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Crochet Yourself A Monster

September 28, 2013 by jd wolfe

If the cover photo isn’t enough to interest you in this book, there’s more!  This insanely cute book is full of the designs of Brenda K.B.Anderson who designs costumes for the extremely popular Sesame Street Live.  So, she’s got the credentials, right?  I can’t get over how cute some of these ‘monsters’ are.  I bet you’ll agree.

Looking for more Monster patterns? Check out these ones we found on Etsy.

Included in this book are such beastly objects as a Frankenstein lookalike, complete with bride, a large colorful fish bag, a tiki monster pillow, and a scary-cure skull shaped purse.  There are monsters to wear, monsters to store candy, and monsters to hug.  Overall, these 23 designs pretty much cover the whole monster universe.  There’s even a Zombie marionette!

cro robot afghan 0913

My absolute favorite project – and the one that will be the favorite of your little boy – is the Robo-blanky, an afghan showing six different robots.  You’ll get a chuckle out of this one.  In fact, the whole book will tickle your fancy.

After all the designs (great pictures, charts, instructions, and tips), there is perhaps the best couple pages ever written for anyone who wants to crochet animals or characters.  Anderson’s Special Topic, ‘Principles of Cuteness’, gives very specific information about creating cute crochet, quantifying very succinctly how things like eye placement and proportions of projects work to produce cuteness.  This information may well be worth the price of the book alone.  This gal creates those adorable – and sometimes scary cute – Sesame Street Character costumes as well as various sports team mascots, so I’m thinking she really knows her stuff.  This book proves that!

Book Specs:

Beastly Crochet by Brenda K.B.Anderson

Published by Interweave Press, September, 2013

ISBN:  9781596685741

Large softcover, 168 pages, cheerful and useful photographs and charts where appropriate

List Price:  $22.95 USD

Looking for more Zombie Themed Crochet Patterns? Check these out on Etsy.

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Comments

  1. belleandrew says

    September 28, 2013 at 12:19 pm

    I’m really glad to see some more fun crochet choices and not just the traditional, older- style patterns and ideas that my grandmother would’ve done. This is a nice change! 🙂

  2. Melissa says

    September 28, 2013 at 4:30 pm

    Love it!!

  3. Sheri *¿* says

    September 29, 2013 at 6:21 am

    Love the Blanky!

Have you read?

Pattern Review: Georgie Granny Square Bucket Hat Crochet Pattern

The Georgie Granny Square Bucket Hat Crochet Pattern is one of those fun wearable crochet projects that has just the right mix of retro charm and modern festival style. If you have been seeing granny square bucket hats popping up everywhere and thinking, “I could make that,” this pattern is a lovely place to start.

This crochet bucket hat is worked in the round using granny-style clusters, giving it that familiar textured look without requiring you to join lots of separate squares. That is a definite win if, like me, you enjoy the look of granny motifs but don’t always feel emotionally prepared for a mountain of seams and ends.

The pattern uses worsted weight #4 yarn, with cotton or a cotton blend recommended, which makes sense for a summer hat. Cotton gives the hat a bit more structure and keeps it feeling breathable rather than floppy and sweaty. You’ll need around 80g of yarn, a 5.5mm crochet hook, scissors, and a yarn needle. The finished hat is designed to fit a head circumference of approximately 51–55cm / 20.1–21.7 inches, which puts it in the adult small/medium range.

What I like about this pattern is that it includes practical fit notes rather than pretending every head and every crocheter’s tension is magically the same. The granny mesh has stretch, and the pattern suggests trying the crown on after Round 5 before continuing with the body section. That is such a useful little check-in point, especially with hats, because nobody wants to finish the whole thing only to discover it either perches on top like a teacup or slides down over your eyes like a lampshade.

The instructions are written in US crochet terms and include a clear stitch key covering chains, clusters, double crochet, repeats, slip stitches, and spaces. The pattern also explains how the rounds are closed, how the beginning chain functions, and how to count the clusters at the end of each round, which is helpful for keeping the shape on track.

The construction is straightforward: you begin at the crown, continue down into the sides, and then work the brim. The brim shaping comes from an increase round that helps kick the edge outward into that classic bucket hat shape. Rounds 15–17 then hold steady to smooth out the brim edge, giving the hat a neat finish without making the shaping feel overly complicated.

I would call this an easy to confident beginner crochet pattern rather than a very first crochet project. You’ll want to be comfortable working in the round, counting repeats, and making double crochet clusters. Once the rhythm clicks, though, it becomes a relaxing, repeat-friendly project — the sort of crochet you can work on while half-watching TV, provided you don’t lose count during the increase rounds. Ask me how I know.

This pattern also has great colour-play potential. The yellow version feels sunny and wearable, the scrap yarn version has brilliant festival energy, and a red-and-green version would make a surprisingly cute Christmas market hat. It would also be a good stash-busting crochet project if you have leftover cotton yarns hanging around from dishcloths, bags, or summer tops.

Overall, the Georgie Granny Square Bucket Hat is a cheerful, wearable crochet pattern with strong Etsy appeal. It hits that sweet spot between nostalgic granny square style and modern handmade fashion, making it a great pattern for festival outfits, summer wardrobes, handmade gifts, and market sellers looking for a trendy crochet accessory.

Best for: confident beginners, granny stitch lovers, summer crochet projects, festival fashion, scrap yarn makes, and crocheters who want a wearable project that feels fun rather than fussy.

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