the twisted yarn

Knitting and crocheting colour for the home.

The Near-Perfect Crochet Book

by 73 Comments

Oh goodness, I think I’ve just fallen in love. (Apologies Stoic Spouse, for this small lapse in fidelity.)

But it’s love. You know, the sort of love that gets mightily on your friends’ nerves, and which results in a structurally-unsound pile of unwashed laundry because who needs to worry about the mundanities of regular life when you’re in lurrrrve? Like many such love affairs, its start wasn’t so very auspicious. I discovered that there was a book all about how to join crochet shapes together. Sounds a little… dull, no? Worthy and relevant, yes, but deeply dull.

Just how wrong can a lass be?

Pretty freakin’ wrong, it seems. I have this book (and I paid for it – nobody’s twisted the arm of The Twisted Yarn to say nice stuff).

Connect The Shapes
Connect The Shapes

And, once you look past the unprepossessing title, it’s rather fabulously awesome as a general crochet manual for anyone who’s beyond the getting-the-hang-of-granny-squares stage. (People! If you’re not already there, please hurry up and get past that stage, so that you can enjoy the wonders of this book!) Yes, it does have some measured, sensible advice about attaching separate motifs, and about join-as-you-go, and about motifs where joining is inherent in the design, like a network of lily-pads across a pond. (I know, lily-pads aren’t really joined, but it’s hard to come up with decent analogies whilst being climbed by the Toddler Twinnage.) But that’s not the stuff that had me drooling just a little on its previously pristine pages. Look at these beauties!

crochet collage

What I like, other than its sheer yarn-porn potential, is the fact that for every single design there are written instructions, and a chart, and a photograph of the result, between which you’re pretty much guaranteed to produce something decent. Here’s one I made:-

I love this swirling 3-d design. :-)
I love this swirling 3-d design. 🙂

I found this book when I was looking for something that would help me with overlay crochet, or anything where layers of different colours are built up vertically, and I was sold as soon as I saw this:-

Pretty, no?
Pretty, no?

And there are some patterns, too. Ones that you might actually might want to make. My work wardrobe seriously needs this skirt:-

Definitely A Psychologist's Sort Of Skirt
Definitely A Psychologist’s Sort Of Skirt

Mind you, I’m not sure what’s so camp about this rug:-

Camp Rug.
Camp Rug.

Overall, Connect The Shapes is a feast of colour and design yumptiousness. It would suit a wide variety of skill levels, but as I said, maybe leave it for later if you’re busy embroiled in your very first granny square. I have to say, I’m still a little intimidated by the BPtr7tog, whatever that is:-

Scary Beast
Scary Beast

The Stoic Spouse thinks it looks a little like a formula for nuclear fission and assumes that I’m crocheting a nuclear bomb. But maybe he senses my infidelity and is feeling twitchy.

AUTHOR’S NOTE: No husbands were harmed in the making of this blog post. The Stoic Spouse has read and fully approved its content, and still seems to be on speaking terms with me. 🙂

Comments

  1. WOW WOW and WOW! I’m loving this book I’m going to have to put this on my Christmas wish list I think! Great Job on the one you did, I love that design, the possibilities are endless too aren’t they?! I can understand why your raving about it!! (They should now refund you the price as you said such nice things about it hahah)

    Reply

  2. I’ve been hanging out, waiting for this blog post and immediately I saw it in my email I ignored all the friendly chatty items from friends and family, a squillion blog posts waiting to be read, the possibility of bargains to be had from the infinite number of stores who email me regularly, not to mention the hours of happy trolling through Trademe for the latest arty supplies…….. Oh no, I rushed right over here to discover the must have yarn book of the decade – and now feel extremely intimidated!

    It all looks very high level decipher ability. You, being a gal who writes her own mandala patterns, can obviously swing her way happily through diagrams and maps. I, alas, am a gal who needs sc2, slst1, change colour, turn, sc2, slst1 etc. I know what tr7tog means, but BP? British petroleum, back peddle, back something starting with ‘P’ ………… my head hurts!!

    Oh Twisted – I’ve lost all my crochet confidence. Please tell me she includes ‘sc2, slst1’ and so on. If she does I’ll rush out and purchase me a copy and learn lots of new skills 🙂

    Reply

    • It’s fine, honestly, her instructions are clear. I’m not a skilled crocheter (but am working on learning). What on earth is tr7tog? See, you now more than me!
      On a more serious note, I am struggling a little with the UK Post Office. Do you remember ages ago that I said I’d send you an illuminated crochet hook (if you still want it!) I hope you don’t mind, by the way. Anyway, I’ve read, and re-read the list of banned items on the British Post Office, and I’m still confused. Basically, some batteries are permitted to be sent in some circumstances. I really can’t work out whether I can send this hook or not. Sigh.

      Reply

      • Really? Then I must purchase said book immediately! How exciting 🙂 I forget that you are not a whizz at everything – or that you claim so any way. I think anyone who works, raises a twinnage, does up an old brewery and still finds time to knit and crochet is a whizz – full stop!! Accept it gracefully please.

        We have discovered that by sending items as ‘craft accessories’ [which is true] they come through safely. Writing down everything the accessory consists of is likely to get the package confiscated just in case it contains a bio-hazard, illicit drug or potential to blow the country to smithereens. It really gets a bit silly!

        I say this in the hope you might send me an illuminated crochet hook that I can sqeeee with excitement over 🙂 However I completely understand if you decide not to!

        Hope the twinnage being quiet did not lead to any undue or long term damage 🙂

  4. I have this book, but unfortunately school work & other projects have taken over, at the moment. Only back to school 3 weeks & I’m already planning projects for when my exam classes leave!

    Reply

      • No I’m probably not that patient, I just have ‘shed’ loads of GCSE & alevel marking at the moment. It’s the craft that keeps you sane. Bye the way we’re half way through this term already, so count down is on to half term!!

  5. That looks a lovely little book. I’m very tempted. I’m familiar with BP as I’ve done back post/front post stitches in my ribbed scarf. That BPtr7tog looks a smashing stitch to play with though.

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  12. Oh my the twisty one is AMAZING!!! I laughed out loud at “yarn-porn” !! But yes it is ! I like to crochet but I am a Knitter. But your book makes me want to pick up my hooks again!!!

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  19. The swirly one looks fun, and the join on the two little triangles looks so neat. I’ve been in the middle of a shawl for ages which uses Back Post and Front Post stitches, but that BPtr7tog looks like quite a stitch!

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  20. I probably wouldn’t have looked twice at this book if I had just seen the title, but after reading your great post I am definitely going to find myself a copy! There are sooooo many crochet books around at the moment that just cover the basics, so it’s nice to see one that pushes your skills a bit, and shows modern looking designs.

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  22. That book looks so, so good. I LOVE that it is spiral bound. So many pattern books aren’t and I have to weigh it down with something so it doesn’t slam shut whilst working with my yarn.

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  26. I don’t blame the husband. That last image looks like a mass of fish hooks all dangling to catch…to catch what?! LOVE those first motif shots! Gorgeousness and lust worthy and scrumptious and all of the “ious’s” rolled into a great big tasty well joined ball!

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  28. Wow! I actually understand what BPtr7tog means! Never done it but I get the principle. Does this make me a crochet whisperer? Not sure I get bragging rights unless I can actually do it. Think I’ll have to buy the book. It will either improve my crochet skills or induce an aneurysm…

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  31. I am going to stick my internet neck out and risk saying I’ve never cared too much about crochet, everything to me seemed to boil down to a version of a granny square. However, after reading your post, I stand corrected! This actually made me want to unearth my long lost crochet hooks and give it another go 🙂

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  32. Wow! You caused quite a sensation here with your new book. 😉 It does look wonderful. Except for the three ruffled scarves that I crocheted last year, I’ve not done much crocheting. That book has started talking to me….

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  38. I have seen this book so many times and have almost bought it. For some reason, I never seem to pick it up. This post makes it even more tempting to run out and get it lol.
    Love the 3D motif btw! 😀

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  41. *adds book to wish list on the downlow*

    Hubby will no doubt start threatening to leave if I bring one more craft book into the house, but this one looks worth the risk! 🙂

    And that’s “Back Post treble 7 together.” It would be a monster of a stitch to wrangle neatly but not too hard to master.

    Reply

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