Doris Chan "Everyday Crochet"

Submitted by Teresa on 30 September 2007 - 7:27pm. Categorized As:

Over on the Crochet-along forum I have started a topic on Doris Chan's new book. Here are three things I love about this book :

  • Top-down construction with little or no sewing takes advantage of the strengths of crochet, lets you fit as you go;
  • Advice on choosing a size and fitting to YOUR body, large or small, straight or curvy;
  • Great advice on what yarn you can use or substitute (not just "buy this brand") and she explains just how far you can go with substituting yarn and adjusting gauge or size.

    Her approach is more like "how to cook" than just recipes you have to follow slavishly. I totally, totally need this approach -- adaptability! -- if I'm ever going to make a dent in my stash of gorgeous odds and ends and have them turn in to garments I will wear.

    I am working on the "Jewel" top -- my first-ever crocheted garment (except for 2 baby sweaters -- luckily babies can't complain about funky stitches!). I freely admit that I am struggling a bit with the challenge of learning to follow instructions! I don't mind the struggle, though: it is clear that when I have worked through Doris Chan's approach once and figured it out, I should be able to sail through the other projects in this book, adjust, adapt, and make pretty much any kind of sweater I want.

    So if you are considering the book or, better yet, you have it already, check in to the forums for the crochet-along (so far I am the only one crocheting! help me!!)


    ‹ Crochet Today Magazine Interweave Crochet--your thoughts ›

    • Darn, now I really can't put off buying this one.

    Submitted by Kim on 10 October 2007 - 8:28pm.

    Hurry up, Amazon! I need this book!

    Submitted by Miggins on 24 October 2007 - 6:30am.

    this is my next book purchase. I was going to get it this weekend but David gently pointed out that I just got 3 books in the mail and 2 magazines and I'd not yet even started anything from those books and maybe I should.

    he's also the person that points out that I already have a ton of yarn and maybe I should use that instead of buying more. I used to be able to say "but I need this SPECIFIC yarn for this SPECIFIC project" but lately I've been buying the specific yarn and not starting the project because OOOH SHINY!!! another pattern shows up that I want to do even more and I need new SPECIFIC yarn for that pattern

    He's finally caught on. Sigh. I tried to point out that he'd been buying lots of guitar stuff and camping stuff lately, but he pointed out that he actually puts the new strings on his guitars and plays them AND we used the camping equipment this summer.

    He's the level headed friend I never knew I needed.

    Hardcore? Hardcore is for babies. I'm HOOKCORE!

    Submitted by bubbo on 31 October 2007 - 7:16am.

    But this is THE SPECIFIC BOOK that will have THE SPECIFIC PATTERN that you will really, truly start next as soon as you buy THE SPECIFIC YARN. Bubbo, I can't believe you gave in so easily, LOL.

    Submitted by pauline3 on 1 November 2007 - 8:28pm.

    So far we've got the following projects going from this book on the Crochet-along forums -- with pictures, trials and triumphs, un-dos and re-dos and figurings-it-outs, and we've entered the Cth Dimension!

    Jewel (done), No Sweat (almost done!), and Rah-Boon-Dee-Ay (rockin' on!) all from Chapter 3 (Pullovers);

    4-S Vest (come back Joy! those Christmas presents can wait) from Chapter 5 (Vests);

    Mei Mei (welcome to the LCth Dimension!) and Soft Serve (done! check out the picture in comments page 2 under Jewel ) from Chapter 4 (Cardigans);

    and from Chapter 1, Cameo (hey, Makinmyown, how's it going?!).

    Submitted by Teresa on 14 November 2007 - 10:37am.

    http://www.randomhouse.com/crown/pottercraft/errata/everydaycrochet.html

    Hey, the publisher actually started a corrections page! There are correx for CINNABAR and TALL LATTE (which means they probably apply to any other sweaters based on those two).

    Submitted by Teresa on 14 March 2008 - 10:07pm.

    I bought this book a couple of months ago. No regrets, the patterns are so beautiful. Doris Chan has a photoalbum:

    http://www.flickr.com/photos/14498426@N03/

    Submitted by Doubledutchstitch on 18 May 2008 - 5:13am.

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