Perhaps the last publication written or edited by Jean Leinhauser is this wonderful book, “Crochet Master Class”. Jean passed away recently, after an illustrious career in the business that made her a bonafide crochet luminary. This book, her last one as far as I know, represents the culmination of her designing, writing, and editing career.
“Crochet Master Class” is subtitled, ‘Lessons and Projects from Today’s Top Crocheters’ and covers a great deal of territory. Eighteen different fields are covered, ranging in scope from a chapter devoted to the Bullion Stitch to one that covers Tunisian Crochet. Along the way, we are treated to the wisdom and designs of the best crochet artists, Darla Fanton, Ferosa Harold, Maire Treanor, Margaret Hubert, Carol Ventura, and Prudence Mapstone along with others whose name and designs you are likely to recognize.
Great photography, efficient illustrations, and designer’s tips enhance each written pattern. Each designer offers only a single pattern, but it’s one designed to assist the crocheter to master each technique. What this book teaches are techniques that can be used in other projects. The designs will make you a fan of each designer. I’m already a fan of many of these designers, having fallen in love with techniques like Freeform Crochet (Prudence Mapstone and Margaret Hubert who represents Fashion Crochet in this book) that I’ve previously used and techniques I plan to master because of this book -Ferosa’s Painted Crochet and Tatyana Mirer’s Bruges Lace. I have great hopes to master Filet (Harmut Hass) and Overlay (Melody MacDuffee), both of which I’ve previously tried without much success. I think this book offers more insight into these techniques than most others I’ve seen.
Designs in this book include a beautiful Beaded Tapestry Bag (Carol Ventura), a very sweet child’s Bead and Roses Coat (Tunisian by Julia Bryant), Nancy Nehring’s charming Victorian Flower Tassel, Melody MacDuffee’s stunning Overlay Mandala Pillow Cover, a Bruges Lace Reversible Magical Wave Stole to DIE for, a cleverly shaped Free-Form shawl, and more that will have you running to the yarn store!
While some of the techniques displayed in this book may fall into the Wishful Thinking Category rather than the Reality Category, this book has earned its place in my Crochet Library. It will make a wonderful gift for a beginner or a more advanced crocheter as it is a thorough reference book that both instructs and inspires.
BOOK SPECS:
Potter Crafts, 2010
ISBN: 9780307586537
190 pages, oversized soft cover with slick, heavy paper, copious color photos and two color illustrations
$22.99 USD list price
Want more filet patterns? Check these out on Etsy and these Filet Crochet Patterns books
I have this and dream of time to do it all!