Hello, Crochet
Cornel Strydom, Elsbeth Eksteen and Anisa Fielding
Crochet Tile Motifs With A Difference
Karen Adendorff
Human & Rousseau
Review: Lauren O’Connor-May
Hello, Crochet boasts having “fun and funky” crochet projects but I disagree. There is very little that is fresh about this book.
While browsing through it, I found only a few patterns I was tempted to try. There are a lot of really modern, interesting and practical patterns that one could get online for free, so I felt the asking price of R310 was a bit much for a book full of patterns that are, for the most part, old-fashioned and basic.
One of the really nice things about crochet is its versatility but this book turns that on its head – bar a handful of patterns.
The exceptions are the Ivy Kimono, the Rose Hat, the Elmaire Top, a few of the doll patterns and a couple of others.
I also didn’t like that a large number of patterns are made out of monochrome granny squares: granny square skirts, granny square shawls, granny square bags, granny square hats, granny square fingerless gloves, granny square dresses.
Perhaps I’m wrong, but my understanding of granny square is to use left-over bits of yarn to make colourful items.
If an item is styled to be in only one colour then the large variety of textured patterns would surely be the way to go.
Granny squares are enduringly popular because they are practical and I’ve seen many useful books or online patterns that have taken the idea up a notch to make interesting and complex variations of all manner of granny shapes and sizes. Crochet Tile Motifs, another book which landed on my desk, is one that does exactly this.
The book doesn’t feature many patterns for clothing or household items but it does have a fiesta of granny shape upgrades.
The author also seems to have put a lot of planning into the designs because the styles are diverse and intricate – borrowing from Moroccan, Persian and Mediterranean cultures.
Ms Adendorff, who has written 10 other crochet books, innovatively uses layering to give texture and 3D finishes to what would have ordinarily been simple designs.
