Connect the Shapes Crochet Motifs: Creative Techniques for Joining Motifs of All Shapes; Includes 101 New Motif Designs [Spiral-bound]

Edie Eckman (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 23, 2012

If you’re like many crocheters, you love to stitch motifs but dread the process of joining them. But connecting one motif to another can be as exhilarating as stitching! Edie Eckman’s guide to creative joining techniques shows how easy it is to combine multiples of a motif to form a whole new pattern, from lacy links to three-dimensional effects, swirls, radiants, and wheels. The variations are endless! Eckman also provides 100 brand-new motif designs. Each one, and every joining technique, is accompanied by step-by-step instructions and innovative charts to ensure success. This superb collection is a must-have for any crocheter.

Editorial Reviews

Review

Eckman’s (Around the Corner Crochet Borders) specialty is crochet motifs—she has a knack for turning simple stitches with colorful yarn into something fresh and contemporary. Here, she introduces a new batch of crocheted motifs as well as a variety of creative methods for joining the motifs together. Full-color photographs of each motif are included, as are written and charted directions. As a bonus, there are 12 patterns that use the motifs and connection techniques covered in the book. This isn’t for beginners—readers need to know how to crochet to get the most out of it—but Eckman may inspire some noncrocheters to learn, just so they can experiment with the techniques she describes. ­VERDICT Eckman’s eye for color and design make this an excellent addition to any crafter’s crochet collection.

(Library Journal starred review )

From the Back Cover

Make a connection!

 

If you love to crochet, what could be better than 101 new motifs to add to your repertoire? How about innovative, easy-to-follow techniques for joining them together? Best-selling crochet author Edie Eckman shares a dazzling new array of motif designs and then describes creative methods for arranging and connecting your pieces into whole fabrics. You'll be delighted by the possibilities.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Spiral-bound: 272 pages
• Publisher: Storey Publishing, LLC; Spi edition (October 23, 2012)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1603429735
• ISBN-13: 978-1603429733
• Product Dimensions: 7 x 0.8 x 10 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (60 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #10,692 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #4 in Books > Crafts, Hobbies & Home > Crafts & Hobbies > Needlecrafts & Textile Crafts > Crocheting
  • #12 in Books > Crafts, Hobbies & Home > Crafts & Hobbies > Needlecrafts & Textile Crafts > Knitting

More About the Author

Edie has her hands in many aspects of the fiber arts--teaching, writing, designing and editing. Her designs are contemporary classics accessible to the average knitter or crocheter; they have appeared in many yarn company publications, magazines and pattern leaflets. Edie travels extensively teaching at conventions, shops and guilds. She enjoys sharing in that "aha" moment when her students grasp a new technique.

Edie is the author of Around the Corner Crochet Borders, How to Knit Socks: Three Methods Made Easy, The Crochet Answer Book and Beyond-the-Square Crochet Motifs, as well as many other books and pattern leaflets.

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

25 of 25 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars I love this collection of motifs and techniques November 29, 2012

By Shala Kerrigan TOP 100 REVIEWERVINE™ VOICE

Format:Spiral-bound

Connect the Shapes Crochet Motifs- Creative Techniques for Joining Motifs of All Shapes by Edie Eckman is both a crochet techniques book and a motif pattern book.

In the first part of the book, the author goes over the basics about how to read international crochet notation or charted patterns and combine that with a text pattern for very clear instruction on how to work the pattern. She discusses color theory and balance, then gets into the techniques. Joining motifs, especially those with picots, mesh or lace edging can be tricky. With a solid edge, you can just slip stitch, sew or single crochet the motifs together. Join as you go or JAYGo edgings can be more difficult. She walks you through, step by step with clear instructions and good photographs with bright yarn that's easy to see how to do those joins in a few different methods. Advanced beginning and intermediate crocheters will appreciate the clear instructions. I learned a few things that make for smoother, nicer joins. She also discusses ways to adapt a pattern to a bulky yarn, or for a different effect. Some threads for example would make picots too tiny to join with the chain 3, so she suggests up sizing those picots. For bulky yarns and bigger motifs, they can become distorted, for those, she suggests ways to reshape the corners for less distortion.

My favorite crochet books aren't full of patterns for finished projects, they are stitch techniques and motifs for creating my own projects. This book is going on that shelf. The one with the stitch guides and motifs that I refer to when starting a new shawl or another project. My favorite motifs are the kind that tessellate together nicely which means 3, 4 or 6 sides. There are a lot of them in this book.... In fact, as the cover says, there are 101 total motifs and most of them are tessellating motifs that can be joined directly together. The motifs cover a wide range of stitch techniques.This includes some of my favorites like front post stitches where you work the stitch around the post of another stitch rather than into the chain top. This creates a nice dimensional effect, and worked in a different color than the previous round also makes lines of a different color on top of the previous colors. There are lots of intricate looking laces that are really easy to make and a few that are super easy to memorize. Make a couple at home, then carry yarn and a hook to continue making more while you're out doing other things. Each motif also has tips specific to that motif for adapting the joins if necessary.

After that, there are a few patterns that use motifs, such as a curved pillow that takes advantage of a distortion in a triangle motif. The distortion can be eliminated with different stitch counts for things that you want to lay flat, but for the pillow, the doming is perfect. Several patterns show some of the versatility of the motifs. My favorite is the flower garland which has a lovely, soft spring look.

At the end of the book is a chart to refer to if you are having any issues with understanding the stitch symbols. It's a nice complete chart that will work for all the patterns in the book. There is also an index of motif patterns that's laid out with images of the finished motifs. You can browse through the images to find just the right shape and look for your pattern.

If you love motifs for making shawls, afghans or even fashion scarves, or if you've had problems understanding how to read a charted pattern, this book is a great choice. Spiral bound in a hard cover to lay flat while crocheting.
[I received a complimentary copy of the book to review on my craft blog- Don't Eat the Paste. I received no other compensation, and my review is my honest opinion of the product.] Read more ›

20 of 22 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars sequel to Beyond the square November 5, 2012

By M. Poller VINE™ VOICE

Format:Spiral-bound|Amazon Verified Purchase

The main object of this book is to explain how to connect the motifs. which look like it is done very well. I haven't made anything yet. I'm impressed by the book itself: very good spiral binding w hich allows using the book when it's open lying flat. All motifs are in color and instructions both written out and charted with an explanation of the chart sy mbols which are also inside the back cover. The index seems very complete so you can look up the various s hapes like octagon. Print is large and paper is fine. there are 101 new motif designs plus 11 design patterns. The motifs are also indexed in color so you can find one at a glance. Instructions are for the American user. but for chart readers you can manage well too. Eckman writes about the various connecting options such as Join as you go and also sewing or crocheting them at the end. There's a lot of good important information here but the impatient crocheter can just pull out her hook an d start working her way through.

19 of 21 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Connect the Shapes October 23, 2012

By jbarr

Format:Spiral-bound

Connect the Shapes Crochet Motifs Creative Techniques for Joining Motifs of All Shapes by Edie Eckman
ISBN: 9781603429733 B008NEZRJE
Illustrated colorful book showing different techniques of joining crochet shapes together.
Not only does it tell you the pattern in rows but there are also diagram instructions with the key making this a very worthwhile book for all degrees of expertise.
My favorite is the 3d baby blanket.
Motif directory has all the varieties: classic grannies, a little double crochet,
gathered chains, lacy links, layered mesh, sc/dc, all clustered,
tripled petals, start with a flower, 3-d fun, swirls, radiant , picots in plural, wheels and shells, inner connectivity,
There are projects for: placemat, shawls, rugs, pincushion, baby blankets, afghans, pillow, flower garland, vest, skirt and a lampshade.
Also has a very detailed glossary of stitches, terms used at the end.
Excellent resource book for all crocheters.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars great teaching tool January 3, 2013

By BWC

Format:Spiral-bound|Amazon Verified Purchase

For one new to crocheting, this book is invaluable. Teaches how to join motifs as you go to avoid piecing them together at the end. The featured motifs range from simple to challenging. Also contains project ideas.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Good book, a bit repetitive December 7, 2012

By Linda S.

Format:Kindle Edition|Amazon Verified Purchase

Some unusual motifs here. My only critique is that it's a bit repetitive at times regarding how to join the motifs. Having said that, it's good for inspiration if you're an intermediate to advanced crocheter. I find it to be worth the purchase price.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Connect the Shapes November 17, 2012

By Nadine Visscher

Format:Spiral-bound|Amazon Verified Purchase

I impatiently waited until this book actually came out. To date, this is the only book on the market that is specifically about joining motifs. Edie Eckman is a very talented woman and I'm glad that she was willing to share her talents with us in her book.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars New patterns December 16, 2012

By Cherry Bomb

Format:Spiral-bound|Amazon Verified Purchase

It is nice to see patterns that are so unique. The instructions are fairly easy to read if you're familiar with crochet abbreviations. Also the stitch diagrams make it even easier to comprehend some of the new and unusual shapes.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Useful and Inspiring in Bound AND Digital Formats December 14, 2012

By Elizabeth M

Format:Kindle Edition|Amazon Verified Purchase

Gorgeous book when purchased for kindle fire or other color e-reader formats. Vibrant images and clear layout with a fantastic index to refer to specific patterns. You will not regret buying this for the kindle fire, trust me! Avoids common mistakes found in many digital format crochet guides such as missing text, small or dull pictures and incomplete instructions.

I am an intermediate level crochet artist, and I am highly satisfied with every title I own by Edie Eckman. Great books for all experience levels that grow with you as you learn new skills. I go back to this book and others by the author again and again. Solid technique, modern designs, and easy to follow instructions make this book a valuable resource you will use for years, not weeks. Highest recommendation for readers who are beginners familiar with basic stitches and up.

For absolute beginners, get "Beyond the Square Crochet Motifs." I made my first multi-color motifs four years ago using the instructions in this book and they still look great!