The Complete Photo Guide to Crochet

The Complete Photo Guide to Crochet

Margaret Hubert, a wonderful designer whose creativity is matched by her technical skills, has put together a very complete and useful guide, good enough to rival Donna Kooler's Encylopedia of Crochet. It opens with a thorough and accurate history of crochet written by Nancy Nehring. There are more than 250 pages filled with stitch patterns, from basic to complex, as well as motifs, flowers, and edgings.  Margaret has made an effort to include many unusual patterns and techniques, and has brought in well-known experts to feature them. Jennifer Hansen shows a design for a jewelry rack made of Hairpin Lace, Tatyana Mirer gives us a scarf out of Bruges lace, Melody MacDuffee a sample of her gorgeous overlay crochet, Pauline Turner a pillow cover featuring the lovely Polish Star, and Julia Bryant her Tapestry Tunisian.  As an inspired designer herself, Margaret shows her own gems using freeform and the intermesh technique. There are 9 projects in the book altogether, and ample practical advice on seams, edgings and other finishing techniques. Photos of stitch patterns are very large and clear, and there are good photos showing how to work specific techniques. Stitch diagrams are included. I only wish the cover of this book was more exciting, as I fear it doesn't do justice to the excellent contents within. This book would make a great gift for any crocheter, full of important information and plenty of inspiration.

--Dora Ohrenstein