Get Hooked!
Get Hooked: Simple Steps to Crochet Cool Stuff
author/editor Kim Werker
www.get-hooked.net (blog for the book)
Watson-Guptill Publications
release date: August 2006
ISBN 10: 0-8230-5092-0
ISBN 13: 978-0-8230-5092-5
96 pages
8 1/2 x 9 inches
$11.95 US
10 designers, in addition to Kim, contributed. Full disclosure: I'm one of them.
The book is clearly geared towards tweens and teens, but don't let that stop you.* Since the book hasn't been released yet, I'm going to keep the review basic and may add more details later on. One of the best things about this book, besides the teen-friendly cover price, are the instructions. Kim W. and Cecily Keim co-authored Teach Yourself Visually: Crocheting, which has fantastic step-by-step photos, and the photos in Get Hooked are also clear and sensible, with simple written instructions. All of the expected info is here on hooks, yarns, reading yarn labels, and notions. There's a section on abbreviations as well, but all of the pattern instructions are written out as full sentences (that's right, NO abbreviations used, at all, in any of the patterns). In addition to washcloth and kerchief patterns in the skills section, there are 12 patterns, all of which have a list of the necessary skills right at the beginning (ex. "chain, single crochet, weaving in ends, seaming") and a full-page color photograph of the project. Some of the patterns have clearly drawn schematics, and some have illustrations detailing particular steps, like seaming pieces together. Additionally, the yarns used for the projects are generally carried by craft stores (Bernat, Crystal Palace*, DMC Embroidery Thread, J.&.P. Coats/Aunt Lydia's, Lion Brand, and Patons). This book was tech edited, so hopefully no errors. I know that my tech editor caught a math problem and revised the way I phrased some things and I think she did a great job.
If Teach Yourself Visually: Crocheting is too much for you, either in price ($24.99) or size (280 pages), Get Hooked is a lower-priced option that is not as extensive in the instructions but has the same visual instruction style.
Other reviews:
The Hook and I blog
*unless you are the type who sighs and complains about patterns being to "young" or "trendy" for you - if that's so, I recommend you take a look at Teach Yourself Visually: Crocheting for yourself, and keep Get Hooked in mind if you are shopping for a youngster.
**I know that craft stores in Hawai'i carry Crystal Palace, mostly for making yarn lei. Might be different elsewhere.
MK - I'm so glad you're happy with the book. And thank you for writing such fantastic things about it on your blog! It'll be out in August, and I can't wait to promote it more.
To all your readers I feel I must add: MK designed the cutest sushi roll pillow for the book, and Cynthia Frenette, the book's illustrator, did my favourite illo for it.
Posted by: Kim | May 26, 2006 at 02:13 PM
cute book. great designs for my 10 year old(and me!). she wants to learn to crochet. i'm still struggling with the crochet thing. i think i'm going to pick up "visually" today.
Posted by: kathi | May 27, 2006 at 06:27 AM
Awe, Kai is such the gal ;) I am privileged to be in her Mondays knitting group :)
Posted by: Leah | May 27, 2006 at 08:53 AM