I am a high school teacher and advisor to our crochet club. I am a knitter and have never crocheted a project before. This book is very useful for me as it has great diagrams for each type of stitch. I also found the diagrams showing how each pattern of stitches looks to be very helpful. This is a different type of crochet book as it doesn't include any projects but instead will get you started practicing before you're ready to make a project. My students will love this book!

An approachable guide to cute and easy beginner crochet stitches! A must for anyone thinking about learning crochet and a great guide to the moderate crafters!

This was the perfect guide for beginners and also great for intermediate crocheters. The book is aesthetically pleasing, easy to read and focus on the patterns. I liked that there is a picture that shows the stitches and written instructions, I’m still learning to read patterns with pictures. I will be buying a clog of this book to have on hand in my craft room.

As a new member of the crocheting community, I love all the patterns this book has. They’re all different and unique. I love how for each section, there’s a picture of what the stitch should look like, written instructions, and also the stitch pattern layout. As a visual learner, this helped me understand the written instructions better. I was able to visualize what the stitch would look like while also learning the stitch.

I really enjoyed this book so much. I hate to critique one part because it’s a really knowledgeable book on crochet stitches. I would really have liked resources section of the book on the front. It’s just my preference for how I like layouts to be.

Overall, great book!

Essential Crochet Starter Stitches is a wonderfully practical companion for crocheters of all skill levels. This compact guide showcases 100 beautifully photographed stitch patterns, each accompanied by clear written instructions and stitch diagrams. There were a lot of fan pattern especially that I haven't seen before, but will definitely try.

From basic solid stitches to elegant shells, openwork, and lace patterns, the book perfectly balances practicality and inspiration. The clear photography and stitch diagrams make new stitches approachable.

I would say that if you are brand new to crochet, this might not be the best place to start. This is more of a stitch dictionary, although it does have a lot of helpful basic stitch diagrams at the back of the book. In my opinion, many of the stitches, especially from the beginning section, would be perfect for making dishcloths or blankets to practice learning new stitches though!

Overall, this book is a lovely little reference to start you on your crochet journey.

I really like this book. The stitches are very well explained and it gets a little more complicated as the book goes on. Everything is shown with pictures as well and that makes it amazing because you can check if yours looks like the picture.

Essential Crochet Starter Stitches is a good book for someone like me who is learning to crochet. The majority of the book is made up of tons of different stitch options for crocheting. There is a picture as well as the steps to complete the stitch. The end of the book is a really good resources section with all types of information and techniques needed to learn to crochet. This book is a great resource for beginners and intermediates alike. The only thing I might have liked is some examples of what each stitch looks like as a completed project. Otherwise this is a good book.

it has been four months since i started crocheting and back then i’d have loved this book !!! it contains images, graphics and written patterns PLUS there’s a whole chapter explaining how to do all the stitches and you can visualize how to do with all the images.

i’m mostly excited to do the seed stitch and yo yo shells, i’ve never attempted any shell pattern so here we go ! also once i tried to do a simple edging and lets say it didn’t work out ! but i’ll try numbers 2, 3 and 10 !!!!

highly recommend this one for the crocheters beginners ! i saw that there’s the next-level stitches so i’ll be heading over there !

thank you netgalley, quarry books and melissa leapman for the arc !!

I love all the different stitches in this book and can't wait to play around with them more! Very heavy on the shell stitches but that's okay

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an electronic copy to read in exchange for an honest review.

As someone who is comfortable with crochet this book is a great way to increase my skill set for some basic stitches. I have a few under my belt but this book will add in some 'fancy basics' like she'll designs. The pictures, diagrams, and illustrations are all fantastic. They are very clear and easy to follow. I really appreciate having the formula for starting chains. It allows so much flexibility rather than having a specific pattern/finished size to follow.

This book was super easy to follow along, the wording was easy to understand and the diagrams all made sense. This book was a fun and easy guide to some neat stitches. I know that I will definitely be using some of these stitches on a more normal basis. The stitches I already knew were explained in a way that when I was first learning to crochet I think it would have been much easier for me. The stitches I hadn't ever tired until reading through this book were also very easy to accomplish. I would for sure recommend this book to any of my crochet friends looking to learn new stitches and expand their knowledge of crochet.

As a total beginner, this book makes crocheting so easy and accessible, and the photos are extremely helpful.
The step by step approach and the vivid photos make learning more fun.
I will be reading the next level crochet book after this, and will review that one too.
I have the impression that the two books cover everything one needs for crocheting.

I've been crocheting for over 40 years and I still love a good stitch dictionary. Just spending time looking at stitches and stitch combinations can bring joy and inspiration--gets the ideas moving. This is an excellent resource for those new to crochet, those with decades of experience, and everyone in between. For newer crocheters, there is plenty of useful information contained in this compact volume, but not so much that it becomes overwhelming. For those with more experience, there are excellent photos of fabrics created with various stitches and stitch combinations to spur design ideas. Each stitch pattern includes a photo, written instructions, and stitch charts. The stitches are grouped in chapters as follows: simple stitches, openwork and lace, shells, and edgings. The book begins with an introduction that contains useful information about measuring for gauge and what to look for when substituting yarns in commercial patterns. The book ends with a chapter titled Resources, which explain international crochet symbols, tips on reading charts, techniques, instructions for basic stitches with illustrations, stitch variations, and tips on working with color. I've taught crochet to individuals and in a local yarn shop and I would definitely recommend this book to those just learning, those building on existing skills, and those who just want to have stitchy inspiration at their fingertips.

Book Review: Essential Crochet Starter Stitches (Portable Stitch Companion: Solids, Shells & Fans, Openwork & Lace, and Simple Edgings)

Essential Crochet Starter Stitches is an absolute gem for both beginner and experienced crocheters looking for a handy, on-the-go guide to expand their stitch repertoire. This concise yet rich stitch dictionary offers 100 beautifully photographed patterns, ranging from solid stitches to intricate lace, openwork, and charming edgings. I was particularly impressed by the book’s attention to detail, with each stitch accompanied by easy-to-follow written instructions and international symbol diagrams, making it accessible to all learning styles.

As a beginner, I found this guide invaluable. The simplicity of the explanations gave me the confidence to try new stitches, like the thicket pattern or clover lace, without feeling overwhelmed. The diversity of stitches means there's something for every project, whether you're looking to add texture, create airy lace, or finish off a piece with a delicate edge. Plus, the high-quality stitch photos provide a clear idea of what your finished work should look like, which is incredibly helpful when learning.

The small, portable format is a dream for crafters on the go. I love that I can toss it in my bag and have a wealth of patterns at my fingertips wherever inspiration strikes. The thoughtful balance between basic and more complex designs makes it perfect for most skill levels, offering something for everyone.

I have only recently started to crochet and jumped at the chance to read this book. I soon realised that I need to stick to practicing my simple chains before I can make good use of it!
It is a very well put together book, it moves along naturally in a way that makes sense to me. The explanations and images are superb.

As a newbie to crochet I really needed the stitches explained as patterns were mind blowing! This makes things extremely clear and I’m hoping that I know start to improve my crochet skills.

A great repository of beginner stitches. I love that it also teaches how to use crochet charts, as that was something that I struggled with when I was learning. These really are some of the most foundational stitches, so it does what it promises. There are also illustrations to show how certain stitches and techniques are used, so that is great!

As a longtime crocheter, I feel like I get stuck in the same patterns all the time. I’d love to get into designing, so the stitches shown in this book are great examples of things I could use in the future. I love having photo examples laid out, as well as written instructions and charts to follow. It seems great for anyone to learn based on their preferred method!

This book came at the right time.  I am very happy I got the arc.  I really like how the book included a photo/ swatch, a diagram, and written directions. This would be a great addition to have for crochet lovers or those that are beginners get more comfortable and become experts.
Thank you to NetGalley and Quarto Publishing Group – Quarry/Quarry Books for the ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Great selection of stitches and lots of new techniques to try. The detailed step by step pictures at the end of the book showing how to do each type of stitch were very helpful but not very useful in an ebook as you can't easily flip back and forth so I would definitely look to buy this in a print format.

I tried a handful of different stitches and found the instructions easy to follow. I also found it to be a helpful way to learn to read patterns as I haven't used these before.

I wouldn't recommend this book to a complete crochet novice but it could definitely help build the skills of anyone who would like to experiment with Granny Squares or similar projects.