I have been a huge fan of Melissa Leapman for a long time.
(See? Trufax.)
In the interests of full disclosure, I have also had the great fortune of getting to know Melissa as a friend. (Sometimes I still get all fan-girl, and think “OMG! Melissa Leapman likes me!!!!”)
I felt extra-lucky, then, when a review copy of Melissa’s latest book appeared in my mailbox.
Called Melissa Leapman’s Indispensable Stitch Collection for Crocheters (Quarto Publishing 2016; available for $16.14 at the time of this post), this book is exactly what it professes to be: a clear and exceedingly useful book full of wonderful crochet stitch patterns.
The book begins with a helpful introduction explaining how to use a stitch dictionary, how to swap stitches into existing patterns you own, tips on designing, and how to add shaping to a stitch pattern. Then you’ll find the 200 stitch patterns, organized into the following sections:
- allover stitches
- stitches with shells and fans
- openwork and lace stitch patterns
- textured patterns
- colorwork
- edgings.
The book concludes with a section showing techniques, abbreviations and how to decipher international symbols used in crochet patterns.
What is so special about this book?
- Close-up, clear photographs of each stitch pattern (worked in Cascade 220, the perfect smooth worsted yarn with excellent stitch definition).
- Each stitch pattern is included written out in words for the verbal crafter, and shown in chart form for visual crafters.
- Reversible stitch patterns are marked with a special symbol.
- You’ll find stitch patterns that are original, making this especially valuable since there’s less overlap with the stitch dictionaries you may already own.
- There are a lot of texture and colorwork patterns, a type of crochet that seems (at least to my eye) to be used less in patterns and stitch dictionaries.
Melissa is one of the most professional and conscientious designer/authors in our industry, and having reviewed scores of books over the years, I have come to realize how good it is to buy a book knowing that the author has worked diligently on it AND has extensive experience designing and teaching–nothing slapdash here.
If you’re looking for a holiday gift for the crocheter in your life, or want to treat yourself, then this book is a wise choice: so much inspiration, presented in an easy-to-use format that will delight any crocheter.
READ THE FINE PRINT: I received a review copy of this book to incentivize me to write a review but the opinions expressed herein are entirely my own. I participate in the Amazon Services LLC Associates program, which allows me to earn a small advertising fee when the Amazon link above is used to purchase items from Amazon.com. Photographs and cover image are used with the author’s permission and for review purposes.