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.