Product Reviews

I do product reviews of items I own. I am not paid for my opinion. If I am given a product for review I will mention that in the post. Some of these posts will send you offsite to Squidoo.com. If an affiliate program is available I will utilize it. Read my Disclosure Policy.

Book Reviews:

• Curvy Girl Crochet – I love this book. If you ever wanted to learn how to alter a pattern to fit you perfectly this is the book for you. Projects include a simple double crochet sweater as well as a little more challenging projects. You can try out a free pattern on CrochetToday called the Sweet Heart Tank.
• Chemo Caps and Wraps - Another excellent crochet pattern book. This is the book that introduced me to the charity Halos for Hope. Lots of hat patterns along with a shawl, poncho, and even lap blankets. Each pattern is accompanied by a story from a survivor or from a family/friend of someone who fought cancer. A super cool bonus is that a portion of each purchase goes to Halos for Hope.
• Pricing Crochet for Maximum Profit – I can’t recommend this book enough for crochet business owners. Finally someone who took the time to explain in plain language the formulas for pricing your work. Another plus of this book is that she highlights the topic of target market which is key to understanding if you want to make this a business and not a hobby.
• Crocodile Stitch Fashions - Again a fabulous book by a fabulous designer. I enjoyed reviewing her book. The photo tutorials in the book are worth the purchase price. You also get a number of her patterns which saves you money over buying them separately.
• Learn to Do Bavarian Crochet - This book has a number of patterns to try out this stitch which is also known as Catherine’s wheel. It doesn’t touch on why it’s called Bavarian crochet to deeply only that it is the name that stuck. This stitch is also used the infamous Wool Eater Blanket by Sarah London.

Yarn Reviews:

• Simply Soft Yarn – I reviewed this yarn last year. I like the softness but am not too fond of its tendency to split. The review includes a heart square pattern.
• Martha Stewart Hemp Yarn – I liked the feel of the yarn but it was really overpriced. I even found a knot in the middle of the ball of yarn I had BUT I still recommend it because it is perfect for those who want alternative fibers. I like the soft pastel colors too.

Continuing Education Reviews:

• Make Your Own WebGraphics – This is an eCourse I took a couple of years ago with Angela Wills. It is a great introduction to Gimp and banner making. It is a self-paced homestudy course with videos and a guide. You get free retakes.
• Crochet Business Mastermind Group – I was not able to review this product first hand but was able to interview someone who participated in the group. This group is reasonably priced at just $15/month and your guides are Amy and Donna who run crochetville forum. They are professional members of the Crochet Guild of America and know the “ins and outs of crochet business world” by experience having run Crochetville for 9 years.
• Crochet Liberation Front – I had the honor of interviewing Laurie about her membership site CLF. Currently memberships are just under $8/month and you get so many benefits like pattern worksheets, eCourses, chats, forum, member only articles and resources. You also get a listing in the crochet business directory.
• Free Monthly Business Training with Loralee – I met Loralee via the Biztopia challenge and was immediately drawn to her because she is an accountant by trade and started running her business for just $30/month. She just started a great business training program which is free with an optional upgrade. Each month she’ll teach you a new business technique that will help you run your business.

Crochet Bag Reviews:

• Namaste Crochet/Knitting Bags – I was first introduced to these at a local shop. These are super nice bags and are perfect for toting around your projects (big and small) as well as your everyday purse items. They have a multiple of designs and sizes too. I’m loving the pink one but maybe the lime one is my favorite… Can’t decide.
• Janet Basket – I went to a craft get together and one of the gals had this basket.  I immediately went online to find out more about it. It is pretty cool because it is collapsible and has a wee pocket for your little findings like stitch markers and scissors. There are cheaper versions but I like the fabric designs of this brand more even though they are more expensive.

Miscellaneous Product Reviews:

• QR Stone – This is the creation of Evelyn Cucchiara and is perfect for those who want to spread the word about their business. It takes the QR code and adds a creative bent to it. She makes necklaces, key chains, and bracelets. Think about when you go out shopping or at an event and someone mentions your really cool crochet hat. All you have to do is pull out your QR stone, scan it and get them on your mailing list or fan your Facebook page.
• Blogging Network – This is a prepackaged blog which utilizes a multi-level marketing strategy to drive traffic to your business. It can be used for any type of business even crochet. It is basically a blog-in-a-box. I interviewed Jackie Lee as she uses this for her business. It’s not for everyone but it is an option.
• Blogelina Membership Site – This is a monthly membership site that teaches you how to blog as well as how to monetize your blog. Featured is 7-days of freebies in which you’ll get the opportunity to receive 1-year of free webhosting. The first 30 days are free and it’s just $7/month after that which you can cancel anytime.