Crocheting

Lisa Arsenault is an elementary-school teacher in Ajax, Ontario.

A very basic manual that teaches the introductory steps involved in
crocheting, this book is a good choice for beginners age 8 and up. Its
object is to teach enough skills to complete 10 simple projects geared
to appeal to adolescent girls: a purse, a beaded scrunchee, a locker
organizer, and so forth.

A list of materials is followed by the crochet techniques, beginning
with how to hold the yarn and hook. A lesson on making a slipknot is
followed by instructions for chain stitch, single crochet, turning work
and counting stitches, joining new yarn, fastening off, and finishing
techniques, including overcast stitching for sewing, joining two pieces
of crochet, and adding fringe.

Skills are taught in increments in chronological order so that novices
can build up their abilities. Opportunity is provided for practising
stitches, and even a skill as simple as threading the yarn needle is
addressed. Clear diagrams accompany each of the numbered sequential
steps. (One cavil is that there are no instructions or diagrams for
left-handed people). The projects are similarly no-fail; materials,
step-by-step instructions, coloured diagrams, and alternative-ideas
sidebars are provided.

It should be noted that the stitches don’t progress beyond single
crochet, which is the most basic stitch, so crafters are limited in what
they can create. One small technical slip—the author neglects to say
what to do with the two tails of yarn that are left hanging when you add
new yarn. Recommended.