I’ve been asked to review a lot of crochet books. It’s a job I love doing. Hard to actually think of it as work, although I do have to gather my thoughts and write a review which is sometimes work – sometimes quite difficult. I’ve been known to refuse to review a book if it offers nothing new to the reader.
Thinking about this today, after being asked to review another book – and this one from an author and publisher I’ve never heard of. I did a bit of research on the publisher before I’ve even received the book and wonder,now, why I’ve never heard of this publisher. But, this brings to mind a more pressing question: AS A CROCHETER, WHAT DO YOU LOOK FOR IN A CROCHET BOOK?
I tend to look at a variety of things. First, of course, is actual content and credibility. I could write a pretty good crochet book, but I’m not a designer, so there would not be a lot of credibility in my doing so. See what I mean?
I like having loads of color photos and great schematics to accompany each design. I like having several views of each item, especially if it’s a garment. I want a stitch count at the end of every row. I want a variety of skill levels in each book – unless it’s clearly a beginner book – or one that specifically states it’s advanced.
But, further than that, I’ve developed a strong appreciation for the quality of the binding and the materials used for the cover. I love the ‘eggshell’ finished covers that I call ‘peanut butter and jelly proof’. And, my newest, greatest love is for a book with a spiral binding that will stay open in my lap while I work on a project.
So, what about you? What do you like in a crochet book? What do you want but never get? What do you get but dislike? Get the idea? Let’s post all our ideas here and I’ll present them in an organized manner to my favorite publishers.
Please post your likes/dislikes/wants to the blog!
I agree with you on the stitch counts, multiple views, and lots of instruction and especially on a spiral (or similar) binding to help keep the book open.
Size is important too – I go back and forth between wanting something fairly portable – maybe a little bigger than your average paperback for working on the go and liking bigger things because they’re usually easier to read and make out details.
Paper actually makes a big difference for me – I don’t like glossy paper, especially for text pages. The reflected light makes it harder for me to read. I realize it makes the pictures prettier, but geez.
Organization is important: put patterns together by type, be it skill level, type of garment, season, yarn weight, etc. Theme is good. And CLEARLY INDICATE skill levels – there’s nothing worse than being super excited to start something, get half-way through, and then discover that you just cannot figure out what to do next. Tied to that – it’s great when authors have a website of some sort where they can be approached with problems or let people show off their creations.
I like discussions of yarn and weights and suggestions on possible yarns to use, especially if they accommodate a variety of needs and budgets.
…a book with beautiful colorful photographs that is refreshing to sit and read, food for the soul….if I never did a project from the book, I would still get hours of enjoyment.
…old patterns modernized with good photography that give that “feel” of the history behind the piece. I have a set of Southern Living Cookbooks with historical photos that are so beautiful and moving alongside the recipes. A book of crochet done this way would be outstanding.
…clear stitch instructions with illustrations in the back….those sketches where the yarn is 1/4″ wide…very helpful when I am unfamiliar with a stitch or just want to double check my technique
…projects using affordable materials
…some quick projects that can be made in an evening or two
…a good mix of home decorating, jewelry, clothing, blankets, even a hot pad or two…a book with the best of the best in all categories with lots of color and pretty photography, classy design, would be wonderful! I would buy in a heartbeat.
Thanks for asking!
I pretty much like the same thing- the cover for me isn’t so much an issue, but I like it colorful, (we eat w/our eyes, right?). I do really like to have colored pics inside as well. I recently ordered the Crochet Bible online, & while it’s a good book- I was disappointed about the lack of color phots on the interior. On it’s good side, there was alot of good, workable content.
When I look at the materials section, I want to see the hook size – not only the US sizing, but the mm.
When it comes to the suggested yarn – not only the fiber content, but the size of the yarn – dk, worsted, etc and the yarn council number – 2,3,4, etc.
I generally find myself subsituting yarns due to content or that I do not “know” or can get the yarn then I want to do a project.
Also, I like/prefer schematics of the project. I have to adjust clothing to fit me and if I can see the dimensions, then I know where I need to make the adjustments and reduce my frogging time.
I agree with the spiral binding! That is great. Everyone of my crochet books have pages falling out because I break the spine on accident trying to keep my page open.
I also look for things I would actually make. I know this sounds obvious, but I am in my twenties, and I don’t make a lot of baby items or doilies or granny square afghans or unflattering clothes.
I like books with things that I didn’t know I could crochet, like fishnet leggings. Or a cute babydoll dress. Something currently fashionable.
I also appreciate graphed examples as well as written ones. Sometimes when the directions are difficult to understand, reading the graph helps a ton….or a close up picture of the stitch pattern as well as the overall finished piece.
Schematics that are complete. I’m a lefty and a lot of schematics give you half a row or right to left if you have a complete row then it doesn’t matter what direction you are going from. Substitutions of yarn, so you definitely need yarn council numbers, wpi, weight, etc. Also somewhere in the book the website where erratas might be posted and where to address questions that can be sent on to the designers. Posting to Ravelry so you can see who else might be making the patterns.
I hate it when what’s said to be new is just a re-hash of stuff we’ve all seen on multi-various sites.
Being an Englishwoman, born in England (NOT the United Kingdom, which isn’t a COUNTRY), occasionally we’re at a loss when filling in surveys, forums, registrations – the only option we are given is UK, but even that takes some searching for! Why, oh why can’t England be listed the same as Scotland, Ireland and Wales?
I hate it when what’s said to be new is just a re-hash of stuff we’ve all seen on multi-various sites.
I am an English woman, born in England (NOT in the United Kingdom, which does not exist and is not a COUNTRY), I’m constantly irritated when filling in surveys, forums, registrations when the only option I’m given is United Kingdom, but even that takes some searching for! Why, oh why cannot England be listed as a country, which it is – the same as Scotland, Ireland and Wales?
My fantasy crochet book would include the following:
I’d like multiple images of the finished item – front, back and side views and close ups of any construction details of note.
Alternate yarn suggestions with images.. I’d love for it to be like in some fashion magazines . It would be great to see the item made in a luxury splurge yarn and also in an economical yarn alternative.
Laminated pages that can be marked up while working on a project and then erased to returne the book to it’s pristine state
Line by line stitch or space count.
Crochet pattern and the chart for the item
I like crochet books that are spiral bound so they stay open, and also patterns that are illustrated with symbol crochet. Clear photos of the item are necessary, too.
I like a lot of the ideas you came up with. I like a spiral binding to lay flat and so I can keep my page. Pictures are great especially of stitches that are not the basic Crochet stitches.
I too like the stitch count at the end of the rows.
Projects are the main reason I’ll consider buying a crochet book. I bought 2 crochet books 1) Amigurumi and 2)Hats. I know I can get a lot of these free online but these two particular books had great pictures, the personality of the artist shined through in her writing, and they were all projects I could do or were not too challenging for me to learn.
A book with a great resource section is also beneficial. Including links to Youtube videos or Written instructions to techniques and special stitches OR even just ‘How to read a pattern’ or Frequently used Abbreviations.
I have heard that the bamboo needles are the best to work with.. I wouldn’t know because I don’t own any, but I sure would love to win these and give them a whirl lol 🙂 I think your blog is awesome and I wish I had the gumshin to give it a try, but with so much to do I know it would get pushed on the back burner and I don’t think that would be fair.. so I just knit and crochet for Charity, taking care of my many chihuhuas.. I just love them all 🙂 Well I want to thank you so very much for letting me try and win these wonderful needles and congratulations to the Lucky Winner who ever you are..