Books!

I'm working to deadline on a super secret project - so instead of a crochet project, how about some crochet books?

A knitting friend showed me her copy of 'Around the Corner Crochet Borders' by Edie Eckman (here) and it was all I could do not to rip it out of her hands and keep it for myself. The book contains 150 border designs, with written instructions and charts.

You know how, after awhile, borders or motifs or whatever in whichever book all start to look alike? Not in this book! Ms. Eckman has some very pretty, original borders that I can't wait to try. See all the little sticky flags? It's almost easier to count the designs I didn't flag than the ones I did.

Today's mail brought copies of 'Creating Crochet Fabric' by Dora Ohrenstein (here) and 'The Complete Photo Guide to Crochet' by Margaret Hubert (here). I've already made the 'Juliette Shawl' from the first book (here) and I want to try 'Anna', the Tunisian jacket also featured in the book. You can see most of the book's projects on Ravelry here. I haven't had a chance to do more than glance through the book, but I'm looking forward to reading it in depth.

I have a real aversion to books that claim to be the "complete" guide or the "bible" on a specific craft. I've found that, more times than not, the claim is unfounded and the book disappointing. So I wasn't expecting much when I starting flipping through a copy of the 'Complete Photo Guide to Crochet'. I was wrong - this book is great.

I'm a fan of Ms. Hubert's work (some of her patterns are here on Ravelry), along with that of several of the contributors, including Prudence Mapstone (!), Myra Woods, Nancy Nehring and Jennifer Hansen. The book is oversize so the pictures and charts are larger and easier to read. It's beautifully photographed and has several interesting sections - 'The Lacis Story', and specialty crochet methods: tapestry tunisian, Bruges lace, freeform, hairpin, broomstick and more. "Linked stitches" and "Tunisian and Shells" especially caught my eye.

I can't wait to sit down and read this one, cover to cover. I don't think it's the "ultimate reference" for crocheters (as the book jacket claims), but it definitely gets a top five spot on my list of 'must have' reference books.