Crochet Your Way has it all. If you're a beginner, you will learn the basics of crochet by exploring 20 different pattern stitches and numerous variations. You can put these new-found skills into practice by completing 20 afghan blocks -- each teaching a different stitch -- and finishing them into an afghan. As each stitch and variation is learned, the technique, significance, and uses are discussed and illustrated with clear drawings. If you're a more experienced crocheter, you can follow either the international symbol format or the step-by-step text.

The last section of the book features more than 40 wonderful projects. Each project features both international symbols and written instructions, so you can truly crochet your way!

Crochet Your Way gives you:

• a learn-to-crochet afghan
• over 40 projects for home and family
• easy-to-understand text and symbols
• special instructions for left-handers

Introduction

1 Beginnings and Basics

Getting Started
Basic Crochet Stitches
Half-Step Stitches
Simple Stitch Alternatives
Pattern Stitches
Unique Techniques
Get Confident with Color
Make It So It Fits!

2 Learn-to-Crochet Afghan

Afghan Introduction
Single Crochet and Variations
Double Single Crochet and Variations
Half Double Crochet and Variations
Combination Stitches
Double Crochet and Variations
Woven Plaid
Twisted Loops
Chevrons
Basketweave
Fans and Vees
Picots, Puffs, Popcorns, and Bobbles
Filet Crochet
Trebles and Aran Stitches
More Single Crochet Variations
Waves
Multicolor Crochet
Crosses and Bars
Three-Color Interlocking Blocks
Three-Color Post Stitch Variations
Lace

3 Creative Projects

Aran Angles Pullover and Hat
Reversible Jacket and Matching Shoulder Bag
Amelia Cuff-to-Center Jacket and Matching Beret
Convertible-Collar Classic Jacket and Toque Hat
Shawl-Collared Jacket
Summer One-Button Jacket
Popcorns, Picots, and Puffs Pullover and Hat
Comfy Casual Tunic
Chevrons Long-Sleeved Tunic or Cap-Sleeved Tee Top
Chevrons Cap
Fans and Vees Tunic and Juliet Hat
The Becoming Vest
Windowpane Vest and Matching Hat
Tapestry Tabard and Matching Crusher Hat
Tasseled Shoulder Bag and Cloche Hat
Lacy Evening Wrap and Matching Juliet Cap
The Shawl-Collared Shawl
Furry Hooded Scarf and Mittens
Loopy Bath Mat and Lid Cover
Pretty Posies
Gentle Waves Baby Afghan
Traditional Plaid Afghan and Pillow
Carry-All Shoulder Bag
Reversible Chenille Scarf and Hat

Resources

Appendix: EZ Reference Crochet Shorthand Chart

Index

When people asked what our book was about, we reflected over words and descriptions that would summarize Crochet Your Way. It isnt a stitch dictionary, although it does contains dozens of different stitches, techniques, and stitch patterns. It isnt just a pattern book, although it does contain over 40 different projects that both novice and expert crocheters will enjoy. Crochet Your Way is an experiential book. It is a book that will be a resource for years to come in addition to providing you with hours of pleasure as you complete the projects and develop your crochet skills.

Whether you are a novice or an experienced crocheter, the 20 crocheted blocks that make up the Learn-to-Crochet Afghan featured in Part Two will provide you with hours of enjoyable crocheting as you are guided through increasingly more intriguing stitches and techniques.

For additional applications of what you learn in the Learn-to-Crochet Afghan blocks, the stitches and techniques are used in inspiring wearables and home decorating projects. Each block is cross-referenced to the project using those stitches or techniques, and the projects are cross- referenced back to the block that teaches the stitch or technique. If youve particularly enjoyed working one of the blocks, go to the referenced project to see how else the technique may be applied. You may even want to consider taking a project detour to make it!

We went about writing Crochet Your Way as if we were teaching a class -- a one-on-one class with you as the student. Since Gloria is right-handed and Susan is left-handed, there was constant interaction as we made sure that each of us understood the other and that all the directions were clear, no matter which hand you use. Susan, especially concerned that beginners understand every step as they go, developed the In Other Words guidelines. Since often times crochet directions make the assumption that the reader has experience, these guidelines explain the standard text directions in greater detail.

The In Other Words guidelines will be especially helpful for newer crocheters, but even experienced crocheters may want to refer to them when trying a new technique or a different approach to a familiar one. We placed the guidelines to the side of the text directions rather than in the midst of the text so that those crocheters already knowledgeable in the technique being discussed wont be distracted by additional text.

Gloria, an advocate of reading patterns from international symbols, campaigned to have them included. If working from international symbols is new to you, following the easy instructions on how to read them will open up the entire world of patterns to you.

When you browse through the book you will also find numerous tips from other crocheters, alternative crochet stitches, and clever techniques such as how to work the chain and first row at the same time. The projects and fibers chosen are varied too. They include home decor, accessories, and wearables that range from a homey bath mat and lid cover made of easy-care acrylic to a chenille scarf and hat, a fabulous merino wool reversible jacket, and an elegant evening tunic. In two of the projects, weve shown you a model in a designer yarn and also one in a more economical version.

If you decide to start with one of the projects and it calls for a stitch or technique that is new to you, go to the block referenced to see how it is worked. If you decide to make the block even though you dont plan to make the whole afghan, you can turn individual blocks into pillow tops.

If you are new to crochet, youll probably want to complete the blocks in the order they are presented. Anyone who completes all 20 blocks will not only be fluent in the Language of Crochet but will also be able to display and enjoy their efforts when they assemble the blocks into an afghan.

Crochet Your Way is truly a crochet book for anyone of any experience level. If you are already a crocheter, we hope you will be inspired to try approaches, stitches, techniques, and projects that are new to you. If you are a novice or an aspiring crocheter, get ready for fun! Go aheadright-handed or left-handed, novice or expertgrab your hook, and get started crocheting your way!

Customer Reviews from Amazon

This book is very informative. So much information for the beginner and the experinced crocheter. I keep it handy for a reference when I am crocheting. I would recomend this book to every one.

This has been a fabulous book. I bought it to refresh my memory on crochet stitches and learn a few new ones. It is well illustrated and the "international signs" for stitches are the easiest to follow. I loved it so much, I bought another one for my daughter for Christmas.

Good book on crochet. So many projects, so little time. Looks like my favotie yarn store will be getting many, many visits from me.

I would like to like this book more. It is filled with more information and alternate stitches than any I've seen so far. Some of the projects are quite innovative, too.

What drives me absolutely nuts is the organization of the book. The many different stitches are presented in Part One, with no illustrations except stitch diagrams, which, while helpful in construction, are about as useful for picturing what the stitch would look like as looking at the score of a symphony is to knowing how the music sounds. There are no cross-references in these instructions to where you can see a photo of the stitch, either in the afghan (where they are indeed pictured --- 40-odd pages later!), or in the projects. Then, when you do get to the afghan (where they give pattern instructions, but refer you back 40 pages to see how to form the stitches) there are so many different stitches in each square that you can barely see what they look like. What is worse, about a quarter of the stitches are worked in dark, varigated yarn, so you can't make them out at all.

If the authors come up with a revised version of this book, I hope they'll take these problems into account, and actually give us pictures of the stitches when they're telling us how to make them.

This book is orgainized into three sections:

1) The basics:
Your basic stitches (and some more advanced ones), how to add more yarn, making pompoms, etc.
2) Then they show patterns for afghan blocks. For instance, lace patterns, brick patterns, and more.
3) This third and last section contains clothing patterns.

First lets talk about the good things about it:

They do show pictures of how to do the stitches for both Righties and Lefties. Although I am right-handed, I have noticed that they don't have many things for Lefties, and I'm glad that in this book they're included. :)
I also like the idea of crocheting several different afghan blocks and then putting them together.
They do have a pretty good guide about color (page 58 - 60) which is the first I have found in a crochet book, and if you haven't crocheted in a while, they're instructions on the basic stitches might help you, (although I think it's not as concise as it could have been).

Now for the cons:

First of all, the clothing patterns are awful! (Save about five our six, which I do not feel is enough to purchase this book.) The colors are atrocious and everything is quite blocky and square, and they look way outdated. I would expect to see these patterns in a book published in the '80's, not 2000. I know this is just my taste, and some other reviewers have complimented the clothes, but I think only few people would like these.
Another thing is that some of the instructions aren't very clear. I have not actually done them, being as to how I don't care for the look, but just reading some of them, I can see how they would probably be confusing. I did try the lace afghan block and it was a bit confusing, and I never finished it.

So overall, this is definitely not a book I would buy (and I'm so glad I didn't!), but one I would borrow from the library, or if I did buy it, use for a reference guide knowing that there are only a few patterns I think would be to most peoples taste.

Hope this helps. :)

L.C.

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