The Crochet Answer Book: Solutions to Every Problem You'll Ever Face; Answers to Every Question You'll Ever Ask

I am an experienced crocheter, but I don't do it often. When I find myself inspired to create with crochet, I often want a quick refresher on:Placement of markers;How and where to count stitches;The way to create flat circles or squares or triangles and how and where to increase on rounds (so I can then make up my own pattern for a hat or placemat or dishcloth or whatever);How many stitches back from the hook I need to work to start back on my foundation row (if doing anything other than single crochet).Just those quick little reminder tips that get you off and running and back to your work...After a recent frustrating search, I found that none of my other crochet books have any information on markers, none have any of the modular piece formulae, and the other tomes have the stitch details buried within pages and pages of opinionated text (I'm going to hold my hook how I darn well please, thankyouverymuch!)None of my other books have clear, two-color diagrams indicating which part of a working stitch I'm supposed to be working through.None of my other books even has a decent index.They do, however, have stupid patterns for baby items I'm never going to make. Blech.THIS BOOK HAS ALL OF THE ABOVE EXCEPT THE STUPID PATTERNS. Not only that, it's written in a concise, easily-referenced manner, and it's small enough to carry with you in your yarn tote. Trust me when I say that IF IT ISN'T IN THIS BOOK, YOU WON'T NEED IT... and you will be able, like I, to give your other crochet books away.Included are:Info on yarn and substitutions, hook sizes, English/American translations.Info on stitches mentioned above plus increasing and decreasing and specialty stitches.Gauge, working shapes as mentioned above, fabric creation (drape, etc.)Working in circles vs. working in spirals and how to tell where you are on either.Colorwork, borders, buttonholes, buttons, working/reading patterns.Extensive info on body measurements including standard charts.Blocking, joining, Tunisian and other types of crochet.Adding beads and baubles to your work.Garment care, abbreviations, terms.And more!The drawings are clear and in two colors of blue with black lines, so you can see *exactly* which is the working stitch, and where the working yarn is supposed to go.It's written in a conversational "question and answer" way which encouraged me to keep reading, and I learned some quick tips that I'd never seen addressed in other sources.Get it, toss the rest, and gain some space on your bookshelf. Better yet, get two copies and give one to a friend or new crocheter, and save them a thousand frustrations. It's perfect for a beginner who has a hook and a pattern and some yarn, but doesn't know where to start - as well as for the experienced crocheter exploring new or challenging territory.This is going to save me so many headaches, I may just crochet more often![...]

I've been crocheting for many years and consider myself a solid intermediate crocheter. Still, I thought it would be good to have a resource book that is travel size for when I occasionally need to look something up and am not at home to consult my other books. (Kooler's Encyclopedia of Crochet is great, but is a bit big to carry around.)The Crochet Answer Book is about the size of a paperback, but with a slightly sturdier cover. It would fit well in most crochet tote bags. It's 11 oz, so it has some heft to it for its size, but it's worth its weight!The crochet questions cover a broad range of subjects and the answers provided are concise, but helpful. I've enjoyed thumbing through the book and while much is familiar to me, I did pick up a few useful tips (such as hand exercises and the Elmore/extended stitch).I have only two small issues with the book. 1) It might have been nice to include a sample symbol crochet chart to go with the list of symbols to illustrate how to read such a chart. Perhaps the author could consider this in a future edition. 2) The only answer with which I disagreed concerned the author's discussion of "No Dye Lot" yarn. While in principle the author is right that these yarns should be of identical color from batch to batch, that has not always been my experience. I found subtle differences much to my dismay on one project. - Still this is just one answer with which I disagree...the rest of the answers are great.I highly recommend this book, especially for the new crochet stitcher who wants to go beyond the very basics, but is a bit intimidated by typical crochet instructions and the lingo used. The book is also useful for the more experienced crocheter who wants a travel size reference book. This is a handy resource!2/14/08 Update to my 3/29/07 Review.... Still love this book. It came in handy the other day when I was trying out a new technique. The book not only had my answer, but I was able to browse "neighboring" questions for additional help.

This is a great book. I bought it with her companion book "Around the Corner Crochet Borders: 150 Colorful, Creative Edging Designs..."I am totally new at crocheting...I have had the crochet hooks (planned on learning...years ago) since I started knitting over 10 years ago. Recently I wanted a fine delicate edge for a silk knitted chemise I made...and decided I wanted it lacy like and wanted to crochet it! Well, when I finally sat down to take a few minutes to try her "Around the Corner Crochet Borders: 150 Colorful, Creative Edging Designs" book....it was great and had lots of choices..so I picked my favorite and try to go at it by starting a chain and attaching my special edging to that...well since I have never crocheted...I was a little lost..what the heck is sc and dc?!? ...so I opened this book "The Crochet Answer Book" and skipped around and found the stitches section and within about 10 minutes I was really getting it and it came out nice. I couldn't have finally learned how to crochet without this book..beautiful descriptions and images on hook position, yarn position, etc.. it was perfect! I have attempted to learn before...but just couldn't see it. With this book it was easy! (The only thing I wish they would have done was make it spiral bound...hard to keep the page open while trying to attempt the task!)I love this book and thankfully with all the spectacular reviews..I thought I would give it a try! Thanks so much! I would highly recommend you get her companion book too "Around the Corner Crochet Borders: 150 Colorful, Creative Edging Designs"

Has few pictures.

Excellent bookWonderful writer

A lot of ways to learn crochet (i.e. online videos) are done by people who are not English. English and American crochet terminology are different but this book addresses both. Americans label hook sizes in letters, whereas we do them in mm. A single crochet in America is abbreviated as 'sc' but we call single crochets, double crochets and abbreviate it to 'dc'.I do not address this book as much as I should. Instead I stress out and bombard forums with my woes. This book has pretty much covered every problem I have come across. It really does what it says on the tin. A very handy size as well and the same book available for knitting issues too.If you find that your pieces are not square when they should be or straight etc then this book has the answers. Worth every single penny. It goes into depth about what yarns are used with what hook. How to deal with troublesome yarn, slippery yarn, splitting yarn, you name it. It shows you how to hold the hook, where to insert the hook and so on.300 pages of answers. I am sure your dilemma has been covered!

After a couple of yrs of me trying to find solutions for my chrochet questions and trying to learn the stitches,then printing them out from my computer,ended up with loads of paper all over the place and hard to look through each paper for my problem............I finally found my solution in this nice sized book called THE CROCHET ANSWER BOOK. Its perfect to take anywhere I go,fits in my chrochet bag or purse.Basic stitches and more,it makes me want to chrochet more things,more easily.Love it and glad I found something to help me with my questions.I can crochet and read this book at the same time.

This book "does what it says on the cover". I love it and the information it provides is invaluable for all levels of crochet lovers. A great addition to my library. If there were one minor gripe then it would be the size and format...too bad it's not slightly bigger and in ring binder format - so it could be laid flat. As it is it's a good size to carry around in a work bag/basket and for use as a quick reference guide...not a comfortable format to,use if you want to have it flat ona table whilst working on a project.

This is a great book and I would not be without it but my only criticism is the index.It is not full enough or cross-referenced very well.We know there are lots of different names for techniques but a book that claims to have all the answers really ought to list the various names so that youcan find what you are looking for much more quickly.For instance: magic loops start.This technique is actually in the book, to be found on page 151, but (astonishingly) referred to as 'Yarn Ring'!Well that's a new one for me.But saying all of that, if you consider crochet to be a bit chaotic, as compared to the grid-like structure of knitting, then what this book does very well isintroduce some very basic maths behind shaping and stitch height etc. In other words, if you want to 'perfect' your crochet work, then this is the kind of bookyou need.However, as with the Knitting Answers book (different author) the one thing is does not tell you is that the slip knot at the start of your work can be removed afterwards, without any danger of unravelling. I have a personal hatred of slip knots and would like to eradicate them from all images of crochet on the internet - but then I have to remember, this is not a perfect world and I must keep my obsessions under control - lol !!!