Book Review- Mend It Better

This compact book is a goldmine of mending and camouflaging ideas and techniques. If you need to extend a hem, cover a hole, shorten a sleeve, replace a zipper, this is the book for you. With the economy being what it is, I think we are all trying to get more out of each dollar. That includes clothing. Keeping clothing fresh and in good repair requires more than just ironing on a patch. We just might want to add a bit of pizzazz with those patches.

This book has so many ideas that you’ll find it invaluable. For the crocheter, there are (finally) options for using crochet in mending and camouflaging. Have a pair of jeans with a hole in the derriere? Sprinkle a few well placed teeny doily-like motifs. Worn a hole in the heel of your favorite wool socks? Use your hook and some matching or contrasting yarn to make them wearable again. There’s even a good explanation of how to use your crochet hook to repair a snag.

Along with other repair techniques, it’s nice to see crochet used in such inventive ways. What cute pair of sweats on your toddler would not be cuter with the addition of a tiny crochet motif on that patch? You’ll find the technique for adding ‘frogs’ and toggles to your crocheted sweaters in this book. This is a keeper!

Book Specs:

Mend It Better, Creative Patching, Darning, and Stitching by Kristin M. Roach

Storey Publishing, February, 2012

Full color photos and illustrations over 224 pages

Padded hardcover, 7″by 8″ book

ISBN 9781603425643

List Price $18.95 USD

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.

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