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IG Crochet 2: Tutorials & Practice Projects

Idiot's Guides: Crochet by June Gilbank

This is Day 2 of my week of posts telling you all about my new book, Idiot’s Guides: Crochet, which will be released in 7 days, on 5th August.

For my main intro to the book, how to order your copy, and the other posts in this series, please see my main IG: Crochet info page.

Tutorials

Making really clear, easy to follow tutorials is something I’ve been perfecting for years, so I knew exactly what I wanted for the tutorials in this book:

  • Lots of photos, so you’re walked through every stitch step-by-step.
  • Ultra-close-up full-colour photos with relevant loops/stitches highlighted so you can really see exactly what you’re looking at.
  • Arrows that show exactly where to put your hook and point out any features to watch out for.
  • Extra tips and tricks to make your crocheting life easier.

In short, I made this experience as close to one of my video tutorials as I could manage in book form, so you can see exactly what my hook is doing at every stage of each stitch.

Idiot's Guides: Crochet by June Gilbank - sample tutorial page

My instructions are detailed and complete, and the hundreds of photos are in full colour, clear and close-up, so a beginner with no prior crochet knowledge can watch my fingers and replicate my movements as I walk you, step-by-step, through every stage of learning to crochet.

I’ve covered everything from the very basics that most books gloss over in a sentence (e.g. How exactly do you ‘yarn over’? What does ‘draw up a loop’ really mean?) in a series of chapters that build your skills gradually until you’re ready to learn a variety of more advanced stitches and techniques to help you perfect your work (e.g. How do you ‘weave in ends’? What is ‘blocking’ and how and when should you do it?).

Practice Projects

Throughout the chapters I’ve included a selection of practice projects – original patterns that let you try out your new skills and make something pretty in the process. Your first projects shouldn’t have to be embarrassing or dull!

Idiot's Guides: Crochet by June Gilbank - Practice Project 1: Three Simple WashclothsIdiot's Guides: Crochet by June Gilbank - Practice Project 2: Colorblock Potholder
Three Simple Washcloths – a perfect first project for the novice crocheter.
Colorblock Potholder – get to grips with colour changes and basic edgings.

Idiot's Guides: Crochet by June Gilbank - Practice Project 3: Triangle BuntingIdiot's Guides: Crochet by June Gilbank - Practice Project 4: Circular Coasters
Triangle Bunting – make top-down and bottom-up triangles that form exactly the same final shape, so you can practice both increases and decreases and make a pretty decoration in the process.
Circular Coasters – try out working in the round and using a combination of different basic crochet stitches in the same pattern.

Idiot's Guides: Crochet by June Gilbank - Practice Project 5: Pretty HeadbandIdiot's Guides: Crochet by June Gilbank - Practice Project 6: Puff Stitch Scarf
Pretty Headband – make a chainless foundation and try your hand at reading a charted stitch diagram.
Puff Stitch Scarf – an introduction to combination stitches, and perfecting those tricky puffs!

Of course, even if you’re not a crochet newbie, these beginner-friendly projects are also pretty enough to be given as gifts, or just to make for yourself 😉

Tip: If you’re beyond absolute beginner level, I’d recommend you add a little more pizzazz to the most basic project – the washcloths – by adding my Basic Edging (p50-51), or any of the other edgings from Edgings & Adornments (Chapter 14).


I’m only just getting started with showing you what I’ve included in this book – I told you it was epic! In tomorrow’s post, we’ll look at the Stitch Galleries and Motifs chapters, and then on Thursday and Friday I’ll finally get to show you my patterns…

Note: all images reprinted with permission, Alpha Books, a member of DK.

6 Comments »

  1. Linda Jones said

    Can you mail book directly to me or can it be purchased at Chapters Book Store in Canada?

    • June said

      Hi Linda, sorry I didn’t see this sooner. The easiest way to get my book in Canada is to order it from amazon.ca – here’s the direct link: Idiot’s Guide Crochet. Otherwise, you can do a store check at chapters.ca to see if they have it in stock at your local branch.

  2. Judy Carlson said

    Will they be mailing the projects back to you? Looking forward to your next post!

    • June said

      Yes, I got them all back a few weeks ago, but can’t use any of the projects yet: I want to take some more photos for my Ravelry project listings to show you any special details that the book photos don’t show, while the projects still look pristine! (e.g. the bunting above has a hanging loop at each end that I want to show you via Ravelry – I can add my extra photos as bonus content to the pattern info page.)

      • Judy Carlson said

        I’m glad you got them back! More pictures of your projects will be great to see. I’m thinking about ordering some knit picks yarn. Some of those yarns look really nice.

  3. margarita perret said

    Muchas felicidades . que tengas mucho

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