Expert crafter Nicki Trench brings you 35 easy-to-follow patterns that will teach you how to crochet.

Nicki Trench, one of the leading figures in the revival and promotion of home crafts, has designed a series of patterns that will guide you from the initial crochet stitches to producing beautiful projects incorporating a wide range of techniques. Starting you off is Crochet Know-How, which explains all the stitches with clear step-by-step artwork and instructions. Next, there are three chapters packed with patterns to improve your skills. In Starting Out, you will find a simple springtime throw and a pretty hat for a toddler, both of which you’ll find amazingly easy and quick to create. Once you’ve mastered these, Practice Makes Perfect provides more of a challenge. Whip up some cute gifts for babies and young children, including baby bibs and blankets, or treat yourself to a pair of gloves in soft double knit yarn and a chunky seashell scarf to keep you warm on chilly mornings. Finally, Confident Crocheting has more advanced patterns, ranging from a family of adorable Russian dolls to a cherub dress with decorative picot stitching.

Capture the spirit of the 1960s and '70s with these 35 patterns for scarves, skirts, tank tops, turbans and more. Do you have a passion for vintage fashion? If so, you’re guaranteed to love the 35 patterns in Retro Crochet. The combination of cute, quirky and cosy clothes and accessories mean you can find something for any occasion. If you’re meeting friends for coffee, the tank top in orange and black is perfect teamed with jeans and flats. Heading out to see a band? Opt for the crocheted skirt with brogues. For the summer months, there’s a cute crop top to wear to the beach and cool cover-ups to put on when the sun goes down. The accessories are also perfect for giving a new lease of life to last year’s fashion – try pairing the collar with an old dress or coat. Making your own clothes is so fun and rewarding, and even if you have never crocheted before, there's an extensive techniques section explaining everything you need to know.

Have you ever thought that you’d like to learn the craft of crochet, or improve your skills? If so, A Beginner's Guide to Crochet is for you.

A Beginner's Guide to Crochet is the perfect starting point for anyone wishing to learn how to crochet. It is a structured course of 20 workshops and projects, which starts by showing you how to hold your crochet hook and leads you through all the techniques and stitches you will ever need to know. The Getting Started section includes advice on which yarns and equipment to buy, step-by-step illustrations which show how to work all the stitches and essential information on how to understand crochet patterns. This is followed by the workshops, each of which introduces new techniques and reinforces skills already learned. Each workshop finishes with a project which consolidates these skills. The projects range from items for the home, such as cushions, throws and blankets, through to clothes and accessories, including a striped sweater and a cute camisole, a beanie hat and a bobble bag. Experienced teacher Nicki Trench takes you by the hand and shows you the easy way to learn. And with plenty of projects to spur you on, you’ll soon work your way up from crocheting the simplest of squares to creating your own garments.

Do you have a passion for vintage fashion? If so, you’re guaranteed to love the 35 patterns in Retro Crochet. The combination of cute, quirky, and cozy clothes and accessories mean you can find something for any occasion. If you’re meeting friends for coffee, the tank top in orange and black is perfect teamed with jeans and flats. Heading out to see a band? Opt for the crocheted skirt with brogues. For the summer months, there’s a cute crop top to wear to the beach and cool cover-ups to put on when the sun goes down. The accessories are also perfect for giving a new lease of life to last year’s fashion—try pairing the collar with an old dress or coat. Making your own clothes is so fun and rewarding, and even if you have never crocheted before, there's an extensive techniques section explaining everything you need to know.

Super-cute Amigurumi is packed with over 35 adorable creatures to get hooked on. Designed with simplicity in mind, it's the perfect book for beginners as the toys are made up of only the easiest stitches. Based on the Japanese craze of amigurumi, the craft of creating ultra-cute crocheted creatures, you'll be sure to find a friend that you'll love. Each toy has its own unique story, so why not get to know the whole family? There's Nicki, the author, Andy the Alien, who came to Earth in search of cheese, and Boris the Baby with his political ambitions. You could also pay a visit to Mr and Mrs Bertie Buff-Orpington, the dancing chickens, and spend some time with their constantly growing brood. Down on the farm you will find a whole bunch of mischievous animals, like Ned the Goat, who thinks he's a chicken, and Pickle the Puppy, who is training to be in the Olympics. Say hello to Camilla the Pretty Pony and she may even take you out for a ride through the fields. If you're looking for some more exotic animals there are plenty here too, like Squiddly Dudley, the octopus who decided to join the Navy, or catch the Fish Brothers before they head off on their world tour. There are even some special toys for Christmas, including Sparkles the crooning Snowman and Ralph the Red Nosed Reindeer. All the patterns are so simple and easy to follow, all you need is a hook and a few basic stitches and you'll have crocheted your own cute friends in no time.

Bring nature with you wherever you go with these 35 beautiful projects, all incorporating floral motifs. Divided into three chapters, the book begins with Starting Out, where you will find a Tote Bag, Egg Cosies and some adorable Floral-edged Jam Pot Covers, which are all perfect for first-time stitchers. Next, move on to Practice Makes Perfect, where you can develop your crochet skills to make beautiful cushion covers, place mats and blankets to decorate your home. Finally, more experienced crafters will love the projects in Confident Crocheting - from a Daisy Scarf and Floral Bag, to a Vintage-style Vase Coaster and Gypsy Queen throw that will stay in the family for generations. There is also a Crochet Know-How section, where beginners and more experienced crocheters will find all the information required to make the projects, explained in an easy-to-understand way.

Wrap up in style with these 35 cute crocheted projects. It takes no time at all to crochet a scarf or a hat, and Nicki Trench has created a wide range of contemporary designs, with a variety of stitches and fashionable colours, so you'll really stand out from the crowd. Start with the soft and cosy seashell stitch scarf or the bright beanie hat which can be made in a range of eye-catching shades. Not every scarf or hat has to just be for winter! The delicate daisy scarf and the pretty rose headband can be worn all year round. There are also handy stash-busters such as the granny square patchwork scarf and the pompom hat for babies. All the stitches are explained and there are infinite possibilities to match your accessories to your outfit with Crocheted Hats and Scarves.

Learn to crochet with designer and teacher Nicki Trench Learn to crochet with designer and teacher Nicki Trench Nicki Trench has taught hundreds of people how to crochet, so she knows what beginners need: clear instructions, and simple patterns on which to practice their newly-learned skills. Learn to Crochet starts with a step-by-step techniques section to teach you all the basic stitches and skills. Once you've learned the basics, there are 25 patterns for accessories to wear, items for the home, and bags and covers for the things you carry with you. The specific skills you will need are listed at the beginning of each pattern, so you can double-check that you have mastered them before you start. Practice makes perfect, and with 25 patterns to choose from, you'll soon be able to crochet with confidence.

For every crafter who has ever wondered how to use the odd ball of yarn left over from a previous project, the answer is here. Now that more and more of us are buying online, there's always a temptation to add one more ball to your basket than the pattern recommends, just in case you can't get the same dye-lot at a later date. Or maybe you are one of the lucky ones who always seems to use slightly less yarn than you expected. And then there are the flash sales online, yarn shop events, or craft fairs, where piles of yarn at knockdown prices tempt you to buy without a particular project in mind, just because it's there, it's gorgeous, and it's cheap. Whatever the reason for the size of your yarn stash, one thing is certain, you won't want to waste any of it (or worse still, throw it away). This collection of patterns from Nicki Trench is the answer to your prayers: 25 makes, small and not so small, which can either be made with one ball of yarn or less, or which use up small amounts of different colors in stripes, squares, or flowers. Many of the makes are ideal as gifts, including baby hats and bootees, toys, cozies, and bunting. There are also projects for the home, such as a stripy pillow cover, egg cozies, and mug warmers. There are also useful tips on choosing substitute yarns and checking your gauge. Now you can stop feeling guilty about your stash, and put it to use instead.

Create your own farm in your garden with tips on growing, harvesting and eating your own produce Nicki Trench has created her own garden farm from scratch, and now shares with you everything there is to know about growing vegetables, fruit and herbs, including making your own compost, growing in raised beds and protecting your crops from pests and disease. Nicki also explains how to rear chickens for eggs and bees for honey, and gives advice on keeping goats and pigs. The benefits of creating your garden farm are not just economic – the energy once obsessively expended on the exercise bike can now be channelled more productively by digging the vegetable patch, turning the compost or cleaning out the hen coop. Communities are reappearing over garden fences as neighbours share their harvest of courgette, spinach and eggs. Whatever you choose to grow or rear on your garden farm, this book offers a taste of the good life that is easy, satisfying and inexpensive to achieve.

Bring more fun into your life with 20 patterns for rainbow-hued and multicoloured knits. Rainbows are everywhere – in rainbow hair, rainbow toast, and rainbow knits. Whether you like the bright colours of a true rainbow or softer shades of the spectrum, there is something for you in this collection of 20 patterns by Nicki Trench. There is a cute rainbow-yoked baby cardigan, a silky striped tie, stripy sweaters and cardigans, and a purse embroidered with multicoloured flowers to make as a gift. Then there are accessories for adults, including a bobble hat and a cabled scarf, as well as makes for the nursery including baby blankets, a hat and a sweater. There's even a striped baby blanket in all the colours of the rainbow, easy enough for a beginner to knit, and a lovely gift for a new arrival. If you don’t want to go all-out on the rainbow theme, then the cabled pillow with rainbow-coloured tassels could be for you. Just get out your needles and knit your own rainbows.