Stitch 'N Bitch Crochet: The Happy Hooker
by Debbie Stoller
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Book Reviews of Stitch 'N Bitch Crochet: The Happy Hooker
Book Review: my favorite crochet book so far!
Summary: 5 Stars
I have been crocheting for 30 yrs and I absolutely loved the "happy hooker". The patterns are fresh and young and def. different from your grandma's crochet. I have completed 5 projects so far (i'm listing yarn sub.,hope you find them helpful)-fat bottom bag(moda dea beadnik),sweet pea shawl (knit picks shine worsted),cupcake (king tut cotton) shortn sweet (aunt lydia's crochet cotton)
and knot ugly shrug(knitpicks elegance-lovely!! soft and warm alpaca silk blend). I am also currently working on "go for baroque" (using the shown filatura di crosa yarn). All of the yarn sub. worked really well, except for the "short'n sweet-it needs a silkier yarn than I used)
Please make sure you get the "corrections" before you start any of the projects, there are quite a few of them ( find them at knithappens)
I loved that they described the yarn used in depth, showed upclose pictures of it, made it much easier to sub.
My only complaints are that they do not list the projects by skill level, although I found them all easy to follow except found "short n sweet" confusing. I also wish they had included some filet/thread crochet patterns, Debbie just seems to dismiss them as too tiresome.
I do love the creativity of the patterns, where else can you find a pattern for a crocheted doormat using twine from the hardware store? They also have some lovely beaded jewelry.
I can't wait for the "Happy hooker II"
thank you!!!
Book Review: I am HOOKED! : )
Summary: 5 Stars
I am SO impressed with Stitch 'n Bitch Crochet. "The Happy Hooker" book is great. If you are a beginner, there is a comprehensive and very clear intro part with all the stitches very well explained and well illustrated. Nice guide to reading patterns, finishing your projects, blocking, etc. There are DOZENS of patterns, mostly wearables, all with nice photos, the background of the designer, each with a wide range of size adjustments and using a variety of yarns. Deb Stoller has written a very engaging introduction to the book, about her own needle-crafts likes and dislikes, as well as a nice little history of crochet itself, and the different pros and cons of knit vs. crochet. She gives us crocheters some well-deserved props for pursuing and expanding our craft in the face of disrespect from "the other yarn craft" -- the book is great all around. Only thing I would have liked is for it to be spiral-bound. It's a thick, square-ish book and it will be hard to keep it propped open to read the patterns -- you'd probably have to photocopy the pattern pages you are working on (FOR YOUR OWN USE ONLY, OF COURSE!) and work from that; plus so you could write notes or cross off rows as you go.
I got mine from Amazon for $10.85 and I think it is a bargain at that price. It is full of great information and patterns to keep you busy for years! : ) I think it is a great addition to any crocheter's library.
Book Review: LEFTIES BEWARE!!!!!
Summary: 2 Stars
Having crocheted for a few years, and having learned to knit from Stitch 'n Bitch Knitting, I was excited to see what Debbie Stoller had to offer the world in the way of crochet. This book has some nice patterns, which is why I went out and purchased it. The instructions are clear and, as with her other books, cute and fun.
However, if you're a lefty looking to learn to crochet, there is NO WAY you could learn to crochet from this book. Don't even try.
The one(!!) sentence of instructions for lefties says it all. On p.27, the instructions tell lefties to either learn to crochet right-handed (which seems like a real cop-out on her part and, frankly, irresponsible) or "reverse everything - and I mean everything - in this book." And that's it. No other instructions, tips, NOTHING. Learning to crochet with your right hand would be equivalent to learning to write with your right hand: not easy and not necessary. There are other books out there that actually show left-handed instructions, diagrams, and tips on how to convert patterns for lefties. This book has none of these.
If you already know how to crochet, this book has some cute patterns (do check for errata on the website) but lefties are on their own. If you're looking to learn crochet AND you are left handed, my recommendation is to look elsewhere and (possibly) come back to this book when you've got way more experience.
Book Review: Love only at second sight
Summary: 4 Stars
I am not sure why but first I was not that impressed with this book - I flipped through it and what got stuck in my mind were some of the patterns that are for young people (teens and early 20's)... so I put it away a little disappointed.
However, recently while going through my way too big but still growing yarn stash I picked up this book again to see if I could find a pattern for which I could make good use of one the my yarns that I bought for no particular project. Reading through it the second time and more thoroughly changed my mind about it completely.
- Introduction to crochet very thorough and easy to understand.
- Projects for all skill levels and to complete within a couple of hours or more time-consuming
- broad variety of yarns used in projects
I just finished the one skein scarf today with two of my odd skeins (different gauge and yards) from my yarn stash and it turned out beautiful (quick project!).
Next project started is Short 'n Sweet vest - made out of totally differnt yarn choice but seems to turn out beautifully as well :-)
Bottom-line: I recommend this book for probably 80% of the patterns and for the fun reading it (bios of designers/contributers) and the instruction section that should be especially useful for beginner crocheter or crocheter who picks up the hook again after a longer 'absence'.
Book Review: dare i say it... even better than S&B Nation!!!!
Summary: 5 Stars
oh lord, WHY did i have to JUST start knitting right before this book arrived? as addicted as i am to my new hobby, i am a long-term crocheter who has been very, VERY tempted to drop the needles and grab a hook again because of this book (well, that and "The New Granny Square" - tho i already own it, it is not available on Amazon for some reason so i cannot review it).
for someone like me (with boho-y, funky hipster tastes most crochet books have not even BEGUN to approach), this book is PERFECT - as i am not a beginner, these patterns are fantastic for gift-giving to the friends who share similar tastes as i do, and for modifying. even FOR the beginner, being able to follow many of these patterns will soothe the minds of many who have picked up a hook only to moan and groan at all the boring, grandma patterns usually handed off to crocheters. no offense to grandma, but yeah, these days we seem to have little use for doilies.
and, too, i meant what i said - these crochet patterns, to me, are even better than the ones in EITHER of the S&B Nation knitting books - knitters out there, either learn to pick up a hook (hey, it is most certainly true, we are sisters and brothers in yarnhood, let us all expand our minds here) or be jealous.
a must-have for any young or young-at-heart crocheters (or knitters learning how) out there!