Crochet

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THE BEADED EDGE

by

This beautiful book, full of crochet beaded confections, is due for publication very soon.  It’s another beauty from Interweave Press.

If there’s anything you want to edge with beads, this book has a project or an idea to suit you.  The delicious colors and beads used will have all crocheters running to the bead shop to pick out just the right beads to edge everything in the house!

Have you ever considered adding butterflies to the hem of your sweater, berry clusters to your pants pockets, or stars to your scarf?  You will now! The frothiest confection in this book is the wedding ensemble – a delicate, exquisitely edged veil with gloves, ring pillow, and bridal pouch to match.  Other projects include candle drapes, a lariat necklace, curtain and shade edgings – even adding a delicate beaded edge to a jelly jar makes it special.  There is something in this book for everyone who likes to see the words crochet and bead in the same sentence.  You will not be disappointed.

The designer of all these beauties is Midori Nishida of Japan (and will remind you of an Ondori book if you’re familiar with those) who was influenced by Turkish edgings and includes a detailed article about the Turkish edgings.

The true strength of this book – after you’ve stopped drooling over the designs – is the 27 pages of instructions.  These are detailed with charts, photos, written patterns, and diagrams.  The photographs are very detailed just where you need them to be.  I can’t recall another book (except for Ondori) where this much care or this many pages are devoted to actually creating the designs. Further, at $17.95, it’s a bargain!

BOOK SPECS:

The Beaded Edge, Inspired Designs for Crocheted Edgings and Trims by Midori Nishida/CRK Designs

Interweave Press, 2010

Glossy soft back with 87 pages and numerous color photos, B&W photos, diagrams, and charts

$17.95 USD

Comments

  4. I am disappointed in the book in a way… while it is lovely they do not include the if they have a picture in the book it leads you to believe the pattern is in the book , its misleading because in this book they leave all the cover picture patterns out, I was not happy with that

Have you read?

Christmas Tree Crochet Scarf – A Fun and Festive Pattern Worth Revisiting

Some crochet patterns are practical, some are pretty, and some are just pure holiday fun. This Christmas Tree Crochet Scarf from CraftBits falls firmly into that last category, and honestly, that is exactly why it caught my eye again. It is quirky, cheerful, and the kind of novelty scarf that makes people smile before you have even had a chance to explain that yes, you really did make it yourself. The pattern comes from CraftBits and creates a scarf made up of Christmas tree motifs joined together into one gloriously festive wearable.

If this scarf looks a little familiar, you might already have spotted it in our roundup of 18 Free Christmas Crochet Scarf Patterns To Make As Gifts or in our collection of 15 Fun And Silly Crochet Scarf Patterns. It has definitely popped up on Crochet.CraftGossip before, and for good reason. It is one of those patterns that manages to be both wearable and wonderfully ridiculous, which is a very fine line in the world of festive crochet.

What I like most about this design is that it does not try to be subtle. It fully embraces the novelty Christmas vibe, and sometimes that is exactly what a seasonal project needs. The scarf is made using repeated tree shapes, so it has that satisfying motif-based construction that many crocheters enjoy. It also gives you the chance to play with embellishments like pom poms and stars, which adds even more personality to the finished piece. According to the CraftBits pattern, the scarf uses Red Heart Super Saver yarn, a size I hook, and simple decorative extras including felt and pom poms.

This would be such a fun project for a holiday party outfit, an ugly sweater event, a handmade gag gift, or just for someone who genuinely loves festive accessories. We all know at least one person who would wear this proudly while serving Christmas lunch or turning up to school pickup in December like the absolute queen of holiday spirit.

It is also the sort of pattern that feels a little nostalgic in the best possible way. CraftBits has had this project around for years, and it still holds up because novelty crochet never really goes away. It just waits patiently for the rest of us to catch up again. And let’s be honest, there is something refreshing about a project that does not take itself too seriously. Not every scarf needs to be neutral, elegant, or sensible. Some scarves are allowed to be actual Christmas trees.

So yes, you may have seen this one before in our scarf roundups, but I think it deserves its own little spotlight too. If you are in the mood to make something playful, memorable, and completely unapologetic for the holiday season, this one is worth another look.