AROUND HOME : Modern Crochet : BY JO ANN GROSSMAN (Ballantine Books; 1988)

THE AUTHOR APPLIES a modern artist’s eye to some traditional designs for the home, and the result is a collection of afghans and pillows--with a rug and place mats for good measure--done in uncommon colors and styles. Even the more intricate designs should be within reach of a beginner, because the charts are clear and the stitches relatively simple. ($9.95)