Customer Reviews

Vogue Knitting Stitchionary Volume Four: Crochet: The Ultimate Stitch Dictionary from the Editors of Vogue Knitting Magazine (Vogue Knitting Stitchionary Series)

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

 

 

I was really excited to get this book. I like the colorful pictures, the great yarns that they used. But... you knew that was coming, right? I am slightly disappointed because they left out some rather cool crochet stitches that I can easily find in other books. One that stands out immediately to me is the simple Crochet Cable. The same version as the knit cable, but the crochet version. It's missing. It's in here in a variation, and it's even in here under Tunisian Crochet, but not in just plain crochet.

And they have added some great full-size photos of finished projects, and guess what? They don't include any information about those patterns. Say, which Vogue issue they were available in, or if they are available online. Nothing. Kinda a bummer... I realize this isn't an actual Finished Pattern book, with handbags or whatever. But show me an awesome picture of something made from crochet that I might want to make myself, and then don't give me any way to get it?

Other than that, I have to say I'm glad I did get it. It will make a nice addition to my crochet library... but it does leave a little to be desired.

I ordered this book in advance of publication, having long appreciated the wonderful 1980s edition (Vogue Dictionary of Crochet Stitches; Anne Matthews). I was expecting an updated and expanded book, but this edition is expanded only in size and color quality. There are far, far fewer stitches, and too many pages wasted on simple motifs and granny squares.
-- The 1980s edition gives complete patterns for pictured garments, but the new book does NOT. (Don't worry about the photos in the old book: most of the garments are much less dated than the models and photography.)
-- The 1980s edition is a treasure quite apart from the stitch collection and patterns, because the back of the book has a large section on technique: all sorts of hints, explanations, and alternative approaches for working in crochet and even extensive how-to's on garment construction and pattern adaptation. The new edition leaves out all that useful information from an expert, even though it is the one thing in the old edition that could not easily be found elsewhere.
-- What a disappointment! I've been repeatedly checking out a library copy of the old book, 1987 or 1989. Now I'm going to buy a used copy while I can. This gorgeous but empty new edition is best suited for sharing the colors and shapes with a lap-child.

What crocheters don't need is a coffee table dictionary of stitches which is about as unwieldy as a large unabridged English dictionary. I agree with both the two previous reviewers and I have the old Vogue crochet book which has so much more but does lack the charts which this one has. However it appears that all the stitches come from Vogue knitting magazine patterns which automatically limits the selection and if so, then at least it would have been nice to have a reference to the pattern it appeared in. In this respect this 4th volume is quite similar to the first 3 on knitting stitches. Perhaps crocheters want more for their buck than the knitters did. The format is a page or more for each stitch with very large color photo of that stitch. Instructions given both by word and chart and the stitch key for the chart is right next to the chart. Stitches are grouped into a few categories: basics, geometrics, color, lace, edgings and embellishments/unusual.
The book is nicely produced and lies flat for ease in usage but is a bit overlarge for my hp printer so I can make a copy without having to use the book. Recommended for anyone who enjoys purchasing all the stitch dictionaries.

First off, I don't understand the other reviewers dissapointment in the lack of patterns. This is a STITCH DICTIONARY, not a pattern book! No one book could possible contain every set of crochet stitches, although I believe this one does a fair job of representing the spectrum. Color photographs are large and crystal clear, instructions are easy to follow. Overall, a great addition to your personal library.

The series of Vogue Stitch Libraries are by no means intended to be as complete as Barbara Walkers or probably even the ORIGINAL Harmony guides. However, their production values are SOOOOOOO much better that I find myself going to these in order to get a better view and more inspiration than the Walker or Harmony guides. If you can only afford one set of stitch dictionaries, these probably wouldn't be it. However, if you are a stitch pattern junky like me, these are definitely a good set to add to your collection.

I knit, I didn't know how to crochet except one simple stitch. This book explains and shows the stitches. The pictures are very clear. Indespensible for the knitter or the one who crochets. I feel confident that by using this book I can do any stitch the pattern calls for.

While I still prefer knitting, I love that now I feel confident to do some crochet!

I have the previous 3 stitchionary books. This one is NO disappointment. I love it! definiteley recommend this series to serious knitters & crochet lovers.

I'm going to paraphrase "Project Runway's" Nina Garcia and say this:

This book confuses me.

Is it a book for beginners? Probably not, since there's no mention at all about how to read patterns or diagrams, which usually intimidates new crafters.

It's also lacking an instructional section on how to combine all of these lovely motifs together to make something wonderful. It would have been nice to see a section on how to weave your ends in, techniques for joining the motifs together and blocking for the new crafter.

So, is this a book for those of us who know what to do with that C hook and a couple of skeins of yarn?

Perhaps. Some of the motifs are quite nice (and some of them are downright funky!), but very, very little attention is paid to the basics, which is a shame.

As the previous poster mentioned, there are no patterns in this book, or web references to find them.

I'm not much of a knitter, but I'd heard great things about Vogue's "Knitting Stitchionary" series, but being a "Crochet Chick With A C Hook" I was eagerly waiting for this one.

Two stars for this one, only because the photographs are incredibly clear.

It is wonderful to have an encyclopedia of crochet stitches. I am an experienced knitter and have been wanting to try crochet. This book is very inspiring.

I do have the other Stitchionary books. The first book had beautiful garments in it with no pattern reference. I went to the Vogue Knitting website and sent an email enquiry giving the page numbers (from the book) of the patterns I wanted. I received a quick reply with the Vogue Knitting issues with the patterns. The only caveat is that the issue you want may be out of print.