REVIEW: Cute & Easy Crochet by Nick Trench

Today we have a great review courtesy of Maggy who is a mum of 2 and has a craft website called Red Ted Art – there she regularly gets crafty with her two little ones. She also shares how to’s to inspire others to have a go. Recently, she has she taught herself how to crochet and written some great tips to help newbies along: “How To Teach Yourself to Crochet“. As part of this she reviewed Cute & Easy Crochet, by Nick Trench which we have reproduced here with kind permission.

I am telling you this book is GORGEOUS GORGEOUS GORGEOUS – the patterns are lovely, the wool they use is lovely and there seems to be something for everyone – little practice crochets like Jam Jar Covers, to chair mats (which will make a FABULOUS 1st project for when my kids are older), to gorgeous throws and bags.

The book is fabulously structured – patterns are clearly marked as: “beginner”, “improver” and “enthusiast”. I like these labels, as “improver” sounds like I can have a go and I may even manage enthusiast one day!!!

The beginning of the book has a guide to all the stitches you will need – so “their double crochet” or “their treble”. This is great for making sure you are not getting the American and British stitches confused, as well as serving as a reminder as to “what these actually are again”… I last crocheted about 2 months ago, so as a beginner I did need to revisit all the stitches again to remind me what I need to do.

I had a go at their “Baby Bouncing Balls”, as they are small, quick, help me practice following a pattern (which is the skill I need to improve) and allowed me to use up some odds and ends of wool I had lying around.

The beginning was a little fiddly and then I quickly got the hang of the pattern. I didn’t just make one, but five!! Well we have some newborn babies amongst my friends, so these make perfect little additions to their gifts; I love them...I am hooked.

I highly recommend this book to any beginner. My only “but” would be with the less complicated patterns – use what wool you have that roughly corresponds to the pattern – don’t worry about buying a whole ball of wool just to make a little bouncy ball or Jam Jar cove However, take care to get the right wool for bigger or more complicated patterns – I know this from “bitter knitting experience”! Ask advice in a store or buy the wool stated for the pattern (which is often Debbie Bliss, which I LOVE!).

Publisher CICO Books

ISBN-10: 1907563067

ISBN-13: 978-1907563065