she (very poetically) stated that you must hold the hook and yarn in a certain way--and I already knew from watching a few YouTube videos that not everyone did it that way--yet later, when teaching stitches, she was very "do whatever works for you" in attitude.
Overall, though, I found this book to be very useful and instructive. I think it's main strengths are teaching you to read patterns, teaching you to understand how various "fancy stitches" are put together so you can "mix and match" to make your own, and helping you understand how to create your own project patterns. I had problems figuring out three of the non-basic stitches (due to either a poor illustration, an error in the pattern diagram, or her using a term that she usually used to mean something else), but I did eventually figure them all out.
The book covered:
Chapter 1 - The history of crochet.
Chapter 2 - Being honest with yourself when picking projects.
Chapter 3 - Choosing threads and yarns (sizing, quality, finishes, and color & dye lot).
Chapter 4 - Choosing crochet hooks (parts of, shapes, material made of, and sizes).
Chapter 5 - How to determine gauge for a printed-instruction project.
Chapter 6 - Introduction to reading patterns.
Chapter 7 - Other supplies (bag, scissors, yarn needles, tape measure, ring markers, etc.).
Chapter 8 - Basics: how to hold the hook, make a slip loop, and crochet left- or right-handed.
Chapter 9 - Chain Stitch (how to do it and the pattern abbreviation)
Chapter 10 - Single Crochet Stitch (American) (how to do it, what it's good for, and the pattern abbreviation)
Chapter 11 - Half-Double Crochet Stitch
Chapter 12 - Double Crochet Stitch
Chapter 13 - Treble Crochet Stitch & longer stitches
Chapter 14 - Slip Stitch
Chapter 15 - Several ways to add new yarn/change colors.
Chapter 16 - Increasing (several methods)
Chapter 17 - Decreasing (several methods), Puff Stitch
Chapter 18 - You don't have to work through both loops, you don't have to put your hook in the next stitch, and several other variations. Making a circle. Crab stitch. Crossed stitches. Picots. Popcorn stitch.
Chapter 19 - How to improvise and invent.
Chapter 20 - Several ways to fix mistakes.
Chapter 21 - Fancy stitches: mesh fabrics, filet crochet, open V, simple double crochet shells (2 ways), combining a shell and V (2 ways), ripple afghan stitch, fishnet, arch stitch, herringbone, diagonal popcorns, lover's knots, spiderweb, up-and-down stitch, my lady's fan, and Queen Anne's lace.
Chapter 22 - Making medallions and Motifs: Black-Eyed Susans, Granny Squares, Spiral Pinwheel Hexagon, Irish Rose Square with Picots, Pineapple in Square, and circular flower motif.
Chapter 23 - How to add lace edgings to linens. Edging patterns: picoted double crochet shells, morning sunrise, handmade rickrack, lovely lace, festive fans, pineapples, and violets.
Chapter 24 - Crocheted decorations: cabbage rose, pansy, double daisy, chrysanthemum, 5-point star, 4-leafed clover, and butterfly.
Chapter 25 - How to do multicolor jacquard crochet patterns. Patterns: balloons, never-ending triangles, and plaids.
Chapter 26 - Several methods of joining several-piece projects together.
Chapter 27 - Decorative finishing touches: how to make fringe, tassels, pom-poms, twisted monk's cord, crocheted cord, and yarn buttons (round or flat).
Chapter 28 - How to store and wash crocheted objects.
Chapter 29 - Project: Sampler Scarf
Chapter 30 - Project: Easiest Sweater
Chapter 31 - Projects: Table/Tray Mat, Treble Crocheted Striped Afghan, Raglan Baby Sweater, and Baby Bonnet.
Glossary, Common Symbols chart, Suggested Websites, Index
5 of 5 people found the following review helpful
I loved it so much I bought it 3 times!
22 Aug 2010
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
I hadn't crocheted since I was a kid (20 yrs ago) when I bought this book and a couple others. I was pregnant and wanted to pick up the hook again and do some things for the baby. THIS WAS ALL I NEEDED! It explained everything, from how to tie the first knot, to how to finish off the hanging threads.
This is a great book that lays the ground-work for the theories behind any pattern. She teaches the basic stitches, how to read a pattern, how to adjust for size, how to pick yarn and hooks. Once she's gone over the basics, she teaches you how to 'mess around' and improvise, which is just how many of the 'fancy' stitches came to be. I found the black and white illustrations to be more helpful that photos used in other books. This is not a glossy papered fashion spread of crochet, but a down to earth simple explanation of the basics that lay the groundwork for all crochet.
Encouraging improvisation and creativity runs throughout the book. After working the baby sweater pattern from the book, I was able to change it up and make it my own in subsequent sweaters, even use it as a basis for other garments for older children.
I now have many books in my crochet library, but this is the one I come back to again and again. As I said, I loved this book so much that I bought it 3 times: the binding on the first one gave out, because I just used it so much (it was not the fault of the binding), so I bought another one. When this updated edition came out I had to have it again, if only to support the woman who gave me so much joy in my rediscovering crochet.
This is the perfect book for those, like me, wanting to brush up on the basics, or for people just starting out. I HIGHLY recommend it.
This is a great book that lays the ground-work for the theories behind any pattern. She teaches the basic stitches, how to read a pattern, how to adjust for size, how to pick yarn and hooks. Once she's gone over the basics, she teaches you how to 'mess around' and improvise, which is just how many of the 'fancy' stitches came to be. I found the black and white illustrations to be more helpful that photos used in other books. This is not a glossy papered fashion spread of crochet, but a down to earth simple explanation of the basics that lay the groundwork for all crochet.
Encouraging improvisation and creativity runs throughout the book. After working the baby sweater pattern from the book, I was able to change it up and make it my own in subsequent sweaters, even use it as a basis for other garments for older children.
I now have many books in my crochet library, but this is the one I come back to again and again. As I said, I loved this book so much that I bought it 3 times: the binding on the first one gave out, because I just used it so much (it was not the fault of the binding), so I bought another one. When this updated edition came out I had to have it again, if only to support the woman who gave me so much joy in my rediscovering crochet.
This is the perfect book for those, like me, wanting to brush up on the basics, or for people just starting out. I HIGHLY recommend it.
5 of 5 people found the following review helpful
If I could only own one crochet book . . .
7 Feb 2010
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
I have owned the earlier version of this book for several years, and recently bought the new one (I don't find a lot of difference in the two). I have to say, if I could only own ONE crochet book, this would be it. It is wonderful, and is indeed in "plain English".
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