[.ca] 300 Crochet Stiches: Volume 6 (ISBN 1855856387)

A fabulous reference:
This book is one of the best crochet books I have seen, it is even much better than alot of the books teaching you how to crochet. It has diagrams and instuctions on how to do all the stitches plus other techniques, and the rest of the book is filled with all the different combinations of stitches to make different pattern and motifs that can be used in patterns. It will help the pattern designer as well as the beginner, as it is easy to see how standard patterns can be modified using the book. An excellent reference, and I recommend readers get "220 more crochet stitches" to go with it because they are both invaluable

Impressive for what it promises:
I've had both of the Harmony Guide books for over a year now and hopefully I will get lots of crochet time so that one day I can put them to good use. Although these books are impressive for what they promise I must caution you that I do not beleive that they replace all other crochet books or that they are a must have if you crochet. I also do not beleive that they are a good beginner's book because I don't see a beginner turning any of the stitches into a project unless they intend to make a lot of dishcloths. I know you're probably thinking why not an afghan, but for a beginner that would require too much planning and guage fiddling to make each of the sampler squares the same size and if they're going to use the same pattern stitch for an entire afghan then why would they need to know 300 pattern stitches and 220 more? If you are avid on designing your own projects or are often looking for ways to modify projects however, then you will find these books to be a fabulous reference. The pictures are great, the instructions are clearly written and on top of each pattern stitch there is a guide specifying what the pattern stitch multiple is. You will find pattern stitches for texture, mixing color, for filet designs, motifs, edgings etc. These books really are impressive for the purpose they were written for. They are rich in inspiration and technique and you will most definately enjoy leafing through them and drooling over the pattern stitch pics. If however, you are simply looking for ideas to add texture or creatively mix color and don't want to invest in a book that will show you tons of stitches, most of which you feel you will never get around to using, then invest in a pattern book with projects instead. For color combinations I highly recommend Lily Chin's Mosaic Magic : Afghans Made Easy as it opens your eyes to the numerous possibilities of mixing colors (more than the Harmony guide books) and the bonus is that her technique shows you how to do so without all the fuss of changing colors within the same row. For texture you could reference many online sources or opt for Afghan sampler books such as those published by Leisure Arts, my favorite of which is "63 more Easy-To-Crochet Pattern Stitches combine to make an Heirloom Afghan". Both books also reference the multiple factor for the pattern stitches making the guesswork easier on you when adapting the pattern stitches to your intended pattern or design.

If you crochet, you need this one.:
Wow! This is the best crochet book I have ever bought, and I have a lot of them. I design my own patterns for baby blankets and this book is a treasure trove of ideas for patterns. I've had the book just a few days and have made samples of many of the different stitches to see how they work. There are step-by-step instructions for each and a very clear, easy to read diagram. I found stitches and stitch combinations I have not seen anywhere else. Any of you who design your own patterns, or want to try, this book is a must. If you're not into designing and just want a nice textured overall stitch for an afghan or for afghan squares, it's in here. There is also a very nice section on motifs - sqaure, round, triangle, pentagram, hexagon, star, floral. I can put away all my other crochet books now. This one will go everywhere with me. Fellow crocheters -- do yourselves a favor and get this book.

Great book!:
I got what I expected - even more. I highly recommend it.

Crochet lace:
I wanted to learn how to make crochet lace and tried working through a dozen or so different crochet books before coming across this one. The other books helped me master the simplest stitches, but I wasn't able to follow the descriptions to achieve my desire of making crochet lace. I'm pretty persistant, but I had been close to giving up and trying something else when I found this book. The Harmony Guides V6 and V7 start from the most basic stitch and working up, including stitches for all over patterns, and lace. Between the verbal descriptions, photographs, drawings, and diagrams I think everyone should find a descriptive mode that suits their way of thinking and learning. I'm not very interested in the all over patterns but it has plenty of crochet lace to keep me excited about what I will be able to do as I work my way through.