Customer Reviews

Hooked on Crochet: 20 Sassy Projects

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4 star:		(3)
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1 star:		(1)

 

 

HOOKED ON CROCHET includes many nifty projects, including a beautiful striped scarf and a granny square scarf both of which I have made or am in the process of making. I made the striped scarf in shades of purple, mauve, and lavender for my 12-year old granddaughter and she loved it. Now I'm making another one for me.

Another scarf featured in this book is constructed of a single color (lime cotton) with detail provided by the contrasting pattern created by alternating rows of single, half-double and double crochet stitches.

The book also includes the ususal impractical items like a crocheted skirt (even if you line them they sag) and a teeney-weeney bikini (the bottom will also sag and may come off in the pool if you aren't careful).

Jensen's book includes a nice discussion on hooks and yarn types the crocheter will find useful, as well as some basic stitch instructions and a brief digression in an appendix on 'instructions for lefties'.

When I first wrote a review for this book I was kind of skeptical. Now that i have owned it for a while and completed a couple of the projects I am editing my review because I like it more than I thought! I made the skirt from page 114 and it is my favorite thing I've ever crocheted. Candi is great at giving precise instructions, and the designs can be easily modified.

I like the book immediately after browsing through Hip to Crochet & this one. "Hip" is also good but has more patterns on garments which I think look bulky but they have a very nice circular shawl pattern. Like this book better as the step by step drawings are clear and patterns interesting, esp the sweet top in the book. But the last 2 projects are not that interesting, it imitates macrame - cover for a lamp, edgings for hammock. But I hope the author will come out with more books & patterns.

I just started crocheting this year, and puchased a number of books. This one turned out to be the best beginner book of all of them. There are some patterns that I'm not ready to make, but the ones I did make were very easy to understand, and turned out quite well. I recently read something on the author, Candi Jensen, and she said that she had written it for the beginner. It shows! Fun, fresh and varried, her patterns are fun to do, easy to modify and make your own, and make a gift-quality product with little or no experience. I highly recommend it.

Really nice CROCHET patterns for a change! The instructions are clear and the diagrams are very helpful. I especially like that the pictures show the item as it's being used not draped overe a chair. My daughter is 19 and the garments are more geared to her taste (and size). She has 3 projects lined up for me already. The only slightly negative comment is that the lovely yarns used are usually only found in specialty yarn shops or online and they are a bit pricy. I'm not new to crochet so I'll be able to find subs but a beginner might have a little trouble.

I bought several books in my quest to learn how to crochet and this was by far the best. The instructions are clear and the projects are fun.

When I first got this book, I thought ho-hum just another one for the new crocheter. But on further looks I find several projects this jaded crocheter wants to make such as that skirt. I also like the granny square scarf (one can't have too many of those), and the little bikini comes with a schematic which most bikini patterns don't bother with (such as in Leapman's cool crochet). I do think the eyeglass case needs a lining as otherwise the frame is going to get caught in the stitches. In short of the 20 projects quite a few are on my to-make list so it is highly recommended.

There are inexcusable errors in this book which make it impossible to follow the basic "how to" instructions here. The worst one is on the spread which relates how to do the double crochet stitch-- when turning chain to begin the second row, the directions refer you to "steps 2 - 6" which are not followable from the point where the author leaves off.

ALSO-- a more basic problem is with the illustrations. Although the drawings are well executed and easy to look at, there simply aren't enough of them. Skimping on the number of "how to" illustrations is another reason why learning to crochet from this book is a bad idea.

AND-- the language of what to do with the yarn is imprecise. Several times the author says to move the yarn "around the hook from top to bottom." Of course there are TWO ways to do that, two different directions one might choose. The author isn't clear about which way to go, and of course, there is no illustration.

If you already know how to crochet, you will find that the projects the author has selected are modern, attractive and appealing to a wide audience. They are quite basic and allow the construction of an eyeglass case, a cell phone holder and a couple of cute bags from basic rectangles.

Later in the book the author approaches circular and granny square constructions. Unfortunately, there is another error on the first circular "how to" page which will steer you astray.

If you are starting from scratch, find another book!

I checked this book at the library and just had to have it! So many wonderful and unusual projects. Buying it in soft-cover made it under $5.00 total. Have enjoyed it so far.