Crochet Workshop by James Walters is a technique reference book that has been republished by Dover. The original edition was published in 1979 by Sidgwick and Jackson Ltd. The Dover edition is essentially the same book. The photographs are likely the same ones that appeared in the original edition, and are therefore dated. However, the information provided in this book can still be handy for today's crocheter.
From the introduction alone, one gets the sense that the author is a bit of a free spirit. Indeed, one of the first photographs shown in the book has him modeling what appears to be crocheted long underwear. The photograph that I saw was in black and white, but I would guess that the real item was probably quite a colourful outfit.
The book includes the following: basic techniques and stitches, understanding how to read patterns, additional crochet techniques that touch on variation of the basic stitches, shaping, adding decorations, introductions to woven crochet, Tunisian crochet, and hairpin crochet, choosing yarns, making up, finishing and after care. The appendices include a list of terminology (British and American), list of equipment, tables describing hook sizes, terms, abbreviations, and symbols, and metric/Imperial conversions. The main text in the book uses British terminology, but as I mentioned above, American equivalents are listed in a chart in one of the appendices.
There are no formal patterns provided to create any particular item, but there are quite descriptive instructions with accompanying diagrams and photographs on how to make various stitches and stitch patterns. The text is useful in helping a beginner to learn and master the basics of crochet, but it also seems to encourage users to go beyond following patterns in an exact manner, and start to delve into learning how to modify and adapt patterns, and perhaps eventually improvise and create spontaneous designs. The book is also written in such a folksy, down to earth style that it seems as if the author is conversing informally with the reader.
In my opinion, this book would make a good addition as a technique reference book in a crocheter's library.
Disclaimer: I was given an e-copy of the Crochet Workshop by NetGalley in exchange for a review. All opinions stated in this review are my own.
Showing posts with label James Walters. Show all posts
Showing posts with label James Walters. Show all posts
Monday, 4 August 2014
Sunday, 20 April 2014
Review: The Crochet Workbook by Sylvia Cosh and James Walters
I've not been posting on the blog for a few weeks, but I have been reading a couple of Love Inspired Historicals (regencies...I love them). I'm also working on the third installment of Lisa Tawn Bergren's Grand Tour series, "Glittering Promises." For some reason, it is taking me a while to get through this, but it is pretty good so far.
Anyways, besides reading hystericals (whoops...I mean historicals!), I enjoy knitting. Even though I'm not really into crocheting, "The Crochet Workbook" was posted on the "Read Now" list at NetGalley, and I couldn't resist taking a look at this. The book was written by Sylvia Cosh and James Walters, and was originally published in 1989 by Dover Publications.
Now, as I mentioned before, I'm not a crocheter. In fact, my tension while attempting to crochet is best described as...limp and loose. But the introduction says that the book is, "intended for...existing crocheters who are looking for a new dimension to their work, and also for people who may never have picked up a crochet hook before." This is because this book is about freeform crochet, which is essentially spontaneous crocheting without a pattern. Unfortunately, I am both unexperienced in blogging and crocheting, so even though I've seen samples of freeform crochet, I don't have a sample photo to upload into this blog entry. I also don't mean to burn the crocheting community, but I had always thought about crochet as boring granny square blankets and some really horrid looking vests that I had the misfortune to lay eyes upon. However, there have been some freeform crochet creations that can only be described as works of art.
The Crochet Workbook is truly just only a workbook. It does describe various crocheting techniques with accompanying diagrams and photos of sample items but does not include individual patterns that one could duplicate. This is not too much of a surprise when one considers that the book is trying to encourage spontanaeity in the practice of freeforming. It does describe in general how to generate various shapes, but again, there is no set recipe/plan/pattern for reproducing any pictures of crocheted items in the book. There is more detail provided for a few projects including a cape and coat, but in general, the book is more about guidelines to use when doing freeform crochet. There is a chapter about drawing creative inspiration for freeform crochet. The teacher in me was tickled pink to see the mindmap/concept map included in the book.
If someone is interested in freeform crochet but would like to be handheld more through the process with suggested projects that do follow conventional structured patterns, then one might consider looking at Jonelle Raffino's and Prudence Mapstone's, Freeform Style: Blend Knit and Crochet to Craft Fiber Art, by North Light Books. However, The Crochet Workbook has its appeal, especially since it does try to encourage its readers to strike out on their own with freeform crochet. I would definitely consider adding this publication to my library as a technique book.
Other comments regarding this particular galley: I previewed an e-book, and it became apparent that this book was scanned as it was riddled with spelling errors likely due to optical character recognition not picking up the correct letters. I also read this e-galley on my computer's Sony reader library program, so my magnification options were rather limited. After a certain magnification (medium), the photos disappeared. I could see the text and photos in their entirety only under the small magnification setting, but I couldn't read the text because it was so small. I needed to switch between settings to be able to see the diagrams and photos and read the accompanying text. I prefer hard copy books for my crafting library, though, especially for a technique/methods book, so I'd probably opt to buy a hard copy of this as opposed to an e-copy.
Disclaimer: An e-copy of "The Crochet Workbook" was provided by NetGalley in exchange for a review. All opinions stated in this blog entry are mine.
Anyways, besides reading hystericals (whoops...I mean historicals!), I enjoy knitting. Even though I'm not really into crocheting, "The Crochet Workbook" was posted on the "Read Now" list at NetGalley, and I couldn't resist taking a look at this. The book was written by Sylvia Cosh and James Walters, and was originally published in 1989 by Dover Publications.
Now, as I mentioned before, I'm not a crocheter. In fact, my tension while attempting to crochet is best described as...limp and loose. But the introduction says that the book is, "intended for...existing crocheters who are looking for a new dimension to their work, and also for people who may never have picked up a crochet hook before." This is because this book is about freeform crochet, which is essentially spontaneous crocheting without a pattern. Unfortunately, I am both unexperienced in blogging and crocheting, so even though I've seen samples of freeform crochet, I don't have a sample photo to upload into this blog entry. I also don't mean to burn the crocheting community, but I had always thought about crochet as boring granny square blankets and some really horrid looking vests that I had the misfortune to lay eyes upon. However, there have been some freeform crochet creations that can only be described as works of art.
The Crochet Workbook is truly just only a workbook. It does describe various crocheting techniques with accompanying diagrams and photos of sample items but does not include individual patterns that one could duplicate. This is not too much of a surprise when one considers that the book is trying to encourage spontanaeity in the practice of freeforming. It does describe in general how to generate various shapes, but again, there is no set recipe/plan/pattern for reproducing any pictures of crocheted items in the book. There is more detail provided for a few projects including a cape and coat, but in general, the book is more about guidelines to use when doing freeform crochet. There is a chapter about drawing creative inspiration for freeform crochet. The teacher in me was tickled pink to see the mindmap/concept map included in the book.
If someone is interested in freeform crochet but would like to be handheld more through the process with suggested projects that do follow conventional structured patterns, then one might consider looking at Jonelle Raffino's and Prudence Mapstone's, Freeform Style: Blend Knit and Crochet to Craft Fiber Art, by North Light Books. However, The Crochet Workbook has its appeal, especially since it does try to encourage its readers to strike out on their own with freeform crochet. I would definitely consider adding this publication to my library as a technique book.
Other comments regarding this particular galley: I previewed an e-book, and it became apparent that this book was scanned as it was riddled with spelling errors likely due to optical character recognition not picking up the correct letters. I also read this e-galley on my computer's Sony reader library program, so my magnification options were rather limited. After a certain magnification (medium), the photos disappeared. I could see the text and photos in their entirety only under the small magnification setting, but I couldn't read the text because it was so small. I needed to switch between settings to be able to see the diagrams and photos and read the accompanying text. I prefer hard copy books for my crafting library, though, especially for a technique/methods book, so I'd probably opt to buy a hard copy of this as opposed to an e-copy.
Disclaimer: An e-copy of "The Crochet Workbook" was provided by NetGalley in exchange for a review. All opinions stated in this blog entry are mine.
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