Crochet

Patterns, projects and techniques

Crochet At Home

by

Crochet At Home book

 

This colorful book is full of charming projects designed to delight!  In these 25 projects, you are sure to find at least several that will have you itching to stitch.

The Ruffles and Ridges Pillow is not only attractive, it will teach you a sophisticated technique for increasing in the round.  The front and back panels are different, but both are attractive and use the same increasing technique.

The Sleepy Kitty Doorstop has the aaaahhhh factor in spades.  So adorable.  While the Zigs and Zags Afghan is very sophisticated, it uses a stitch pattern that would work equally well for lovely curtains or even a skirt.  The color choices and dimension in the Pinwheel Baby Blanket will soothe you and baby.

In fact, the color selections throughout the book are one of its strengths.  There are cheerful pairings as well as many unusual combinations.  For a ‘color impaired’ crocheter like me, this is a plus.  When I passed the book around at the last meeting of the St. Louis Crochet Club, three people immediately pointed to the Berry Pie on page 132 as the first project they would be making.  It will make a useful pie/cake carrier as well as a delightful decorative item when not filled with baked goods.  Husbands and kids will be a big fan of this one!

Each pattern in this 142 page large soft cover book is accompanied by excellent photos and most have large charts too.  Further, the yarn choices are given in the ‘generic’ category first, as in ‘worsted weight’, and then the particular yarns used to work up each design are specified, as, say, ‘caron simply soft’.  Most of the yarns are not ‘exotic’ and are widely available.

This book offers such a variety of projects that every crocheter, from beginner to advanced, will find several favorites.  The smallest, coasters or pan handle cozies, are quick and easy.  The most complex, afghans and teapot cozy, are presented in a way that gives the crocheter the best chance for success.

Look for this book to be a Giveaway prize soon!

Book Specs:

Crochet At Home, edited by Brett Bara

Interweave Press, 2013

142 Pages, soft cover

ISBN: 978159668377

$22.95 USD

Comments

  3. Great Book! Looks like a fun one too! Looking forward to the give-a-way also! Tried entering once B4 but failed at the form. Maybe it was the old computer phone. Hugs Sheri *¿*

  4. Hello,
    Thanks for recommending another great crochet book.However, I would be torn between making:
    a)the baked goods carrier you mention.
    b) the baby blanket AND ( no “c” here!) a Russian Nesting doll toy to go with it.
    Thank for allowing us to try!
    33455

Have you read?

Shock Wave Free Crochet Lap Blanket Pattern

This Free Shock Wave Crochet Lap Blanket Pattern from Mary Maxim looks like one of those wonderfully satisfying projects that gives big cozy payoff without fiddly detail. Mary Maxim lists it as a free download, designed as a crochet afghan/lap blanket, with a finished size of 45 x 50 inches.

What immediately stands out is the yarn choice. The pattern is made with Bernat Blanket Extra Thick, using 5 skeins, and calls for a U.S. U/50 (25 mm) crochet hook. That is gloriously chunky territory, which usually means fast progress and lots of squishy texture. If you are in the mood for a project that feels substantial in your hands and grows quickly row by row, this one definitely has that appeal.

Mary Maxim describes the blanket as having a beautifully textured, plush, soft finish and suggests it as a project for home décor or gifting. Based on the materials and oversized hook alone, that sounds about right. This feels like the sort of blanket you make for curling up on the couch, draping over a chair, or giving as a practical handmade gift that will actually get used instead of folded away “for best.”

The pattern is marked Easy, and the listed stitch requirements are straightforward: chain, repeat, double crochet, single crochet, and slip stitch. That makes it sound approachable for confident beginners and very appealing for anyone who wants a relaxing crochet project without too much counting drama.

I also think the lap blanket size is a smart one. Not every crochet blanket needs to become a giant commitment that takes over the lounge room and your will to live. A 45 x 50 inch blanket is a useful, manageable size for gifting, for wheelchairs or reading nooks, or just for keeping on hand for chilly evenings. That practicality gives this pattern extra appeal. The usability point is my own take based on the finished dimensions Mary Maxim provides.

At the moment, the pattern page shows no reviews, so there is not much customer feedback to go on yet. Still, if you enjoy easy crochet blanket patterns, super chunky crochet throws, or quick lap blanket projects, this one looks like a solid freebie to save.

My overall take? This looks like a fast, cozy, beginner-friendly crochet blanket pattern with plenty of texture and instant-gratification energy. Very much the sort of project you start because it looks easy, then keep going because the yarn feels ridiculously soft.