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Crochet Every Way Stitch Dictionary: 125 Essential Stitches to Crochet in Three Ways
Dora Ohrenstein
Paperback
9 ½ x 7 ¼”
287 pages
Publisher: Abrams (May, 2019)

Let me start by saying that I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest and objective review.

My goal is to review books that are related to crochet design so that you have additional resources at your disposal to support your design efforts.

Most of the designs I’ve come up with so far have very little to no shaping that I combine with intricate and often lacy stitch patterns. This is primarily because I don’t know how to increase and decrease (the main way you shape in crochet) within a complex stitch pattern.

Dora Orenstein’s new book, Crochet Every Way Stitch Dictionary: 125 Essential Stitches to Crochet in Three Ways, has solved this problem for me. And if you’re a budding crochet designer like me, you’ll want to include this book in your design reference library.

I knew this book was going to be an excellent resource based on another book by Dora that I own – Top Down Crochet Sweaters: Fabulous Patterns with Perfect Fit. I bought the eBook version, and I can honestly say, it is one of the best designed and formatted instructional books I’ve found on the subject.

Getting Started

Crochet Every Way Stitch Dictionary includes 125 stitch patterns with three ways shape them.

It opens with clear definitions of “stitch pattern” and “pattern repeat,” followed by a mini design course on three ways to shape these stitch patterns — along the vertical edge of the garment, within the interior of the garment, and in a circular fashion when crocheting in the round.

Dora also offers advice on what to do when the stitch pattern is so complex that none of these shaping methods work.

The “How to Use this Book” section is particularly helpful. It describes how the information for each stitch pattern is presented and includes sections on how making swatches of each stitch pattern can help you improve as a designer, how to read stitch charts, and another mini course on how to convert any stitch into a scarf or wrap.

The Stitch Patterns

Each stitch pattern includes —

• Photos of the stitch pattern crocheted evenly and with shaping
• Important information about the stitch pattern (e.g. number of stitches and rows in the pattern repeat, the pattern multiple, whether the pattern is reversible or not)
• Written instructions on how to execute the basic pattern and shape it
• A stitch chart of each basic and shaped swatch.

I love when authors include stitch charts with their designs. I find that they not only supplement the written instructions but I can often follow them more easily than the written instructions.

To provide some order to the presentation of stitch patterns, Dora has divided them into six categories —

• Closed stitches
• Mesh, filet, and easy laces
• Textured stitches
• Shells
• Classic laces
• Ripple and wave stitches.

Along with the index and this division, stitch patterns are easy to locate, making this unique stitch dictionary an excellent reference.

If you want to demystify what’s involved in shaping intricate crochet stitch patterns, the Crochet Every Way Stitch Dictionary is a must-have instructional manual and reference guide for anyone seriously interested in improving their crochet design skills.

It is filling an important gap in my design knowledge, and I can envision it will be one of those well-thumbed books that I refer to time and time again.