How to Crochet is the perfect guide for beginners! Sara Delaney shows you her techniques for working a basic chain and creating single and double chain stitches. You'll learn about changing colors, joining, fastening off, reading crochet patterns, and working with different shapes. Working on small projects, such as a simple potholder or scarf, gives you the practice and experience you need before you move on to crocheting more complex patterns on your own. Softcover, 128 pages; Storey Publishing

Learning to knit is fun and easy with Leslie Ann Bestor as your teacher in How to Knit. Her simple, fully illustrated instructions lead you step by step through the basics of knitting, from choosing the right needles and yarn to reading a knitting pattern, casting on, executing knit and purl stitches, binding off, and blocking finished projects. You'll also learn techniques for increasing, decreasing, and repairing mistakes. Even if you've never held a pair of knitting needles before, this easy-to-follow guide will have you knitting in no time! Softcover, 112 pages; Storey Publishing.