100 Flowers to Knit & Crochet (new edition)

Nature wins, especially in needlework popularity contests. In this fifteenth-anniversary edition, veteran needleworker Stanfield (The Knitter's Stitch Collection, 2021) recaps her take on translating flowers, fruits, and vegetables into yarn. Written in UK terminology (of note to crocheters), this collection first showcases finished items, then follows with technical instructions. Those directions include yarn specifications and methods, and, for crochet, instructions for how to make up (i.e. put together) and symbols, with further differentiation into beginning,  intermediate, and advanced projects. Many of the pieces will be familiar (e.g. ladybug and acorn); others, less so (like Santolina and rudbeckia). A color portfolio of ten projects, without instructions, acts as a creative guide to using flowers and fruits for added design flourishes, on an evening handbag or winter scarf, for two examples. A standard for libraries that don’t already own this classic reference.

-- Barbara Jacobs * Booklist *

This is a really useful book for knitters and crocheters alike who would like to embellish their knitting or crocheting or have small projects to make. The pictures inspire one to try something new.

The patterns are very  clear and I like the fact that yarn weights are given rather than affiliating projects to a particular brand. The fold  out flap with abbreviations is brilliant as a less experienced knitter or crocheter will not have to flip backwards  and forwards to find out new terminology. This would be a great book to keep in your collection. 

-- Monica Russel * Monica Russ