Review: 200 Crochet Tips, Techniques & Trade Secrets

200 Crochet Tips, Techniques & Trade Secrets book is full of tips and techniques that I think would be of great use for a beginner or an advanced crocheter. It is great to just have on a book shelf and pull it out as a reference when needed, or keep out when you are working on something and might need a reference on a stitch or technique.

It covers basics, like all about hooks, types, sizes, etc. Yarn, types, uses, substituting yarn tips, dying yarn yourself, how to recycle an old sweater to use its yarn (that's one of my favorites, so simple, but never thought of it,) essential tools, tape measure, clips, pins, stitch markers, etc and their uses.

I crocheted a little when I was younger and got back into it when I got older. I am not an expert yet, but it is a lot of fun. There are so many different stitches and techniques covered in this book it seems impossible to ever become an expert in all of them.

The sections I am looking forward to using one day are the sections that helps you design your own garments and write your own patterns. It helps with design basics, shape, fit, etc. I am still working with already made patterns and practicing on those. But, I can't wait and am happy to know I have this book as a reference when I get to that point.

There are even crochet techniques, from basic foundation chain, single, double stitch, etc to more advanced, like various textured stitches.

There are tips and techniques on shaping crochet, doing pockets, neckbands, edging, etc.

Working with various color.

Working in the round techniques.

How to join, block and finishing techniques.

There is even a size conversion chart, help to understand patterns and different terminology.

Each page has a little panel off to the side that gives a 'Try It or Fix It' technique that is relevant to what is discussed on the page.

Not to long ago this book helped me to learn the post stitch and I created what looked like a pretty basket weave type fabric. I was quite impressed with myself.

This book if filled with tips and techniques, but there are no patterns. For example if you go to the section about working in layers, making a crochet flower, there is not a pattern for crocheting a flower. It is just to be used as techniques for a pattern you may already have.

All the pictures in the book are in color and very well stitched that everything looks so pretty. It inspires you to want to do the stitch or pattern too. There is a section on Filet crochet which I started getting into and this book has been a great reference for me with it. I learned the technique from a site online, but this book helped me understand it and the graphs better.

I learned the popcorn stitch from this book. I can't seem to get it right, but it is not the books fault. I just have a habit of crocheting too tight, so I am working on it still. But, the picture in this book is so pretty I am determined to get mine to look equally as pretty.

Even though this book even has basic, single, half-double, double, etc. stitches I do not think the descriptions are made for pure beginners who have never done those stitches before. I think they are made more as a reference or a refresher guide. There are pictures for each step and they are very well done, but I think pure beginner might need more steps, info. and be better off with a How to Crochet book that will have practice patterns and such. But, of course they will still need this book too help them get even better.

There is so much more to 200 Crochet Tips, Techniques & Trade Secrets that I haven't even used yet. Though, whenever I start a new project I know that this book will have a section of tips and techniques that will help me if I need it or, that it will be there when I am ready to let out my own creative designing side.