Book Review: 200 Crochet Blocks

200 Crochet Blocks for Blankets, Throws and Afghans
Jan Eaton
Interweave Press

I picked this up at the library out of idle curiosity and flipped it open. I don't run in the library, so I walked very briskly over to the nearest available chair and settled in. See, I've picked up many a book of afghan blocks, gone through pages of free afghan block patterns on the internet, gotten a little jaded.

It's not so much the blocks themselves that really grabbed me (although there are many beauties in here), it's the way this book has been organized and presented. Jan Eaton has put out several books for needleworkers of all stripes - in addition to the knit and crochet books, she has done books and charts for embroidery, cross-stitch, and needlepoint. Enhancing her prowess, this book has been published by Interweave Press, which specializes in the fiber arts. Eaton and Interweave know their market well.

This book is designed to be a pleasure to work with from start to finish. When you open the book, this is how you are greeted: with an index listing all 200 blocks as thumbnails. Each one is labeled with a name, number, and page number. For the second half of the book, in which squares are shown with color variations, the thumbnails have a separate number for each color scheme (and yes, each color scheme is shown in the thumbnails!).

You then go through a quick introduction and two pages of how to use this book - there is a plan, and it is good. Each block pattern has symbols indicating difficulty level, how it is worked (back and forth or in the round), and the colors used in the block. For the first hundred, suggestions for three blocks you could mix each block with are shown (again in thumbnails). Details on how to read the afghan plans are given - each plan includes individual images of each block used, how many of them are needed, the colors used, and the number each block is labeled with. There's a nice combination of ideas you can use as well as information to help you design your own blankets in the following sections, which cover thoughts on how to choose and combine blocks, plan a design, and use colors. The suggested designs cover 9-patch pillows, baby blankets, throws, and full-size afghans, like the simple Baby Stripes (using the same block turned in two directions to create a stepped pattern) and Eastern Promise (at first glance, it looks elaborate, but uses only two blocks).

There are two patterns per page in the first 100 blocks, with the photos at varying sizes to accomodate varying pattern lengths - all of the blocks will work up to the same size, however, if you stick to a single gauge. There are traditional favorites as well as Eaton originals, and it looks like the block patterns were arranged with the colors used in mind - two facing pages will have blocks that all use shades of blue, for example. I've already mentioned that the second half of the book shows each block in four different color schemes, and I don't know if I can express how much I love this. Color makes a huge difference, and it appears to me that the schemes chosen include one each of neutral, warm, cool, and bright. This can make all the difference between flicking past a square and going breathless at the sight of it; thinking that hmm, it's nice, but I'll never use it and say, that would make a gorgeous throw for the couch.

Finally, the back of the book includes techniques (I really appreciate the basics of crochet going to the back of the book, sparing those of us who know how to crochet the slog through beginner instructions), a few edgings, abbreviations, suggestions on choosing yarn and calculating yarn amounts, and - and! - a full list of the yarns used throughout the book, arranged by color, using the same color dot symbols as the patterns. People, details like this make me take out my hanky and dab at my eyes. Details like this take work and planning, all so that you and I can, if we so desire, use the exact same yarns as the book (now, how easy it would be to get those yarns is not up to the author or the publisher, so I'll let that go).

Overall, I think this book would make a fine addition to my personal library, and a nice book for the nightstand - something to daydream over before going to sleep and letting ideas percolate. I imagine this would be a wonderful resource for groups looking to make a blanket together, as well as individuals who would like to get started making afghans tailored to their own specifications. The book would be even easier to use if the patterns were available as symbolcraft as well, but I'm not going to kick about that. 200 patterns, half of them with 3 additional color schemes...that's a lot of work. As my usual, I'm going to point out that you have to do unkind things to the book in order to get it to lay flat (this is generally up to the publisher, so I'm wagging my finger at Interweave here).

Errata is available from Interweave as downloadable .pdf files. Later printings may not have the errors in them, so do check the copy in your hands; the corrections may already be in there.

Comments

[Kim]

You'd think Interweave would know better than to make a book that wouldn't lie flat! Arrrrgh.

[keohinani]

that book is awesome. it was the second book on crochet that i bought after the initial how-to pamphlet. i made one square out of acrylic and an H hook - pretty good size. an afghan wouldn't take very long or very many squares. :)

[Wibbo]

Thank you for your lovely review of my book! I had a wonderful time writing it and I'm delighted with the finished book.

[alida]

I just got started working on squares from this book and so far I love it! Alida

[Ellen]

I would like to buy this book very much but how do you calculate how much yarn for the squares?

[mk]

Ellen, you may not like my recommendation:
Step 1) Crochet a motif according to the directions. Cut yarn.
Step 2) Unravel motif.
Step 3) Measure unraveled yarn.

Personally, I find that mileage varies enough with individual crocheters that any instructions listing yardage are to be taken as suggestions, not as an absolute. If you are interested in finding out about other ways to calculate yardage, the Crochetville forums (www.crochetville.org) are great resource, and a search there or a posted query might get you a method you like better.

[mk]

btw, the book does have recommendations on how to calculate yardage - my copy is currently loaned out so I can't tell you what those recommendations are. Something to be looked up!