Crochet

Patterns, projects and techniques

More New Techniques

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As promised, here are some more ideas for you to try.  Spice things up and crochet something different!  Start with one of these, maybe:

Freeform is a favorite technique of mine.  If you haven’t tried it, lose the rules and learn to go with the flow. Freeform takes full advantage of the versatility of crochet.  Anything we can wrap around a hook can be crocheted.  We can create a totally different look by using a surprising hook size with a standard yarn or thread.  Add rows of varying stitches.  Change yarn color and size.  Throw in some beads or charms.  Like I said, lose the rules.  Take advantage of the bits and pieces of yarn and thread you have in your stash to create a small or large ‘scrumble’.  Applique it to a sweater or jacket or put a pinback on it and pin it to your hat.  There’s no end to what you can do with your hooks if you give in to the spirit of this technique.  Like the sunburst below…..

Isn’t this a splendid sunburst?  It was created by a woman in Brisbane, Australia in freeform technique.  To explore this technique further, check into books and weblinks to Prudence Mapstone, Margaret Hubert and others.

freeform-sunburst-0309

http://www.freeformcrochet.com/designs.html

Another winning idea is Modular Crochet.  There is a great, but out of print book, that is a textbook for Modular Crochet (Design Crochet, edited by Mark Dittrick, Hawthorn Books, Inc., New
York, 1978, ISBN 0801520193 ).  But, once you understand the technique, you don’t really need a book.

Modular crochet (and knit) is a technique that is worth the time for any crocheter to learn.  It’s simple, geometric, and highly adaptive.  This site is a good place to start:

http://hookandi.blogspot.com/2006/01/modular-and-top-down-crochet-great.html

In a completely different vein, there is Rickrack crochet, combining the woven edging used by sewers called ‘rickrack’ and thread crochet, you can create Rickrack crochet.

Rickrack crochet is such a pretty technique.  It looks both vintage and current!  Pretty for inserts on garments and linens.  Try you hand at this with some scrap yarn and a package of rickrack and sew it to a hand towel to make a pretty gift.

http://primrosedesign.blogspot.com/2006/02/rickrack.html

http://primrosedesign.blogspot.com/2006/02/rickrack.html

About.com also has some good info on the rickrack technique:

http://crochet.about.com/library/weekly/aa090400.htm

Comments

  1. Thanks for the link! Just wanted to mention that, if you like the rickrack technique, look for vintage crochet pattern books at flea markets and antique malls. Books with patterns for edgings often have a few pages devoted solely to designs for encasing rickrack. There are lots of ways to do it, all really pretty. I just wish I knew how to crochet 🙂

  2. Hi JD,
    Just wanted to let you know that the crochet sunburst you show in the photo above was actually created by Barbara Hillery van Elsen from New York.

Have you read?

Granny Square Along by Lori Holt: A Crochet Book for Lovers of Vintage Colour

There is something about a colourful granny square that never seems to lose its charm. Perhaps it is the familiar clusters of stitches, perhaps it is the endless colour combinations, or perhaps it reminds us of a blanket that lived on someone’s sofa for about thirty years and was still everyone’s favourite.

Lori Holt’s Granny Square Along Crochet Book, part of her Cozy Crochet Series, leans beautifully into that nostalgic appeal. If you enjoy her scrappy, vintage-inspired style, this collection brings that same feeling to crochet.

What catches my attention is the focus on giving those squares a purpose. Making granny squares is wonderfully absorbing. Turning the growing pile beside your chair into something useful is sometimes where enthusiasm needs a little encouragement.

This is a review-style look at the book’s published details and project previews, rather than a hands-on assessment of every pattern.

What Is Granny Square Along?

Published by It’s Sew Emma, Granny Square Along by Lori Holt of Bee in my Bonnet is a 91-page, spiral-bound crochet book containing 13 projects.

It is Lori’s first crochet book, and the inspiration is personal: her grandmother taught her to crochet granny squares. That connection suits the collection’s traditional, colourful character.

The spiral binding is a particularly practical detail. A book that can lie flat beside your work is much more appealing than one that keeps closing just as you reach the next instruction. We have enough to keep track of without recruiting a mug to hold the page open.

More Than Another Granny Square Blanket Book

The project selection is the strongest selling point for me.

Alongside an afghan, the collection includes cushions, bunting, a scarf, stockings, jar cozies and a project bag. Smaller makes include a pincushion, bow, sewing book and potholder.

That variety gives the book appeal beyond one large project. You might choose a small decorative piece first, then return later for something more substantial.

The sewing-related projects are especially interesting for readers who move between crochet, quilting and embroidery. A handmade pincushion or sewing book feels right at home beside a fabric stash, and it offers a lovely opportunity to coordinate your crafts.

If you already enjoy our colourful granny crochet bag feature, this collection has a similar appeal: familiar squares used in cheerful, practical ways.

The Vintage Colour Appeal

What draws me to this style is the way small pieces of colour can create something with real personality.

Granny squares lend themselves to that collected, patchwork-like look. You can repeat a carefully chosen palette or introduce more colours while keeping a consistent background or finishing shade.

For a crocheter who also loves scrappy quilts, that is an appealing connection. Both crafts let you play with colour in manageable little sections before bringing everything together.

There is also room to make the overall look your own. If bright combinations are not your thing, a quieter palette might suit your home better. Just remember that changing the yarn itself involves more than choosing different colours.

Is This Crochet Book Suitable for Beginners?

Fat Quarter Shop lists the book as intermediate, and its accompanying introduction says it is not intended for complete beginners.

My recommendation would be to approach it once you are comfortable with basic crochet stitches and working a granny square. An adventurous beginner may enjoy progressing through the projects, but someone learning to hold a hook for the first time will need foundational instruction first.

The book includes written instructions and partial diagrams. That combination may appeal if you like having a visual reference alongside the text, although partial diagrams should not be mistaken for complete charts of every project.

Before tackling a larger square-based make, it is also worth becoming comfortable with finishing. Our guide to joining crochet pieces with mattress stitch explains one useful technique. Follow the book’s specified joining method for your chosen project.

Check the Yarn Before You Shop

The recommended yarn is Lori Holt’s Chunky Thread, which Fat Quarter Shop identifies as #2 weight.

That is worth noticing because the name could easily send you looking for a much thicker yarn. Check the actual yarn specification rather than choosing by the word “chunky.”

Most projects use a 3.5 mm hook, while designs worked with two strands use a 4.5 mm hook. Follow each pattern’s individual requirements.

If you want to substitute yarn, compare fibre, weight and yardage, then check your gauge and the finished fabric. A replacement can change the size, drape and structure of a project, particularly a bag or fitted cover.

And while the scrappy appearance is tempting for stash busting, it does not mean every leftover ball will work together. Those odds and ends still need to be compatible. The yarn basket may have other ideas.

Who Would Enjoy Granny Square Along?

I would put this book on the shortlist for crocheters who:

  • Love Lori Holt’s vintage-inspired aesthetic
  • Enjoy granny squares and want ideas beyond blankets
  • Prefer a physical pattern book beside their work
  • Like smaller handmade gifts as well as larger projects
  • Move between crochet, sewing and quilting

It is less suited to someone seeking a comprehensive learn-to-crochet manual or a collection focused on garment design.

For more ideas about what your finished squares can become, our guide to different ways of joining granny squares offers further inspiration. Different joins can give similar motifs quite different personalities.

Is Granny Square Along Worth a Look?

For me, the appeal is the combination of a familiar crochet motif, a cohesive vintage style and a useful range of projects.

A book earns its place on the craft shelf when you can picture yourself returning to it. Here, the mix of small accessories, home decorations and a larger afghan gives readers several possible starting points.

Before buying, browse the project previews and ask yourself which designs you would actually make. If several immediately catch your eye, that is a better reason to purchase than simply liking the cover. Although a pretty craft-book cover has persuaded plenty of us before.

You can view Granny Square Along by Lori Holt at Fat Quarter Shop, including the current price and availability.

For anyone who loves the comforting rhythm of granny squares, this looks like an inviting collection to explore. There is something satisfying about turning a small, familiar square into an object you can use, display or give to someone. And having a project in mind might finally help that basket of squares graduate from “lovely possibilities” to something finished.