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Welcome. For those of you who are about to try crochet for the first time, or those who already know the basics, youll be able to master the art of crochet by following the easy-to-understand illustrations contained in this book. Perhaps you already know how to crochet with yarn and a hook but find instructions in published patterns difficult to follow. Or maybe you need a little help to be able to crochet evenly or to neatly finish your pieces. This book illustrates precisely where to place the hook, where to hold the yarn, and where to pull the yarn through for each stitch. By practicing these steps as you work your projects, each piece will come out a beautiful work of art.
The basic techniques are the same whether using thin crochet thread or thick yarn to work the pattern stitches or to join finished pieces together. You no longer have to dream about being able to crochet; you will find all the answers in this book.
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First published in the United States of America in 2014 by Chronicle Books LLC.
First published in Japan in 2011 as
Kihon No Amikata Ga Wakaru Hon Hajimemashite No Kagibari
Kyoshitsu by EDUCATIONAL FOUNDATION BUNKA GAKUEN BUNKA PUBLISHING BUREAU. Text copyright 2011 by EDUCATIONAL FOUNDATION BUNKA GAKUEN BUNKA PUBLISHING BUREAU.
Illustration copyright 2011 by Nakaniwa Rockett. All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form without written
permission from the publisher.
English language rights arranged with EDUCATIONAL FOUNDATION
BUNKA GAKUEN BUNKA PUBLISHING BUREAU through Toppan Printing Co., Ltd. Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data is available. ISBN: 978-1-4521-2706-4 (pb) ISBN: 978-1-4521-39692 (epub, mobi) BUNKA PUBLISHING BUREAU Credits:
Publisher: Sunao Onuma
Designer: Gen Watanabe
Illustrator: Nakaniwa Rockett
Copyeditor: Haruyo Yamada
Copyediting Collaborator:Akiko Seino
Proofreader: Masako Mukai
Editor:Yoko Osawa (BUNKA PUBLISHING BUREAU) Chronicle Books LLC
680 Second Street
San Francisco, California 94107
www.chroniclebooks.com
contents
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Basic Techniques
BASIC CROCHETING
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A hook and a strand of yarn are all that you need to begin crocheting. Crocheting can be a simple or an intricate process, depending on the stitches and techniques used. First you need to master the basics in this chapter as your foundation; then you can try a variety of crocheting patterns.
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TURNING YOUR WORK
When working in rows, its important to be consistent in your method of turning your work before beginning the next row.
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TURNING YOUR WORK
When working in rows, its important to be consistent in your method of turning your work before beginning the next row.
This will keep the ends of your crochet piece neat.After finishing the row, work the required number of chains for the turning chain, and then turn your work toward the right while holding the hook and the turning chain in place.
HOLDING YARN & HOOK
HOLDING THE YARN
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HOLDING THE HOOK
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Holding the yarn and hook together
CHAIN STITCH
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SLIPKNOT
The most basic stitch used to begin a piece.
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Hold the yarn where it twists, and wrap the hook around the yarn
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PICKING UP STITCHES FROM THE FOUNDATION CHAIN
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SINGLE CROCHET
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Begin with a foundation chain; do not count the slipknot.
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Row 1: Foundation chain, showing 8 chains and turning chain (the last chain before the loop on the hook)
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