Step-by-step instructions and symbol charts put these 139 creative new border designs within reach for beginning and advanced crocheters alike. If you’re ready to chart your own crocheted course, Edie Eckman offers plenty of helpful design advice, including how to choose an appropriate border for each project and how to incorporate an element from the main stitch pattern into a new border design. She then explains, with the help of close-up photos, how the same pattern can have dramatically different results depending on the weight of the yarn. With each pattern diagrammed to approach in both rounds and rows, Every Which Way Crochet Borders is an inventive and invaluable resource.
Edie Eckman has her hands in many aspects of the fiber artsteaching, writing, designing and editing. Her knit and crochet designs have appeared in many magazines, yarn company publications, pattern leaflets and books. Her books include: Beyond the Square Crochet Motifs, How to Knit Socks: Three Methods Made Easy, and The Crochet Answer Book. Her newest book, Around the Corner Crochet Borders, will be published in early 2010. Edie travels extensively teaching at conventions, shops and guilds. "
Crocheting is something I love to do… there’s nothing like the feeling of taking a hook and a few skeins of yarn and transforming it into something beautiful. And what it is that enhances the beauty of crocheted creations? You guessed it… a pretty border!
I’m not creative (or knowledgeable enough) to dream up my own patterns, so books like this one are extremely useful to me. I have a small collection of crochet pattern books that I look to for inspiration for my next afghan, etc. but none of them had a dedicated section on borders, so I was excited to see what this book had to offer. It’s so much more than merely a book of patterns, however. The chapter about design concepts gives tons of useful information, from choosing borders that will either complement or contrast the main body of your project (and what that means) to the importance of border size, the colors you choose, and even the type of yarn you use. You’ll also find instruction on how to add a crocheted border onto a fleece blanket, for example—something I never even thought about doing!
With 138 patterns to choose from, shown in beautifully colorful photographs, you’re sure to find a border you’ll fall in love with. Each one is precisely detailed and illustrated, with notes on how to do specific stitches. The appendix includes information on how to read crochet patterns—which is useful for people like me who can’t always remember all the stitch symbols—as well as an illustrated glossary… which is perfect for deciphering things like “Dc2tog over 3 sts” for those of us who often forget the meaning of certain abbreviations.
This is definitely a book any crochet enthusiast would find beneficial, and would be a lovely addition in your crochet book collection.
This is an EXCELLENT resource for crocheters, both beginners and experienced. I was very pleased by the clarity of the instructions, the (amazing) photographs, and the extra hints added. Not only does Edie clearly show how to add a plethora of borders to crochet projects, but she gives ideas for design, color placement, and yarn choice as well. There are troubleshooting boxes and helpful tips scattered throughout the book. Since I only recently picked up my crochet hooks again (I'm usually a knitter), I found a lot of helpful insights on things that had been frustrating me (like, WHY will that square not lie flat?!?) and have picked up some very useful things to try.
As a very visual learner, the photography was a huge point for me. There are oodles (yes, oodles) of pictures in this book. I want to reach through the pages and feel the stitches. There are individual pictures for each step of difficult or previously unexplained stitches. Also most, if not all, of the borders include written and charted instructions.
The only downside is that the photographs and instructions are all only from a right-handed perspective, so lefties will (as usual) be left to attempt to mirror for themselves. Not a huge issue to anyone well-used to the way knitting and crochet books are written, but still worth noting. I'm a left-handed crocheter myself, and while fairly new to the craft, didn't have any trouble reversing anything in the book.
Many thanks to NetGalley for providing a free copy in exchange for an honest review!
A fabulous,well written crochet book! The borders are memorable as well as beautiful with graphs and written instructions. The hints, prompts, instructions, and impressive teaching of the various patterns and stiches make this a book every crocheter should have on their shelf!!
Another great border book by the author. Amazing variety of borders with detailed instructions and the math is basically done for you. I have used several borders from the author's first book "Around the Corner Crochet Borders" and was pleased with how they came out. This new book is a must buy for me.
Edie Eckman is my go-to crochet authority, and a new book by her is always a treat. I also love edgings and borders, so this book is a double pleasure. Done in beautiful colors, with excellent charts, Edie’s latest offering is a winner.
The introductory section is excellent, although I would expect that from an Edie Eckman book. It begins with a thorough discussion of form vs function, the uses of scale in a project, the way that color changes the look of an individual border, the effects of different yarns and weights, and how to attach crocheted edgings on different fabrics. Edie shows how to customize borders by changing or combining them, discusses the importance of swatching, describes various problems in working borders and gives their solutions, shows how to fudge if you have to (and we all have to at one time or another), and gives two methods for ending a round. There is a helpful note for British crocheters on the different terms for stitches, and a quick start guide for those of us who are impatient.
What can I say about the borders themselves except that they are glorious? Each edging is accompanied by an excellent chart and written instructions for crocheters like me who find the charts to be too hard to follow. The selection of borders is excellent; no matter what your project you will find a suitable border in this compendium. One border looks like little frogs (so cute), and several look almost tatted. Thick borders, thin borders, lacy borders, firm borders, if you need it, she’s got it.
There is an excellent appendix after the borders. In it Edie describes how to read crochet patterns, and how to use and understand the charts. There is a glossary for crochet terms, and instructions on how to make various stitches. There is a handy little directory of all of the edgings in full color, and an index.
For anything you wish to border in crochet, from a delicate lawn handkerchief to a king-sized afghan, you need look no further than this book. Edie Eckman has done it again. Give yourself and your possessions a treat and immerse yourself in “Every Which Way Crochet Borders.”
I was given an ARC from the publisher and NetGalley for my honest opinion.
What a fantastic resource Every Which Way Crochet Borders: 139 Patterns for Customized Edgings by Edie Eckman for crocheters is!
The patterns are clear and varied, the photos are crisp and detailed and the book itself is well organized. The edge patterns all have diagrams as well, which is a wonderful touch. For a crocheter looking for nice border patterns, this book is an absolute gem. I know personally that when I am looking for a border pattern to give my project a finishing touch it can be hard to find a good one. The edging patterns here are unique and varied, there are plenty of ideas.
The book starts off with “design concepts” discussing colors, yarns and frequently asked border questions and “crocheted border mechanics” . There is even information on how to add crocheted borders onto knitted projects, non woven fleece and woven fabrics.
She also has a helpful section on multiplying stitches: “Take the number of stitches on one side, subtract by the “plus” number, then divide by the multiple.”
There are tips on fudging stitch counts for when you just have to adjust your stitches so that it works out nicely anyway. There is so much more in this pattern book, it is very thorough.
This is an excellent book on borders. I can't wait to use them on the blanket I am currently making.
Edie Eckman shows you how to do simple and very complex border patterns and how to incorporate them into your item. She teaches you the mechanics of doing a border. How to customized them for your project and how to make them stand out. How to widen a border or narrow a border. This has full color pictures and detailed designs. There is even a wonderful index in back with pictures of all the different borders.
I received this book for free from the publisher for an honest review.
vTitle: Every Which Way Crochet Borders - 139 Patterns for Customized Edgings Author: Edie Eckman Publisher: Storey Publishing Published: 1-24-2017 Pages: 224 Genre: Needlecraft & Textile Crafts Sub-Genre: Crafts & Hobbies, Crocheting, Home ISBN: 9781612127408 ASIN: B01NCLKEI5 Reviewed For NetGalley & Storey Publishing Reviewer: DelAnne Rating: 4.75 Stars
Publisher's Description Step-by-step instructions and symbol charts put these 100 creative new border designs within reach for beginning and advanced crocheters alike. If you're ready to chart your own crocheted course, Edie Eckman offers plenty of helpful design advice, including how to choose an appropriate border for each project and how to incorporate an element from the main stitch pattern into a new border design. She then explains, with the help of close-up photos, how the same pattern can have dramatically different results depending on the weight of the yarn. With each pattern diagramed to approach in both rounds and rows, Every Which Way Crochet Borders is an inventive and invaluable resource.
I was not disappointed with the easy to follow instructions. There are many different patterns offered. There was one mistake in a few pages being printer up-side down, perhaps that will be fixed prior to publishing. A great book of new border patterns to try and enjoy.
My rating of "Every Which Way Crochet Borders - 139 Patterns for Customized Edgings" is 4.75 out of 5 stars.
Back in January, I had the opportunity to meet one of my crochet (and knitting) heroes, Edie Eckman, in person at Creativation. (I always forget to take pictures in moments like these, so you’ll have to trust me on this one!) I have several, well-loved books by Edie in my crochet library, including two of my favorite crochet books ever, [[ASIN:1603420398 Beyond the Square Crochet Motifs: 144 circles, hexagons, triangles, squares, and other unexpected shapes]] and [[ASIN:1603425381 Around the Corner Crochet Borders: 150 Colorful, Creative Edging Designs with Charts and Instructions for Turning the Corner Perfectly Every Time]]. When Edie asked if I would be part of the blog tour for her new book, Every Which Way Crochet Borders: 139 Patterns for Customized Edgings, I jumped at the chance. (Even though I’m nerding out, I did review the book thoroughly. Or, is that because I’m nerding out?)
Every Which Way Crochet Borders is kind of a sequel to Around the Corner Crochet Borders, but each book is an independent work so you don’t need both to enjoy the one in hand. You also won’t find it a repeat in terms of the information presented.
If you like to nerd out on crochet, if you dream about what border to add to your project (and then wake up looking for your hook), or if you just wish you had a fabulous crochet teacher at your side to guide you through designing your next project, then Every Which Way Crochet Borders is a great book for you. Edie generously shares her years of crochet knowledge with readers in an understandable way, along with plenty of beautiful border patterns.
The book opens with 30-page section called Design Concepts where Edie shares tips for choosing a border to complement or contrast your project and on color and customization, provides photo tutorials and detailed explanations to help you place borders in crochet fabric (as well as knitted fabric, non-woven fleece, and woven fabrics), walks you through the math of stitch counts (in a very non-scary way, for all of you that are afraid of math), and shares several methods for joining a new yarn and ending rounds. This section includes plenty of detailed, color photographs as well as text and is written in a conversational tone. Edie also provides pattern reading tips at the end of this section.
There is also an 18-page Appendix section with more information about reading pattern abbreviations and international stitch symbols; a table of attributes which helps you choose borders based on width, reversibility, and several other options; thumbnails of each border; and an illustrated glossary of terms and stitches. The book also includes a helpful index.
But what about the patterns? The Border Designs section includes the patterns in no particular order (which is why you may find the table of attributes or thumbnails helpful). Each border includes stitch multiples for the base round and a note about where to begin the border (e.g., “Begin in corner st”), a large color photo of the border (including the corner and two sides) against a white background, and the pattern instructions in both U.S. pattern abbreviations and international stitch symbols. Each pattern also lists the attributes (such as “Narrow” or “Undulating”) that you will find in the table of attributes. Some patterns also include notes, like special stitch patterns.
The book is spiral bound with a hard cover, so you can keep it flat while reading and expect it to stand up to years of use. The border samples are photographed clearly and are in bright and inviting colors.
In her introduction, Going ‘Round the Bend, Edie says, "To encourage browsing, the borders are arranged on the following pages in no particular order. Browsing can pay off in a big way. You may think you want a ruffled edging, but when you see that textured border, you’ll realize it’s just the thing!" I debated with myself about the value of putting the borders in random order. On the one hand, it might have been helpful to have patterns with similar attributes (e.g., “Undulating” or “Straight”) together, and beginners might feel more confident if the patterns were ordered by difficulty. Ultimately, I think Edie’s logic about this actually makes sense. I know that from years of leafing through stitch guides, I don’t always end up using the pattern that I came in search of.
I’m giving this book 5 stars. It includes a lot of helpful information that will improve your crochet skills, beautiful eye candy, and plenty of great patterns for every type of taste. The border patterns don’t indicate a skill level, but Edie encourages swatching and experimentation at the beginning of the book. Crocheters who have the basic stitches down will find plenty to work with in this book, and more advanced crocheters can dive into more complex border or experiment with design.
Lovely crochet book. The book is so nicely set out and everything easily explained. The instructions are clear and the pictures help to explain everything. Everything you need in a crochet book, right from beginning to expert crocheter! I can’t wait to try out some of these borders on my crochet. Great book! Also, although I couldn't tell on my kindle, this book is listed as spiral bound, which if I were to buy it in hard copy, would be perfect for when you are crocheting. Some books are difficult to keep open at the right page and the spiral bound would solve this problem! Great idea, great book!
Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for this review copy in exchange for an honest review.
When I was a kid my grandma embroidered pillowcases and she crocheted borders around the opening. She never used a pattern and her borders always fit with the design on the pillowcase. I love them and cherish them 40 years later. The borders in this book are like the borders of my grandma, but the author wrote them out in easy to follow instructions.
The patterns look easy to follow and the pictures are great. Anyone who is looking for a way to spice up their fancy work (as grandma called it) can benefit from this collection.
I was given a copy of this book from NetGalley in return for an honest review.
Lots of wonderful borders with great pics, written directions, and charts. Not only do you get a pic with each border, there's a gallery at the back for a quicker look. Not sure if you want a narrow border or one with texture there's a chart in the back that will let you find borders based on various parameters (narrow, wide, textured, lacy, open etc) which is incredibly helpful. All special stitches are explained. Even though I have access to this book through Kindle Unlimited, this is one I will buy to use as a reference (I'm on a fixed income so I don't often "buy" books).
This book is EXCELLENT. It discusses complementary vs contrasting borders, scale, provides examples of the same borders in different colors and yarn types, demonstrates how to widen a border, and troubleshooting ... all by page 30. The next 150+ pages have beautiful borders categorized by design attribute with both written and diagramed instructions. The appendix is a fantastic reference for how to read patterns, a visual stitch key, border directory, and glossary. The author and publishers really thought of everything. I can’t recommend this enough to anyone who crochets, beginners and experts alike.
Easy to read and understand patterns whether you need written instructions or you require graphs. It's the best of all worlds. Beautiful patterns: simple,complex, solid, lacey; single-sided stitches or stitches that look well on both sides. Whatever is needed to add to that crochet blanket, knitted shawl, fleece throw, woven Laprobe, etc., etc., you will find something that works perfectly to give your project that ideal finish it needs
Well done with the pictures, charts and all of explaining for border . Found lots of borders to try out even if I just make swatches to see if I like them as much as the pictures
Fun, outside-the-box edgings. Beware that some math, logic, and jiggering with stitch counts is necessary--this is not a book with lots of mindless patterns.
What insight into the world of crocheting borders!
I loved this book. It was easy to follow. It offers insight and tips on crocheting borders. Highly recommend! I’ll definitely use this resource over and over again.
Very glad I bought this book. The instructions are clear; the pictures are numerous and very helpful; the designs are varied and appropriate for all kinds of projects.
I am trying to make border #121 and finding the working instructions a little difficult to follow. Pictures are beautiful and diagrams are pretty clear to follow. Lots of neat patterns to try.
I love the way the book is laid out! the borders are each pictured in a way i can hold up my project to them, so i can get a better idea of what would look good with the current project. I love my spiral bound copy as well, it lays flat nicely.
An excellent crochet guide, absolutely crammed full with information. With an in-depth introduction, colour theory, details of different yarns types, customising borders, troubleshooting and a big glossary, there's a wealth of knowledge without even looking at the patterns themselves!
The border designs are beautiful and some of them are just stand-out amazing, I could spend all day just flicking back and forth looking at them all! From small to big, solid to lacy, textured to fringed, scallops to hearts, there's definitely a border pattern for your project in here. I'm a moderately skilled crocheter, but I admit that some of these patterns at first glance made my mind boggle! But with the clear written instructions, diagrams and great photographs, any of the borders are achievable with a bit of patience and practice for all skill levels.
I can't wait to try some of them out for myself, the only problem is going to be choosing which one!
* I received a free e-copy via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review
For anyone that wants to try borders on crochet work or items, this book explains the working very clearly. At the start there is some chapters on the elements of crochet borders and how they impact with the use various wools, colour, scale and shape. It also explains how to get round corners neatly and with easy. There is a FAQ part as well, I found this part of the book really worthwhile. The book then gets into the workings of different edges and how to work them, there are 139 of them , some very unusual and others traditional but all remind us of the variation and how they can enhance our projects. The book ends with information on how to execute stitches and how to read patterns. I felt this to be an excellent book for anyone interested in finishing a project, either crochet, knitted or sewn.