Nancy Queen - The Chicks with Sticks Guide to Crochet: Learn to Crochet with more than 30 Cool, Easy Patterns

Text and project designs copyright 2008 by Nancy Queen and Mary Ellen OConnell
Schematic illustrations copyright 2008 by Potter Craft
Instructional illustrations copyright 2008 by Potter Craft
Photographs copyright 2008 by Potter Craft

All rights reserved.

Published in the United States by Potter Craft, an imprint of the Crown Publishing Group, a division of Random House, Inc., New York
Originally published in the United States by Potter Craft, an imprint of the Crown Publishing Group, a division of Random House, Inc., New York, in 2008.
www.crownpublishing.com
www.pottercraft.com

POTTER CRAFT and colophon is a registered trademark of Random House, Inc.

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Queen, Nancy.
The Chicks with Sticks guide to crochet : learn to crochet with more than thirty cool, easy patterns / by Nancy Queen and Mary Ellen OConnell.
p. cm.
Includes bibliographical references and index.
eISBN: 978-0-307-58703-9
1. CrochetingPatterns. I. OConnell, Mary Ellen. II. Title. III. Title: Guide to crochet.
TT825.Q514 2008
746.434dc22
2007036432

Executive Editor: Joy Aquilino
Development Editor: Amy Vinchesi
Art Director: Timothy Hsu
Production Director: Alyn Evans
Photographer: Sonya Farrell
Crochet illustrations: Sherry Polley
Schematics: Sivan Earnest

v3.1

To Dan, Dave, and Hadley.
And special thanks to our husbands,
Chris & Ben, for their unwavering support

This is our philosophy of learning to crochet in the fastest, easiest, and most effective way possible! You will learn to crochet a little bit at a time and will practice each technique with an interesting project. You wont feel overwhelmed with projects that are too complicated; instead youll discover projects that keep your hands busy, your mind a little challenged, and your soul satisfied.

Its always a little intimidating when you try something new. We take the fear out of learning to crochet by providing you with terms and projects that are easy to master. Often we see beginners jump into projects that are too difficult; and they end up feeling overwhelmed and frustrated, and quit before they even start. You wont feel that way with this book!

Do you have a busy lifestyle, yet you are searching for something to spark your creativity? Do you want something to keep you occupied while your husband/significant other is relentlessly flipping channels on the TV, or while waiting for an appointment, or on your travel commute? Crochet fits the bill; plus its a great way to relax and unwind. A recent Harvard study found that crochet has the same great Zen qualities as yoga (if only it could help us lose a few pounds as well!).

Crochet is portable, so you can take it anywhere: to a sporting event or doctors office, on an airplane, even on a lunch break. We are The Chicks with Sticks because, quite frankly, you will never find us without our hooks and needles. We are addicted, and you will find us at the next Y.A. (Yarn-o-holics Anonymous) meeting proclaiming it proudly. Like you, we are busy gals, but we love the chance to kick off our shoes, put up our feet, and get those fingers moving. We enjoy projects where we dont necessarily have to pay too much attention because we are also busy gabbing, or we dont want to miss who-did-what on the latest episode of our favorite TV shows. Most important, crocheting is something we love! Its easy to learn and a lot of fun to do. We want you to be able to enjoy it as much as we do; and, hopefully, someday youll teach others how to crochet.

THE CHICKS WITH STICKS TOP 10 REASONS TO START HOOKING

You need to relax and unwind.

You want a creative outlet.

You are tired of waiting in carpool lines, doctors offices, the kids sports practice, etc. with nothing to do.

You delight in wowing friends and family with handmade gifts.

You are a do-it-yourselfer and love the feeling of gratification that comes from making something with your own hands.

You want a chance to meet others who enjoy a passion for the same hobby.

You want to be able to crochet and share quality time with someone important to you: a mother, daughter, grandmother, or friend.

You love working with yarn and fibers.

You dont need much to get startedjust a hook and a ball of yarn!

You can make really cool stuff!

You WILL find patterns that are timeless and sophisticated and that have an updated edge.

You WONT find patterns that are so trendy, no one above the age of ten could wear them.

You WONT find tedious projects with lots of charts and color changes or complex stitches.

You WILL find easy-to-follow step-by-step instructions to learn how to crochet.

You WILL find fun, relaxing projects that may have an interesting stitch repeat to keep you on your toes but are not so complex you cant take your eyes off them for a second.

You WILL find information to help you select the right yarn and tools to crochet.

You WILL find helpful hints and tricks not usually covered in an instruction book.

You WILL find ideas on how to put more crochet in your life.

You WILL find some fun stuff, such as your .

The Chicks with Sticks Guide to Crochet is arranged in lessons to help you learn crocheting step-by-step, with each lesson providing building blocks for the next. The first lesson will familiarize you with crochet hooks, tools, and yarns as well as explain how to read patterns and yarn labels. The next few lessons introduce the five basic crochet stitches. Each new lesson ends with a project or two with which you can test out your new skills. As the lessons advance, youll be introduced to more complex stitches, changing colors, and felting, and eventually get to try your hand at sweaters. Well teach you our secrets for getting the best crochet results, including how to measure for a garment that fits, how to select yarns, and our Chicks Shorthand for effortless garment shaping. We wrap up with tips and ideas for meeting other crocheters in your community, starting a crochet club, and even sharing your hobby through charitable crocheting. Bring your perseverance and enthusiasm and lets get started!