I think I'm in love...books?

[sammimag]

I think I am in love with freeform crochet and as soon as I am finished with my current big project I want to start messing around with it.

I stumbled accross The Crochet Workbook by Sylvia Cosh which I think is good for beginners who need some place to start.

Are there other books that other have used or website with some tutorials you could suggest? I seen examples of work but not much on "how to" yet.

Samantha

[Alosha]

You might want to take a look at "Freeform Knitting & Crochet" by Jenny Dowde. It's a great reference book with some patterns & motif instructions, but also helps in developing your own designs.
:)Alosha

[origami]

I think I am in love with freeform crochet and as soon as I am finished with my current big project I want to start messing around with it.

I stumbled accross The Crochet Workbook by Sylvia Cosh which I think is good for beginners who need some place to start.

Are there other books that other have used or website with some tutorials you could suggest? I seen examples of work but not much on "how to" yet.

Samantha

There are only a few books out there. If you have the Cosh book, you are very lucky! It's out of print. I would LOVE to have a copy of it but it's not likely. :sigh But there' a wonderful Yahoo group for Free Form Crochet and they have lots of resources and information and it is very active. I think Prudence Mapstone is the name of one author of Freeform Crochet books.

I did find a book about freeform knitting at my used bookstore recently though.

[sammimag]

Thanks for the info. When I start doing some freeform crochet I will likely join freeform list.

I got Cosh's book on iterlibrary loan (here in the US) so if anyone is intersted in checking it out there are some copies around.

Samantha

[Red883]

If you join the Yahoo FForm group you would have access to the designers websites and could spend days looking through those links for inspiration.
Check out the links, files, database of that group.
Prudence is a member of that group and has also started her own Yahoo group/newsletter...
The FForm group is a wealth of information and inspiration...designers and teachers besides "regular" crocheters...

Someone has graciously made up a book list available on the Yahoo FForm group...vintage OOP books but available if you "wishlist" them on half.com, Amazon, Alibris, and even seek them out on eBay. They do turn up...and that's how I obtained all of mine.

M.Hubert...a FForm teacher...has 2 FreeForm books available on Annie's Attic. Available individually or a "2 for 1 combo" price. Great practice actually working on items in order to get the "feel" of FForm.

As for Sylvia Cosh...try and obtain her Sweater Book. The butterfly and moth sweater patterns are absolutely stunning!

[crochetqueen]

I highly recommend both of Margaret Hubert's FreeForm CD's or VHS tapes, they are invaluable and you will benefit from both the knitting and the crochet, but if you only want to get the crochet it will be just fine. Prudence Mapstone has a brand new book out that I just did a review on www.bellaonline.com/site/crochet (http://www.bellaonline.com/site/crochet) and SSSSHHHH a little bird told me Jenny Dowde has something coming out soon, so be on the look out.



Eva

[Sondra]

Freeform or Scrumbling is new to me. I haven't tried it yet but just love looking at the results from others. The fascination started with Sylvia Cosh and James Walter... and I'm very lucky to have a few of their books, very inspiring. Just this week I received "Freeform Knitting & Crochet" by Jenny Dowde (from Amazon.com) and love this book. To me, this book seems great for someone starting out. However, I'll have to take the advice from "crochetqueen" and try to get Margaret Hubert's tapes... Sounds like something to add to my reference library.

[**Ann**]

I've only just discovered freeform crochet myself so no expert by any means but I found this old book from 1973 called "Creative Crochet" by Edson and Stimmel that has a lot of freeform stuff in it and some wild pictures :) It's really given me some ideas to go sans patterns and come up with some new ideas.

[thefabledneedle]

i think most of my projects start off as freeform;)


my friend pat, who is an awesome crocheter, gave me a book when i moved:

A New Look at Crochet by Elyse and Mike Sommer. well, it's certainly not "new" as it came out in the '70's but i found it fun and inspiring (in a very funky '70's kind of way). crazy hats, jewelry, artsy sweaters and stuff.

[nuts4fiber]

I love Prudence Mapstone's book, "Freeform: Serendipitous Design Techniques for Knitting and Crochet". I bought mine a few years ago from a link through her (fantastic) website, www.knotjustknitting.com, but I have seen that more and more shops are carrying it here in the states.

She also has two other wonderful books on Bullions and Handbags which I recently bought from her as well. Now, when I get my wonderful bullion hook that I won on eBay (from Fancy Kitty), I will try to improve my bullions. Bullions are my FF Achilles Heel!

I had been looking for the Cosh and Walters book for ages and could only find the $17.95 book going for $50 to over $100 on auctions and used book sites, so I checked the Los Angeles Library system. In a huge library system like ours, there were only two copies! And one had been checked out for many months and so has likely been stolen. So, when I requested the only remaining copy, I admit, I scanned most of the pages into my computer (I'm so afraid the last book in LA will be stolen, too).

I would be happy to buy a copy, and tried to contact the original publisher (Griffin, I think it was) to beg them to contact Walters to get them to reprint, but could not contact them by internet (perhaps they are defunct?). Someday, I will find a copy to buy...I hope...

[nuts4fiber]

Anne (Red883),

I just noticed your little notice of your husband's hooks; "I crochet, he makes hooks"... They are wonderful! You make a great team!

Kim

[princsstrish]

I just caught Prudence Mapstone on Uncommon Threads, that new show on the DIY network. Freeform looks alot different to me now. She does awesome work!!!

[hooklady]

You might want to check out Jim Walters web site at
http://crochet.nu/scjwc/index.html