Super Stitches Crochet Essential Techniques Plus a Dictionary of More Than 180 Stitch Patterns

316 Pages·2008·18.86 MB·English

by  Jennifer Campbell

Crochet: Jennifer Campbell and Ann-Marie Bakewell
Photography: Ian Hofstetter
Illustrations: Stephen Pollitt Copyright © 2007 by Marabout, Paris All rights reserved.
Published in the United States by Potter Craft an imprint of the Crown Publishing Group, a division of
Random House LLC, a Penguin Random House Company, New York.
www.pottercraft.com
www.crownpublishing.com
POTTER CRAFT and colophon are registered trademarks of Random House LLC
Originally published in the United States by Watson-Guptill, a division of Random House LLC, New York,
in 2007.
eBook ISBN: 978-0-55341913-9
Library of Congress Control Number:
2007935029
First eBook Edition
v3.1

Contents
How to use this book
Starting to crochet
Yarns and hooks
International symbols
Abbreviations
Following a pattern
Essential crochet facts
Crochet techniques
Holding the hook and yarn
Working in rows
Inserting the hook
Working in rounds
Fastening off
Increasing and decreasing
Checking gauge
Joining yarn
Working in several colors
Joining techniques
Textural effects
Assembling crochet pieces
Caring for crochet items
Basic stitches and formations
Basic stitches
Basic formations
Crochet stitch patterns
Single crochet rows
Double crochet rows
Solid patterns
Open patterns
Fan patterns
Trellis patterns
Arch patterns
Lacy patterns
Textured patterns
Medallions
Shapes
Edgings
Specialty crochet
Broomstick lace
Tunisian crochet
Glossary
Note to left-handed crocheters
Index

Swatches (clockwise from top left): Textured 15 and 16, Lace 7, Edging 11
and 12, and Fan 1 and 2
How to use this book
Crochet is formed by working a continuous length of yarn into a fabric of
interlocking stitches using a hook. The technique has been known since the
end of the eighteenth century and may have developed from tambour work.
As was the case with so many handicrafts, it flourished during the nineteenth
century, when many of the patterns still used were developed. The word
crochet comes from the French word croche, meaning “hook.”
Terms and symbols
The range of basic crochet stitches is not large and the techniques are easy
to master. These stitches are combined in many ways to create a wide range
of patterns. Crochet developed very much as a household craft, however,
and the patterns have not been organized in any way. Apart from the basic
stitches, most do not have specific, widely recognized names. Even terms
such as “fan,” “picot,” and “cluster” will mean different things for each
pattern, so always read the whole pattern through before you begin work and
make sure you understand what is required in that particular case. In this
book the patterns have been grouped according to their appearance so that
you can flip through each section to choose a pattern.
This lack of standardization applies also to crochet abbreviations and
symbols. A list of common abbreviations, including all those used in this
book, is given here. The symbols used in the stitch charts are shown here.
Charts were not traditionally used for crochet, but they are becoming more
common; and they are included in this book for more complicated patterns.
Swatches
Each pattern in the book has been crocheted, and a full-size photograph is
included to give an idea of its appearance. This will, however, vary slightly,
depending on the yarn and size of hook used and how tightly you work.
These swatches were worked using pearl cotton and a size C/2 (2.5) hook.