Every Which Way Crochet Borders by Edie Eckman

source: ARC courtesy of NetGalley
title: Every Which Way Crochet Borders: 139 Patterns for Customized Edgings by Edie Eckman
published: January 24, 2017
pages: 224
rated: 5 out of 5 stars

blurb:
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 diagrammed to approach in both rounds and rows, Every Which Way Crochet Borders is an inventive and invaluable resource.

my thoughts:
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. Come on now. It is too much in the best kind of way. There is a troubleshooting section and tips on invisible joining. Its like she includes information and tips I didn’t even know I wanted to know about.

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.

“The design of a border is important, but the execution of that border is equally important. Make sure that beautiful border is beautifully executed by understanding some of these best practices.”
-Every Which Way Crochet Borders by Edie Eckman

I whipped up a potholder using a simple granny square pattern just so that I could try out one of Edie Eckman’s border patterns. Here is my finished potholder, the last three rows are from the pattern book. I found the edging patterns are easy to follow and a great finishing touch.

There is an appendix explaining stitch symbols in detail and a stitch key, crochet terms plus help on reading charts! Can you sense my excitement? And, there is a glossary of terms at the end of the book for reference, with details and diagrams to make it all crystal clear. Fantastic overall. I need a hard copy of this one for my shelves as this is a pattern book I can see referring to again and again. I love finding crochet pattern books that cover all the bases like this does. Designer Edie Eckman truly does fantastic work here.

about the author:
Edie Eckman is the author of Connect the Shapes Crochet Motifs, Around the Corner Crochet Borders,Beyond the Square Crochet Motifs, The Crochet Answer Book, and Christmas Crochet for Hearth, Home & Tree, as well as co-editor of Crochet One-Skein Wonders® and Crochet One-Skein Wonders® for Babies. She is a nationally known teacher, designer, writer, and editor in both the crochet and knitting worlds. She lives in Waynesboro, Virginia.

 

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Disclaimer: This review is my honest opinion. I did not receive any kind of compensation for reading and reviewing this book. I am under no obligation to write a positive review. I obtained my free review copy of Every Which Way Crochet Borders by Edie Eckman via NetGalley. Nothing in this post is available for download, the crochet photos are my own.