I love this book....I hate this book!

This week I treated myself to some crochet pattern books.  I thought it was time I made a real effort to learn how to follow a written pattern - I figured that now I'm quite proficient in crochet, it wouldn't be too difficult.....WRONG!

The first book to arrive on my doorstep was this one by Melody Griffiths.  It is full of really beautiful motif ideas, flowers, squares..the images are lovely, and each project has a written pattern as well as a chart.

What really excited me about this book was the section on crochet letters.  I have a particular project in mind that requires letters, so I'm determined to master them.  My first efforts have failed miserably, and I have very much a love/hate relationship with this book, but I know I'll crack it in the end.

The second book to arrive was "Beyond the Square Crochet Motifs"by Edie Eckman. It's a cute, colourful book, with the added advantage of being spiral bound, so it lays flat.  The first few sections cover techniques, hints and tips, and it is written in a conversational style, so it's as if you have a crochet tutor sitting with you.  Again, there are text patterns and charts for each project.

For ages I've been trying to master the magic ring/sliding loop technique to get started, and this book is the first one that demonstrated it in a way I could understand.

The flower motif below was started off with the magic ring technique, so now I think it's safe to say I've mastered it, so even for that reason alone, I love this book!