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This is a beautiful stitch dictionary, from cover to cover and it will make a great addition to your crochet library. Some of the stitches included are original designs from Melissa Leapman – so you may not have seen them before in any pattern!

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The stitch diagrams include:

• the foundation row(s) are labeled
• the stitch repeat is shaded with gray
• alternating colors (black, blue) for rows when designs are worked in a single color
• alternating colors are shown as Color A: purple, Color B: green, Color C: orange, Color D: turquoise
• rows are numbered with easy-to-find numbers (not itty bitty ones!)
• repeat sections are designated clearly with a bracket and labelled as REPEAT
• when stitches are in front of other stitches (when they overlap) they are outlined in white

Crochet Chart Reading Tips

Tips on Reading Crochet Charts have been included on page 161, Understanding International Crochet Symbols and the Glossary to all of the Symbols used in the book can be found on page 160.

Basic Crochet Techniques

The following Basic Crochet Techniques have been included:

• Slip Knot
• Chain
• Slip Stitch
• Single Crochet, Half Double Crochet, Double Crochet, Triple Crochet, Double Triple Crochet
• 2-dc Cluster, 3-dc Cluster, 4-dc Cluster, 5-dc Cluster,
• 3-tr Cluster
• Double crochet 2 together, Double crochet 3 together, Double crochet 4 together, Double crochet 5 together
• End of Row Cluster
• Foundation Row Cluster
• Long Bobble
• Long Double Crochet
• Main Cluster
• Perpendicular 2-dc Cluster
• Picot
• Reverse Single Crochet
• Single Crochet Over Previous
• Single Crochet 2 Together, Single Crochet 3 Together, Triple Crochet 2 Together
• Working around the back post of a stitch; working around the front post of a stitch
• Working behind the last row; working in front of the last row
• Working in front of the last two front post stitches; working behind last two front posts stitches
• Working in the back loop or front loop only
• Working into chain spaces
• Carrying the yarn along the side of the project
• Attaching a new color of yarn

Step-by-step diagrams and written instructions are included for each of the Stitches/Techniques.

I really love this stitch dictionary – especially the Colorwork Patterns Section. Included in this section are reversible fabrics, textured mosaics, checkerboard designs and multicolor fabrics. Each of the stitch patterns included is created by using one color per row – which is amazing in itself when the finished design appears so intricate!

My favorites include:

• Steamers – page 107
• Istanbul Mosaic – page 110
• Stairsteps – page 116
• Interlocked Diamonds – page 122
• Kyoto Pattern – page 138

The book is published on non-glossy and heavier weight (thicker) paper. The instructions are printed in a neat and clean typeface. The instructions for each row are easy to spot because they all begin in bolded print. The important Notes are included at the beginning of each stitch pattern in italics and every image included is detailed and vibrantly colored; making it easy to see the stitches.

I love the yarn colors chosen for the samples too – each section stays within a particular colorway (for the most part) with Openwork and Lace in shades of yellow, Shells and Fans in shades of pink (except one purple – which to me borders on a simple solid pattern anyway), Simple Solid Patterns are in shades of purple and the Textured Patterns are in shades of turquoise.

Being a visual person, I respond to colors and textures and I find browsing through Melissa Leapman’s Indispensable Stitch Guide for Crocheters is a pleasure. I like how she has included important information (like how to shape pieces when working pattern stitches), how she has included the shaded sections for the stitch repeats (stitch multiples) in the diagrams and how the Notes section for each Stitch Pattern includes the written explanation for any special stitches being used (so you don’t need to constantly flip to the Techniques Section to work the stitches).

This is a beautiful stitch dictionary, from cover to cover and it will make a great addition to your crochet library. Some of the stitches included are original designs from Melissa Leapman – so you may not have seen them before in any pattern!

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