Ultimate Foundation Crochet Stitch Class!

My review of an important crochet class taught online by Marty Miller

It turns out that the most popular post of this blog is "Which Foundation Stitch? And Why?" If you were reading that post just now, then you're probably here because you want to learn even more about foundation stitches. I can't imagine a better way than to take this class—no matter how much crochet experience you have.

Doesn't this look like fun?

Marty Miller created an online seven-lesson class on foundation crochet stitches. Craftsy produced it. If you've already taken a Craftsy class, you know that you can interact with the instructor and view it at your own pace multiple times. You can also leave bookmarks and notes to yourself along the way, and download class materials.

I learned a lot from Marty's class, even though I already use foundation stitches in my crochet. While taking this class I was also in the midst of comparing methods for extreme increasing in Tunisian crochet lace. (See the resulting newsletter issue #64.) 

Test of 3 different end increases for
Warm Aeroette Tunisian Filet Scarf.
See this DesigningVashti stitch how-to.

Increasing whole groups of lacy Tunisian stitches at the end of a forward pass can be a tricky, tricky thing. (I often do this for Tunisian filet designs.) To add an infinite number of stitches this way, what you really need to do is add foundation stitches. Specifically, lacy ones. It takes a bit of engineering and I just hadn't thought of it this way at first. 

Blocks of lacy Tunisian crochet
stitches added to both edges. (Part of a
stitch how-to for Warm Aeroette.

Marty's class is mostly about regular crochet, but it can be applied to other kinds of crochet too. One of the valuable things Marty does in her class is explain how to make a lacy foundation row that's based on a lacy stitch pattern.

Mastering Foundation Crochet Stitches is full of Marty's original material, distilled from her years of teaching classes on foundation stitches, *plus* her class on extended stitches too! In fact, Marty teaches how to crochet extended stitches in Lesson One. It's an ingenious move to use extended stitches as a way to introduce foundation stitches.

She has a patient, step by step teaching style, and speaks with a calming, knowledgeable voice. Her personality, teaching skills, crochet love, and special tips show. 

Marty's Craftsy class is a bargain. Turns out Tammy came to the same conclusion! Have a look at Tammy Hildebrand's review, swatch, and description of each lesson.

See Laurinda Reddig's review and her fun range of swatches.