When I first came across this book in the Interweave Crochet Accessories special edition for 2011, I was hooked. The Radiance Sparkling Skinny Scarf caught my eye and I was intrigued by the idea of a seamless scarf done in a pattern. Picking up hook and yarn, I played with it but realized something rather quickly. One must learn to better follow diagrams to avoid the urge to stab ones self in the eye with ones hook.
I had the first motif on the scarf looking awesome. The second one was gorgeous. Then I ended up in the middle of the two with nary a place to go. Rip. Rip. Ribbit. Read directions again.
There is a happy ending. I got super good at triple crochet clusters and I have a scarf that is morphing into something that is going to look great once I adapt it to the non pattern solution I just came up with.
Happily, my copy of Seamless Crochet arrived and I was able to look in the back of the book and see very detailed instructions on how to read the diagrams, both by color code (which matters) and in how the diagram works in general and for the projects in the book. There is even a DVD to explain further. You can bet on my day off tomorrow, that is where I am going to be. Hook in hand in front of the television, learning more about this awe inspiring book.
What I liked:
The diagrams in the book are clear once you understand the method behind them. So are the written directions. Combine the two and you have a marvelous system that is truly unique. One of the things I hate about motif style work is the amount of ends you have to weave in. Oh the horror. Not with this book though. Kristin Omdahl has done a great job of crafting projects that have little to no pieces to join and Yay (insert happy dance) hardly any tails to hide.
The other thing I liked was the basic layout of the projects. You have a pattern block so if you want to adapt the theme to a project other than the one listed, you can do it. (Or like me who is learning how to read diagrams and made a detour or two that will have some creative offshoots from the original piece.) The projects themselves are lovely and I am itching to sit down and work through them. I love lace and the open style to these patterns is very appealing.
What I didn't:
Not a thing. My own inexperience was a stumbling block, but I am stubborn and am learning. The diagrams, once I received the book for review, are clear and I began to understand some of what I had missed in the magazine article.
Overall:
This book uses geometric patterns to create a project base that will delight crocheters of all levels. There are 18 projects but infinite possibilities that will change the way you crochet and have you looking to change other patterns to reflect the methods taught here. The DVD included, in addition to the information at the back of the book is supremely helpful and will lead you to success.
5/5
About the author:
Kristin Omdahl designs knit and crochet garments and patterns under her label KRISTIN and website www.styledbykristin.com. She appears in every episode of Knitting Daily TV on public television as the show's Crochet Corner expert, conducts seminars around the country and teaches knitting and crochet in her DVD workshops, including Innovative Crochet: Motifs. She is also the author of Wrapped in Crochet, Crochet So Fine and A Knitting Wrapsody. Kristin's work has appeared in many magazines and books. She enjoys knitting and crocheting in her orchid garden in sunny southwest Florida.
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I really loved the fushia flower shawl. I hope I win and thanks for the giveaway!
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