Freeform Knitting and Crochet

"Take your yarn for a walk," says author Jenny Dowde, who teaches the freeform "scrumbling" technique.

With scrumbling, needleworkers can work unbound by patterns and yet still successfully knit or crochet a project. With just a range of simple stitches and only a few basic techniques, anyone can create lovely and useful household objects and eye-catching wearable art.

Full-color photographs illustrate Dowde's methods in action, from completing both basic and advanced stitches to working with wires and beads, along with a host of special techniques, including constructing buttons, unusual closures, and special accents from polymer clay.