Customer Reviews

Creating Crochet Fabric: Experimenting with Hook, Yarn & Stitch

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I'm very happy with this book.... no "craft yarn specials"...every thing is high end, nice design ideas, instructions clear and well laid out. Impressive high end effort. I've made 3 bobble hats and they are a huge hit.

My one reservation with this book is that I really do not like presentations of finished items on racks/hangers/stands. I'd prefer to see them on human frames/heads. Especially with the hats, you really have no idea what it will look like based upon the images in this book until you make it. I was very surprised how well the bobble hat fit and you'd not get that from the photos.

Other than that, very pleased with the book.

This book is a real treat and may I say, well edited. With crisp lanugage and beautiful pictures, the author explains how to think about matching the right yarn to the right stitch to create the kind of fabric that is best for your project. She encourages you to create swatches not to test for gauage but to test for this "match". Oh and it has some nice patterns as well.

The book is really well laid out and easy to use. A must for your library if you are at all interested in crocheting.

I learned so much from this book. Whether you are designing your own crochet projects or just want to choose an appropriate substitute yarn for a pattern, this book will help you do it. There are sections on fiber and yarn, stitch definition, drape versus structure, and even how to work with challenging yarns. Dora teaches the reader how to use swatching to determine the best stitch patterns and hook size for a particular yarn. The concepts are illustrated with excellent photographs. This is not primarily a pattern book, but includes several great patterns that put the theory taught in the book into practice. Highly recommended.

This new book helps to fill a gap in the books available to fiber artists working in crochet. It's easy to find books teaching basic stitches and techniques; it's easy to find books full of patterns and projects; it's almost impossible to find good books addressing the technical aspects of the art beyond the beginner level.
Written in a comfortable style, well edited and with a user-friendly layout, the book invites all crocheters to move beyond simple following of patterns, into the realm of creating the fabrics they want for the projects they choose. For those who like to follow patterns, each lesson is followed by a sophisticated, well-photographed project illustrating and practicing the concept. For those who like to experiment, create and design on their own, each lesson offers a wealth of relevant information, valuable tips, and useful suggestions for using the best fiber and the best hook for each planned fabric.
If you want to move your crochet from "craft" to "art" this book is one of the tools that will help you on that journey!

This book is not your typicall stitch pattern book. The author instead is taking you on a journey of discovery with fiber and hook. The samples are well made with a wide variety and skillfully illustrate the concepts within the book. If you are an intermediate or advanced crocheter this is a great addition to your library. If you are just starting out it will inspire you to keep picking up the hook. Great Job! I'd recommend this to any fiber fiend.

This book's projects are fantastic, original, and beautifully photographed. Because of it, I enthusiastically set to work with my crochet hook and some wool, which resulted in a new design. It's a great read and useful for reference purposes also. The author has been thorough and informative as well as inspirational for crocheters at any level, or those who want to get started with this remarkable craft.

This is a very interesting book that looks at crochet as fabric formation and offers many interesting ways to look at crochet items and techniques beyond the usual. As a crocheter, I felt as if this book more than equated crochet with knitting. Actually, it ably demonstrates the flexibility and uniqueness of crochet. It is 'in the weeds' and may have more information then the average crocheter may want to know, but it is impossible not to be affected by the contents.

Creating Crochet Fabric Experimenting with Hook, Yarn & Stitch

If you've ever wanted to create your own crocheted fabric, make a major change in gauge or yarn choice, or just create something brand new; this is the book for you. Dora Orhenstein has written Creating Crochet Fabric especially for those of us who want to take crochet to the next level and start creating our own designs. She covers all the steps you will need to know to take your design or new twist on an old pattern from idea to finished product. With a focus on fabric, she helps us understand how to choose the right yarn, hook, and stitch to make that dream crochet idea come to life.

Have you ever had a great idea for a crocheted garment and then found it just doesn't look right when you start making up the first sample? Do you have a fabulous yarn, but can't find the right pattern to show it off? Dora describes and illustrates the differences between different yarns and how they look when used with different hook sizes and stitch patterns.

Of course, it is not possible to have samples of every yarn under the sun. But by categorizing the different types of yarn by size, weight, and texture; you can begin to see how different types of yarn work. You will learn how to get the proper hand for the project you have in mind. Which yarns create a firm fabric and which drape well? Read through the text and visuals and you begin to have an idea how your yarn will react.

Do you love the yarn and the patten, but find they are just not working together? Read the section on hook sizes and learn how to alter the hand of the yarn you like to get the drape you want for a garment.

And finally, learn to choose the right stitch pattern. Find out how color and texture affect the look of a stitch pattern and see examples of different stitch pattens in firm, soft, and fuzzy yarn.

This is a book you will want to read cover to cover the first time around and then keep it on the shelf for reference. There are practice patterns to give you hands on practice working with different yarns, hooks, and stitch patterns. But this book's main purpose is to help you make your own ideas a reality. With the knowledge you gain from this book, you can break free of patterns and start freestyling!

What's Dora's best word of advice? "Swatch" No, no, don't be put off. After reading this book, making sample swatches will no longer be something you avoid, but part of the creative process.

Are there any weaknesses in this book? Yes, a few, but mainly they are editor or publisher choices; not due to Dora's content. The sample pictures are in full color and for the most part good quality. I think the publisher could have stepped up the sharpness just a bit. Sometimes the details of texture are lost because the stitches don't stand out due to soft edges. Also, the mottled background fights with some of the more subtle textures of the swatches. I found myself moving the page for better light in order to see the details of certain pieces. Maybe that's just because I am infinitely curious about the details and texture.

The other thing I wish they had done is added more bullet points. I read the whole book cover to cover on the first night. The ideas were clear and easy to follow. Her point was never lost. But I wonder when I go back if I won't miss some of Dora's best points because they aren't highlighted.

With this being said, no book is perfect. I highly recommend adding Creating Crochet Fabric by Dora Ohrenstein (2010, Lark Books) for your design reference library. If anyone owns or has read this book, please comment below. I'd love to hear how other people have reacted to the book and how they have used it in their work.

Creating Crochet Fabric: Experimenting with Hook, Yarn & Stitch

This is not a book of patterns, although there are some handsome patterns offered here. This is a book for the experienced crocheter who is ready to think outside the box. It is a book that helps you jump start your creativity and start thinking about different possible ways to relate the stitch to the yarn to the hook.
Dora Ohrenstein has used her solid crochet knowledge to help you look at crochet in a new way. Instead of looking at a pattern in terms of "Do I like this style?", I find myself looking first at the stitch pattern and thinking "What could I do with this?"
In the last several years there has been a crochet resurgence thanks to so many artists like Dora Ohrenstein who are willing to push our craft forward by sharing their knowledge with us.

Nice book for beginners and only beginners. If you have messed around crocheting and experimenting with different yarns, you already know everything in here.

The projects didn't impress me either. The couple of shawls are so boring and common looking, there is a super simple shrug and at the end there is an interesting jacket, but using the tunisian crochet technique which I don't like. In my honest opinion, you better get another book for patterns and The Crochet Answer Book for learning all the tricks.