Crochet book can anyone recommend one ?

[Beryl]

I have bought a cheap French introductory magazine on how to crochet , I am a sucker for free gifts [:$] . There are some nice patterns in it, but it is all in crochet code  which would be hard enough in English.

Is any one able to recommend a idiots guide to teaching yourself how to crochet please ? I could probably find one on Amazon but could also end up with a white elephant.[:)]

[Russethouse]

http://www.cpu-enterprises.com/howtocrochet_m.htm

http://www.ukcraftfairs.com/guide-to-crochet.asp

I have to say that I am an even knitter but I simply cannot keep even tension when I crochet, so I gave it up !

Hope you have better luck Beryl

[Blanche Neige]

Beryl

an English crochet book won't be much help as the French have a different approach to the way they crochet and the terminology bears no resemblance.

Years ago I had a pattern in a Fr. magazine that I wanted to follow and a kind French lady in a village shop in the Dordogne (where we were on holiday) gave up her free afternoon to teach me.

I recall there were words like Maille and Brides

My advice is, try to find a French friend to teach you.

 

Bon courage

Gill

[Chrissie]

I agree that French crochet instructions are totally different to English ones. I bought a magazine with a lovely tablecloth insert/edging pattern only to find that the instructions are all in little pictures of squiggles and dots etc.  These are theoretically defined on a different page but I could NOT get it to look like the picture[+o(] and finally gave up.  I even asked one of the ladies who makes lace with me and is a regualr crochet-er and she had to give up too!  I shall stick to English patterns in future.

Chrissie (81)

[Beryl]

Thanks for the advice.

I have decided to get a step by step book in English that had a good review from Amazon and take it from there.