Connect the Shapes Crochet Motifs: Creative Techniques for Joining Motifs of All Shapes

by Edie Eckman

Connecting beautiful motifs can be just as enjoyable as crocheting them. Edie Eckman’s creative joining techniques allow you to easily combine multiples to form a whole new pattern, from lacy links, swirls, radiants, and wheels to three-dimensional effects. Step-by-step instructions, detailed photography, and innovative stitching charts ensure success. With 100 brand-new motif designs at your fingertips, you’ll be free to explore limitless variations and capture your own personal style. 

Genres: Crochet, Crafts, Nonfiction, Reference, How To, Knitting

273 pages, Kindle Edition

First published October 23, 2012

About the author

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. "

Reviews

[Carolynn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Edie Eckman is a crochet wizard. I crochet--I've crocheted for about 65 years, but joining motifs intimidates me and I have never been able to figure out a systematic way to get those little beasties under control. Edie shows me how in step by step procedures. What's more, these procedures are transferable to the next set of different motifs, so you can modify and adapt your joining pattern to suit your current needs without having to give up your first-born (breathe easier, Charlie!). Most of us can follow a pattern pretty well. Some can even get creative in one area or so. But Edie Eckman is creative in just about all the areas of crochet I've seen her in. So as far as I'm concerned, she's a crochet wizard. If you are interested in learning how to join odd-shaped motifs together, this book is a must-get for you.

[Barbara K. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent book on crocheting with motifs of all shapes, and connecting them in various ways. Includes motif and project patterns, and encourages creative experimentation. Uses US crochet terms.

This is the kind of modular crocheting I learned to love most when I used to do a lot of it. I'm trying to come back to crocheting now, in a small way, after having to give it up many years ago due to tendinitis. That was when I took up knitting instead. When I looked around for books to help me refresh my memory about crocheting, this title came up along with the entire series it's a part of. Intrigued at first by the beautiful cover, I gave it a try, and immediately realized I'd found exactly what I was looking for.

Other reviewers have said this isn't for beginners, and while I tend to agree, that's also a matter of opinion. I can see a beginner getting some use out of it, in combination with other basic sources. It does go through all the basic stitches, but it is also mostly about working in the round with shapes that are connected, either as you go or after the fact, and most of the shapes here are a bit complex. If you want to learn to make a flat fabric, worked back and forth, another book will be better. It just depends on where one wants to start. If you want to make a blanket worked in pieces, or a table runner worked in pieces, this could be a definite help. I can see wanting some direction from a person or a YouTube video, but there's no reason not to start with this book as well, if it's what inspires you. For me, that's the key to learning anything, wanting to learn because I'm inspired and intrigued.

The same author, Edie Eckman's, other book, Beyond the Square Crochet Motifs, might be a better place to learn simpler motifs, and if you prefer beginning with a basic granny square, there are also books on granny square variations by Margaret Hubert.

The book includes instructions for all the basic stitches, as well as starting from a chain ring or a sliding ring. It uses US crochet terminology and uses both written instructions as well as charts.

I have the ebook version. It's also available as a paper, spiral-bound book.

[LG · Rating 5 out of 5]

My third Edie Eckman's book. Thumbs up.

[Emily · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book mostly covers connecting motifs of the same shape. If you want to join motifs of varying shapes or sizes, this doesn't really help.

[sidewalk · Rating 3 out of 5]

Connect the shapes was delivered to me on Halloween for a review. Crochet has taken a bit of a back seat for me lately, but this book got me excite to use it more in a few future projects and I am DEFINITELY going to make the skirt pattern from the book! WOOT WOOT!

Before I begin though: My book got delivered on Halloween. It rained cats and dogs that day! Nobody was home to receive the book, so it had to sit outside on the front porch, where it got rained on. So it did sustain a bit of water damage.. you may see that in some of the pictures. Just in case you were wondering......Also: The pictures were taken by my daughter with her i-pod... so they may not be the best ones, but once my camera's batteries are charged, I will make good ones for ya and exchange them. Until then... enjoy lol

Now on to the review:

I have been crocheting for a long, long time! I do love it occasionally in between the knitting projects I tackle. As a matter of fact, I am planning a bit of a big crochet project next for a friend *winks at Louise* So this book came at just the right time to get me in the right mood and give me food for thought about what to make!

The tips in the first part of the book are very good! I liked how nicely it was explained and I like "voice" of the book very much. It is rather a bit amusing and not as dry as some instructions books can be. The author has definitely a sense of humor about things, that is always a good thing, if you ask me.
The motives themselves range from tried and true Granny squares to off the cuff new and exciting. I have to say: I am a rather traditional girl to begin with and not a huge fan of motive work, but there were a few little motives in this book I might try out after all. And if you know me, then you know that is saying something.

The information given in the book is well written and easy to understand. The instructions are clear and easy to follow as well. It is wonderful that the book gives you written instructions as well as charts for the motives. This way everybody can use it. It is a great help for people who want to teach themselves how to read a chart, as they can compare the written instructions with the charts and figure out how it all works!

The emphasis of the book is on how to join crochet motives together. I love that! There are so many different ways and now they are all explained in one compilation! I don't have to run to the internet, or grab twelve different books from the shelf (if I had them...) I can grab one book and compare right there in one sitting how best to connect what I have got. Not only does it tell you how to connect the motives given in the book, but it does encourage you to try it out on any given motive you may run across. It definitely is a confidence builder!

Now if you are a seasoned crocheter, you may have no problem figuring out where to best join two motives, but are you really utilizing all the methods you know? I doubt it. I have been crocheting for a long time and I do have my "standard go-to" methods. I am happy to be reminded of all the other ways. One can only keep so much information in one's RAM after all! LOL the rest is delegated to the hard drive. It is accessible, but it will take a bit of probing and searching to find it! With this book you got it right there! So don't write this book off, even if you are a seasoned crocheter!

Another really fun point this book is making for both seasoned and novice crocheter is about colour choice and placement.You get to see some of the motives in different colour combinations and it really brings home how different something can look with just a few changes in colours used, or where you place them!

The book itself is a bit big to easily tuck it into your crochet bag, so it is more something to read at home in your fiber-corner. I am also not a huge fan of the spine in combination with the spiral binding. I prefer the spine open when there is a spiral binding, that way you can flip to the page and open the book all the way round without worrying about a spine. Also it is easier to flip the pages, if there is only the spirals and not a spine in the back. (I'm always worried a page will tear out this way)

On a very personal note: some of the colours use for the sample motives were rather off putting for me and I think it will make the book date rather easily instead of being a timeless go-to-giude.

I love that the emphasis in this book was on tips and technique rather then on giving patterns for projects. It does have a few patterns in the back, but really the important part are the blocks and how to join them! Often guide books hide the instructions for new techniques, or tips in patterns and I find that rather tedious. This book gives you what you need and then some on top. Get help with techniques an if you like, try it out on a pattern or two!
I ADORE the lampshade pattern and the little skirt pattern from the book and have added them to my list of things to make! :)

Overall I would give this book three stars. I definitely liked the book over all. If you are new to motive and block crochet you will get a lot out of it and I would definitely recommend it to new crocheters. If you have been crocheting for a while, go check out the new motives in the book! You will have fun playing around with them and coming up with new ways to use them! Crochet is definitely moving forward and with people like Edie Eckman working tirelessly to spread the word and come up with new and exciting things crochet definitely is making it's way towards center stage and away from the "Granny" image!

[Laurie Sand · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love this designer.

Fun, innovative designs, vibrant colors, clear instructions and diagrams. A great inspiration book for the advanced crocheter. Looking forward to reading Eckman's book on edgings!

[Lauren · Rating 4 out of 5]

Enjoyable techniques, and helpful.

[Karla Bates · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love to crochet and this book has a lot of pretty motifs. Have fun!

[Katy Lovejoy · Rating 5 out of 5]

these are so cool

[Marie Segares · Rating 5 out of 5]

Connect the Shapes Crochet Motifs: Creative Techniques for Joining Motifs of All Shapes by Edie Eckman is the follow up to her bestselling book, Beyond the Square Crochet Motifs. The book was a pleasant surprise for me. I expected a short book with suggestions for interesting ways to join crochet motifs, and what I found was a collection of over 100 crochet motif patterns along with many tips and tricks for making more polished motifs and joins.

The first part of the book, Techniques, is filled with ideas for starting to crochet in the round, reading symbol patterns, starting and ending rounds, weaving in ends, color theory, choosing yarn, planning increases, arranging shapes, multiple methods for joining motifs (in progress and while they are finished), forming continuous motifs, and blocking. While some of this information is also available in Beyond the Square Crochet Motifs, if you love crocheting motifs and are always looking for ways to make your projects look even better, this section will help take your motif crocheting to the next level.

The next part of the book, Motifs and Joins, includes both motif patterns and suggestions for joins. Each pattern is written with both U.S. pattern abbreviations and international stitch symbols. The patterns are organized into different sections based on construction and appearance.

● Classic Grannies: 3 squares, 1 circle, 1 hexagon, 1 half hexagon, 2 triangles, and 2 joins
● A Little Double Crochet: 3 squares, 1 circle, 2 hexagons, 1 half hexagon, and 2 joins
● Gathered Chains: 2 squares plus 1 four-sided motif, 1 triangle, 1 six-sided flower, 1 circle, and 3 joins including 1 filler motif
● Lacy Links: 1 square, 1 triangle, 2 stars, 1 circle, and 6 joins including 1 filler motif
● Layered Mesh: 4 squares, 1 hexagon, 2 circles, and 2 joins
● Sc/Dc: 3 squares, 1 circle, 2 hexagons, and 2 joins
● All Clustered: 2 squares, 3 octagons, 1 triangle, 1 hexagon, and 2 joins
● Triple Petals: 2 squares, 1 triangle, 1 six-sided motif, 2 hexagons, and 2 joins
● Start with a Flower: 3 squares, 2 triangles, 2 hexagons, 1 circle, and 2 joins
● 3-D Fun: 2 squares, 2 hexagons, 1 triangle, 1 circle, and 2 joins
● Swirls: 2 hexagons, 1 circle, 2 squares, 1 triangle, and 2 joins
● Radiants: 2 circles, 1 hexagon, 1 square, 1 six-pointed motif, 1 triangle, and 2 joins
● Picots in Plural: 2 six-pointed motifs, 1 eight-pointed motif, 1 triangle, 3 squares, and 2 joins
● Wheels and Shells: 3 squares, 1 triangle, 1 hexagon, 1 eight-sided motif, and 2 joins
● Inner Connectivity: 3 squares, 2 triangles, 1 hexagon, 1 six-sided motif, 1 circle, and 1 join

My favorite patterns are in the Layered Mesh, Start with a Flower, and Swirls sections.

The third part of the book, Patterns, includes 12 projects. All but one of these projects includes new motif designs. The projects include 9 home decor projects and 3 women’s garments (1 shawl, 1 vest, and 1 skirt). The Lacy Skirt is my favorite of these projects and would be a great wardrobe staple.

The book ends with a motif directory which includes a thumbnail of each motif in the second section so it will be easy for you to locate your favorite patterns. The book is a spiral-bound hardcover, so it stays open while you crochet.

Overall, this is a great book for crocheters who like to make motif patterns and other portable projects. There are tips sprinkled throughout, and while the joins work with specific motif patterns from the book, a careful reader could learn a lot about adapting joins to different motif patterns. I would also recommend it to crocheters who prefer international stitch symbols, as well as beginners hoping to advance their technical skills.

Full disclosure: A free review copy of Connect the Shapes Crochet Motoifs was provided by Storey Publishing. Although I accept free products for review, I do not accept additional compensation, nor do I guarantee a positive review. My reviews are based entirely on my honest opinions.

[Shala Kerrigan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Connect the Shapes Crochet Motifs- Creative Techniques for Joining Motifs of All Shapes by Edie Eckman is both a crochet techniques book and a motif pattern book.

In the first part of the book, the author goes over the basics about how to read international crochet notation or charted patterns and combine that with a text pattern for very clear instruction on how to work the pattern. She discusses color theory and balance, then gets into the techniques. Joining motifs, especially those with picots, mesh or lace edging can be tricky. With a solid edge, you can just slip stitch, sew or single crochet the motifs together. Join as you go or JAYGo edgings can be more difficult. She walks you through, step by step with clear instructions and good photographs with bright yarn that's easy to see how to do those joins in a few different methods. Advanced beginning and intermediate crocheters will appreciate the clear instructions. I learned a few things that make for smoother, nicer joins. She also discusses ways to adapt a pattern to a bulky yarn, or for a different effect. Some threads for example would make picots too tiny to join with the chain 3, so she suggests up sizing those picots. For bulky yarns and bigger motifs, they can become distorted, for those, she suggests ways to reshape the corners for less distortion.

My favorite crochet books aren't full of patterns for finished projects, they are stitch techniques and motifs for creating my own projects. This book is going on that shelf. The one with the stitch guides and motifs that I refer to when starting a new shawl or another project. My favorite motifs are the kind that tessellate together nicely which means 3, 4 or 6 sides. There are a lot of them in this book. In fact, as the cover says, there are 101 total motifs and most of them are tessellating motifs that can be joined directly together. The motifs cover a wide range of stitch techniques.This includes some of my favorites like front post stitches where you work the stitch around the post of another stitch rather than into the chain top. This creates a nice dimensional effect, and worked in a different color than the previous round also makes lines of a different color on top of the previous colors. There are lots of intricate looking laces that are really easy to make and a few that are super easy to memorize. Make a couple at home, then carry yarn and a hook to continue making more while you're out doing other things. Each motif also has tips specific to that motif for adapting the joins if necessary.

After that, there are a few patterns that use motifs, such as a curved pillow that takes advantage of a distortion in a triangle motif. The distortion can be eliminated with different stitch counts for things that you want to lay flat, but for the pillow, the doming is perfect. Several patterns show some of the versatility of the motifs. My favorite is the flower garland which has a lovely, soft spring look.

At the end of the book is a chart to refer to if you are having any issues with understanding the stitch symbols. It's a nice complete chart that will work for all the patterns in the book. There is also an index of motif patterns that's laid out with images of the finished motifs. You can browse through the images to find just the right shape and look for your pattern.

If you love motifs for making shawls, afghans or even fashion scarves, or if you've had problems understanding how to read a charted pattern, this book is a great choice. Spiral bound in a hard cover to lay flat while crocheting.
[I received a complimentary copy of the book to review on my craft blog- Don't Eat the Paste. I received no other compensation, and my review is my honest opinion of the product.]

[MD · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really got into making motifs a couple of years ago and then started adapting & designing some of my own so was really excited when I stumbled across this book as I was interested in expanding from embellishment to other kinds of motif-based projects of my own design.

What I like about the book:
- It has a spiral binding so lays flat if you ant to be able to reference it while you are working.
- it contains a lot of great tips for planning the layout of a project, such as Xeroxing multiple copies of. motifs at the beginning of a project to see how the shapes and colors will look .
- I absolutely love the free form crochet bag on page 26 (though I wish the book provided more info on how it was made)
- the motif index at the back of the book uses thumbnail images instead of names
- the join-as-you go charts for continuous and hybrid joins are very welcome as I'm definitely among those who dread weaving in ends
- she provides some useful tips for enlarging and adapting motifs

What I didn't like:
- I've used filler motifs in patterns and was hoping to get a lot more guidance on creating and using them than the single column devoted to it here.
- ditto for Irish crochet

[Jessica · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love to crochet. I've been doing it since I was a little girl. But what I love even more is when a book comes around that teaches me new crochet tricks and presents new ideas - especially in a colorful, easy to read format. This book is just that.
Not only does it show me 101 gorgeous granny squares (most aren't squares at all!), it shows me how to connect them in innovative and clever ways. My least favorite part of a granny square afghan is putting the thing together. This book as inspired me to not just use the boring, ol' whip stitch.
And what's even nicer about this book is that it includes written pattern instructions as well as charts! I've always wanted to get better at using a chart and this is the perfect opportunity.
Admittedly, if you are a beginner, this book may overwhelm you. It's definitely geared toward the more experienced crocheter, although there are a few very basic motifs. A beautiful book. Will likely add to my crochet library when it comes out in October!
Thank you Net Galley and Storey Publishing for letting me review this fantastic book!

[Julie Barrett · Rating 5 out of 5]

Connect the Shapes Crochet Motifs Creative Techniques for Joining Motifs of All Shapes by Edie Eckman
ISBN: 9781603429733 B008NEZRJE
Illustrated colorful book showing different techniques of joining crochet shapes together.
Not only does it tell you the pattern in rows but there are also diagram instructions with the key making this a very worthwhile book for all degrees of expertise.
My favorite is the 3d baby blanket.
Motif directory has all the varieties: classic grannies, a little double crochet,
gathered chains, lacy links, layered mesh, sc/dc, all clustered,
tripled petals, start with a flower, 3-d fun, swirls, radiants, picots in plural, wheels and shells, inner connectivity,
There are projects for: placemat, shawls, rugs, pincushion, baby blankets, afghans, pillow, flower garland, vest, skirt and a lampshade.
Also has a very detailed glossary of stitches, terms used at the end.
Excellent resource book for all crocheters.

[Elizabeth Kusel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love this book!!

This book is laid out very well. It describes different ways to join, even where some make mistakes in joining. It has a lot of patterns then shows how they might be joined. Then has a list of each motif-with pics and quick links Togo directly to that page. It ends with cute projects; vest, skirt, mat, and more. Because of the way the author approaches joining, this book works well for beginners and advanced. It also will be easy to take the ideas to any project or design you want to use. Definitely worth investing in!

[Laura Gilfillan · Rating 5 out of 5]

It isn't very often I find a crochet book I'd really like to own for myself. Well, okay, I've found plenty, as my bulging book shelves will attest to. But I loved this book. It is full of truly unique ideas, and is a spring board of inspiration. Hint, hint, if anyone wants to get me a gift.

[Nancy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautiful crochet book

I love the motifs in this book. Excellent instructions and a nice variety of designs. I recommend it if you are interested in motifs and different ways to join them.

[Nancy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Yup, gonna have to buy my own copy of this one.

[Dana * · Rating 5 out of 5]

great shapes, unique touches, great teacher and artist, and the best part is some tutoring on the CONNECTION part of the equation

[Kerry · Rating 4 out of 5]

Looks just as good as the previous one. SSSSooooo many ideas, sssssooooo little time!

[Ellen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lots of good ideas with well written instructions. A winner.

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

Add to collection

[Louise Chambers · Rating 4 out of 5]

I bought this to keep on my Kindle app on iPad as Crochet Reference.

[Sherry · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a great resource book. It had a lot of interesting ideas on shapes and how to connect them. I got a lot of great ideas for projects (as if I don't have enough items on my to-make list lol).

[Mintti · Rating 3 out of 5]

Hienoja kuvioita ja yhdistelytapoja virkkuuseen. Tykkäsin, mutta tästä ei tainnut löytyä yhtään mitä haluan heti kokeilla.

[Sonia · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm working on my crochet but I'm having trouble getting through this book. Not really sure why.

[Susan Molloy · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an excellent crochet motif book.