Totally Simple Crochet

I ran across this book at my local library last week. Don’t know how I missed it before. I don’t believe I ever saw it for sale at any of my usual haunts.

I’m glad I ran across it because it’s a great little book. It does have 30 patterns in it and several of them quickly found their way onto my WIM list!

The most beautiful pattern in the book is titled simply ‘Crocheted Stole/Shawl’. It’s a pretty floral looking stitch pattern worked with two strands of laceweight baby alpaca. The two colors, only a shade off from each other as heathery beige and gray, add a great deal of dimension, resulting in a stunning shawl. It’s dimensions are 22X81 inches, but since it’s worked across its width, I can downsize it to something more manageable for me than a shawl that’s 81 inches long. Further, I’d probably substitute a fingering weight yarn in a heathery color rather than carry two strands of yarn.

The other pattern I fell in love with is unusual for me. It’s ‘Flower Scarf’ made from tiny motifs that are joined as you go. The scarf is shown worked up using NINE different colors of baby alpaca, holding two strands together. Again, I’d choose a yarn that is fingering weight – probably sock yarn – with long runs of related colors rather than the nine skeins called for. The end result would be very similar to the pictured scarf I believe.

The other 28 patterns in the book run the gamut from afghans to gauntlets to caps to place mats and two more shawls that are lovely. Step by step instructions are included, along with good photos, and all the crochet basics are covered.

Book Specs:

Totally Simple crochet

Author Tove Fevang

Published by Trafalgar Books, 2011

90 pages, hardback

ISBN 9781570764745

List Price is $21.95 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.

Have you read?