Product Description

Since the main objective behind this book is to introduce readers to the wonderful world of "Taking Your Yarn For A Walk" through the mediums' of colour, texture, freeform crochet and knitting. most of the projects are, by design, very straightforward with a very low degree of difficulty. For those who like a challenge, once the techniques are learned and understood, the concept of 'scrumbling' i.e. working in a freeform manner, is easy to adapt to larger projects and to the creation of wearable art. There are many interesting 'special' stitches that will help create wonderfully unique fabrics. Also learn how to make simple 'fragment' buttons and special closures for garments using polymer clay.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #254981 in Books
• Published on: 2000-01-01
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 160 pages

Review
Waterstones Newsletter:How much do I love this book? Actually, not quite as much as I love the idea of it. The beginning of the book is great, with an introduction to colour theory (always useful when thinking in terms of design!) and a separate section on design itself (not quite as comprehensive). This is followed by a detailed secion on how to knit and crochet 'fragments'. A similar number of pages as dedicated to all these things combined, towards the back of the book, details 'FUNky FX', both knitted and crocheted.I guess the thing that I don't quite love in the book is the middle section, more than twice the length of the bits described above, which is purely project based. I guess the trick is (if, like me, you don't really want to be replicating designs) you use the projects to learn additional elements of design, and just extract from each pattern the section that you want to learn. There are some interesting bits such as knit & crochet with beads & (separately) with wire; and although most of the projects don't actually inspire me greatly, at least they are not prescriptive and unoriginal like the majority of knitting/crochet books around. Project-based or not, at least the book encourages people to experiment with design, and to look outside the box.Even though I don't quite love this book in its entirety, it is still a brilliant starting point, that will hopefully kickstart inspiration within people who would like to explore knitting and crochet with a bit more creativity. The same author has written another volume, 'Freeformations', and the same publisher has recently published another similar title, 'Freeform Crochet & Beyond' by Renate Kirkpatrick (which I haven't seen, yet). For even more creative flexibility and inspiration, I highly recommend 'Have You Any Wool?' and 'Wool'n'Magic', both by Jan Messent and recently re-issued by Search Press. Hurrah!

About the Author
Jenny Dowde has participated in Australian Textile Fibre Forum computer design workshops. She has also made polymer clay buttons for a designer knitwear company and taught polymer clay workshops at various Fibre Forums in Australia. In 1997 she discovered the wonderful medium, "scrumbling" or freeform crochet, with the only equipment required being a hook and lots of yarn! She now combines knitting with crochet in her freeform work.

Customer Reviews

How to use up your stash
I judged this book by its cover when I saw it on Amazon, but also thought it would show me some new techniques and also ways to use up oddments of yarn. As a fairly experienced knitter, I am getting bored with following patterns and fancied trying something more creative and free flowing. This book is certainly inspirational, showing the reader how to knit and crochet tiny fragments of colourful fabric which can then be assembled into fantastic creations. If I could crochet as well, I would enjoy it even more! As it is, it is a great book for the adventurous knitter who wants to try something different. It has given me lots of ideas and I can't wait to create a mad bag, scarf or hat. The only niggle I would have is that there are pictures at the back showing garments and items made from freeform knitting and crochet, but no instructions for these items! But then I did say I was bored with following patterns...

Opens up a whole new world of creativity
I bought this book because some of the freeform objects I've seen on the internet have simply blown me away with their beauty. When I actually started using the book to learn new stitches and get an idea of what freeform is really all about, I was amazed to discover that here at last was a way in which I could be creative without having to be gifted, or neat, or even particularly knowledgeable. With just the very basic kntting and/or crocheting skills, this books shows you how to make pieces of fabric to delight the soul.
People like me who cannot maintain a constant tension, or achieve a neat edge, or even finish a row with the same number of stitches with which I started, might even possibly be at an advantage. With this book's help, all you really need is a good idea of what colours you like to see together, and the ability to throw off the shackles of knitting and crochet convention.
It is an absolute delight and the most rewarding craft book I have ever owned.

informative, but not concise.
I bought this book in the hope that it would strengthen some of the ideas that I had gained through my own exploration of freeform knitting. Much to my dismay, the book wasnt very much help. Although there are quite a few pages showing helpful knitting and crochet techniques, to use in conjunction with your freeform knitting, the projects don't really push this technique to the boundaries. Alot of the work freatured in the book is very flat, but I can assure you that when using freeform knitting, you can create some gorgious, 3D effects that just grow and grow...
The patterns for making the projects arn't very clear either, infact they are relatively hard to follow and I believe that once on the attempt of trying to follow them, one is seemingly going to do as they please after a certain amount of time; essentially this is what the whole art of freeform is about, creating, unique knitted pieces, every single time. Release yourself from patterns!
So if you looking for a book on freeform knitting, then I would just buy a concise knitting and crochet encylopedia and just make your own rules. Freeform knitting is just unregulated knitting, there arn't really any instructions to follow, other than what technique to manipulate.