In Search of Advanced Crochet Techniques

It seems to have become a tradition that I write a somewhat off-the-wall post in December. It’s because I am in the throes of full-on panic at the time! Hey, why break with tradition?!

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Ladybird book Series 634 1975

 I have been asked where I get my information, ideas and inspiration from. Perhaps you too are frustrated with the endless ‘How to crochet’ books and Amigurumi titles on sale. And yet there doesn’t seem to be any books which get you from being a beginer to being an expert. I don’t honestly remember why I started this blog; but whatever that reason was, it has evolved into being a repository for all the crochet knowledge that I can vacuum up.

So where do I get my information? Books! (sorry, I’m having a little giggle) Old books! You’re right it’s not quite that simple. Sometimes it starts with a book, a hint in a paragraph or a pattern, a weird tool or something I fall over on the internet, or in conversation. Sometimes it starts with a question I ask myself or a search that seemingly leads nowhere. At this point I say to myself; I need to write about this. Sometimes all the hints and the research make a post but sometimes I have to do the experimenting myself.

Let me break it down for you and show you what you may have been missing!

Hidden in a book you already own are all sorts of really interesting things. When I get a new book, I read it from cover to cover. You know those boring bits at the beginning and end that you rush past to get to the patterns, you need to read those bits!

There are some other hidden bits in the patterns themselves. Do you remember that post I wrote about crochet ribbing? The whole post began with this…

Doris Chan's Convertible Crochet

 

Even stitch dictionaries have hidden information. All of my posts about slip-stitch crochet, in fact my whole slip stitch adventure began with this little paragraph in Robyn Chachula’s Stitch Dictionary.

Some books require more effort than others.

From The Batsford Book of Crochet by Ann Stearns

The Batsford book of crochet is an absolute gem. You may have flicked through it in a second-hand book shop and left it behind. At first glance the instructions are impenetrable and the pictures opaque. It requires that you take time and patience. You have to sit down with hook and yarn in hand to try and decode the information.

 

If you want something even more challenging, Therese de Dillmont’s book, Encyclopedia of Needlework, is written in an archaic style that requires you learn a new language. Here are her instructions for Double crochet! (Sc-US)

"Plain or close stitch- Put the needle in, as shewn, from the right side to the wrong, under the two horizontal loops of a preceding row, take the thread with the needle, draw it under the two threads, throw the thread over the needle and draw it through two loops."  

Almost(!) all the information you need is there. Sometimes I have to write my own instructions and draw my own charts. Do you remember this?

I made it for a post on slip stitch crochet in the round, it was inspired by this...

It was presented without any instructions. To make it worse, the illustrator was clearly making it up as they went along. If you try counting the stitches or indeed just try to follow the rows, something very odd is happening!!

 

James Walters' Crochet Workshop

 

 Another great book is James Walters Crochet Masterclass. There is so much information in there that even if you read it cover to cover you may come out none the wiser. It’s the sort of publication you dip into, as a reference book, when you need help with a specific problem. Thankfully it has a great index! Most recently, it came in handy when I was writing my Hairpin Doily post.

 

Unbelievably, foreign language books must not be overlooked! My Danish friends have bequeathed me some fabulous books over the years. Unfortunately, they have a wicked sense of humour and have started sending me Danish language books. It’s actually not that hard to translate an Amigurumi pattern from a foreign language, because the patterns are so formulaic. Fortunately for you, Sarah's book is now available in English! 

Nihon Vogue, Continuous Crochet

Japanese books are just magic. The whole written language is based on symbols so they are the masters of expressing a pattern in terms of symbols and charts. What little actually writing there is, is easily translated just with a mobile phone.

Pam Dawson

Among the books I've been given are two 1970’s obscure publications for textile handicrafts. They include information that I have not found elsewhere. They gave rise to the whole Surface Crochet series. Personally, I would have overlooked these books as I do not knit or embroider. Our mothers and grandmothers knew value for money when they saw it!

Haberdashery! Next time you’re shopping for yarn check out the haberdashery section, waste some time in a flea market. Don’t forget to look in the Sale items section of your favourite online yarn shop. This is how my ‘Long hook Crochet’ series began. I found an out-of-print publication for Double ended crochet and a Tatting crochet hook.

To find out about Crochet Tatting I found a reference in another online shop that led me to this Harper’s Bazar article. I had to blow it up and print it out in sections to try to see what it said. Even when I knew what it said I had to combine the information with several other sources to decode and write my post.

The internet is almost too big now. To be honest I’m surprised you found me. It’s nice to see you by the way! The articles that wash up to the top of any search are not always the best ones. The problem is always how to describe what you're looking for. Too many words, may mean you miss the perfect source but too few words and you are overwhelmed by links that are not what you are looking for. Don’t you wish the world at large understood the difference between crochet and knitting. This is where having a friend with an inquisitive mind is invaluable!

The problem with crochet, I always think, is that it’s basically a self-directed study. Once you have learnt the basics, from your Nan, from a book or from a video, you’re on your own. What you learn next is entirely up to chance. I’m not suggesting it should be otherwise. I am a jack of all trades and master of non, it’s just what floats my boat. But wouldn’t it be nice to know what all the things are. I've made a start!

Can I finish on a gripe? I picked up a pattern recently that used the notation Fsc. No explanation, just Fsc. I know what that means, but I also know that I have written more posts about Foundation stitches than any other. Like I said, we don’t all learn the same things and certainly not in the same order! To be honest I need to remember this myself. So if you catch me making assumptions about what you know… well you can quote me now!

Time for me to sign off and wish you traditional seasonal greetings…

Peace and goodwill to all…

Fastening off…

 

Three books I would not be without:

The Batsford Book of Crochet by Ann Stearns

(Because our mothers knew best!)

The Crochet Answers Book by Edie Eckman

(In fact, you can’t go wrong with any book by Edie Eckman)

The Handbook of Crochet Stitches by Betty Barnden

(Not for the stitches but for all the invaluable information at the start!)

Crochet Stitches Visual Encyclopedia by Robin Chachula

(Because of the diverse stitch patterns, she opened my knowledge of crochet techniques and got me hooked on Slip stitch crochet.)