DOUBLESTITCH, the review

Doublestitch, Designs for the Crochet Fashionista

by Erika and Monika Simmons

Published by Interweave Press, 2008, 128 pages, ISBN 978159668006630

Erika and Monika, identical twins, are young, beautiful, fashionable, and talented crochet entrepreneurs. Their crochet designs are fashion forward – aimed at younger women with great shapes. As with many books of crochet fashion, some of the designs are more conceptual than practical. I take these designs as being more inspirational than practical, not what I’m likely to see on the street but a great source for learning how the bounds of crochet can be stretched and redefined. The lovely Deep V Halter that leads off this collection is well suited to the model wearing it, but unlikely to be worn in public because of the impracticality of wearing the 24 inch long fringe that circles the hem. But what a great looking halter top this is!

My favorite designs in the book are the hooded poncho with its flattering vertical detailing and the V shaped hemline treatment, the Gypsy Duster which could easily be created as an elegant ‘topper’ or a beach cover-up by changing only the yarn selection, and the Shrunken Jacket, another versatile design with vertical and horizontal accents that would flatter most figures.

Were I a tall, slender twentysomething, I’d be especially enthralled with the Peek-a-Boo Dress and Shawl and the T-Neck Top.

Peek-A-Boo Dress With Shawl

Yarns used in this book vary from high end alpaca/silk blends to the more modest TLC Amore and LionBrand Wool-ease. This variety is always a plus.

Helpful things in this book? The black and white line drawings and the multiple color photographs showing the garments from a variety of angles, including clear examples of stitch details. This is invaluable to me. Clear type-face and outlined pattern notes create a crisp visual array on each page that is without clutter. Stitch counts at the ends of key rows are extremely helpful.

Ever design in this book is visually stimulating. While there are certainl designs I would never personally crochet (the Bell Sleeve Shrug with Feather Collar for one), there are plenty of great ideas here to inspire me to crochet a flirty fringy belt for a young friend or adapt the Webbed Halter for my own use. The Shrunken Jacket will definitely become part of my wardrobe while my 23 year old daughter has her bid in for for the Beach Bikini with Skirt and the Fitted Shrug with Cap Sleeves.

All in all, this collection of almost thirty designs has a lot to offer a wide variety of crocheters. There’s certainly nothing shapeless or boring about these designs, just the kind of designs I have come to expect from Interweave Press.