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Vogue Knitting – Crocheted Shawls on the go! A Review.

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vogue-shawls.jpg I heard about how much my friend, Ronnie, like this book, so I asked her to write a review for all of us. So, here’s my guest columnist, Ronnie, with her review:

The latest in the series from Crochet Shawls Sixth&Spring Books contains an interesting grouping of information and patterns.

Normally, I just give the intro section a quick glance (if at all)…but the layout of this section caught my eye. With the conversion chart for hooks (US/Metric) to the Standard Yarn Weight System (SYWS) (totally awesome…all the info that anyone who has a habit or need to experiment with different yarns will love) and the tips regarding construction, sizing, & blocking, all written clearly and concisely.

An excellent section on reading patterns and a “cheat sheet” of terms and abbreviations, make this section a must for the beginner or those who have problems reading patterns.

The book contains patterns for 21 shawls with the skill levels generally in the intermediate stage. For some of the shawls, it is because of the type of yarn that is used…not the pattern itself (i.e.mohair) or that there are motifs that need to be joined. I suggest that even a beginner can make the majority of these with very little stress.

The patterns do list the SYWS number for ease of substitution, while some have the various motifs charted out, and the assembly layouts are included (except for the Snowflake Shawl – level experience…).

I rate this as a good addition to any one’s library…

Ronnie in St. Louis

 

Comments

  1. I recently bought the “Vogue Knitting – Crocheted Shawls on the go” book.
    I browsed the book in the shop and came across the last pattern, the Aran Shawl! And I’ve never seen a cable-crochet pattern before!!!!
    So the book definitely was a must have – solely for this one pattern.

    Unfortunately, the pattewrn does not seem to work out.
    The foundation row has 125 half doub;le chains. But the ‘establish pat’ row on top of the foundation only adds up to 91 stistches…..

    help!
    I’ve been trying to work this out for hours and even made a spreadsheet, deciphering all the repeats. Yet I only get 91 again and again and again. :o(

    Is it just me?
    Or is the pattern faulty?

Have you read?

Crochet Christmas Hat and Mitten Ornament

This tiny crochet Christmas hat and mitten set is such a sweet little holiday make. It works up in festive stripes and looks lovely as a tree ornament, package topper, stocking decoration, or tucked onto a wreath. It’s also one of those fun small projects that uses up leftover yarn, which is always satisfying around Christmas.

Materials

  • Red Heart Super Sport or 3 ply sport yarn in Christmas colours such as: 
    • Blue 
    • White 
    • Green 
  • Size 1 steel crochet hook 
  • Yarn needle for finishing 

Finished Size

  • Hat: approximately 1½ inches long 
  • Mitten: approximately 2 inches long 

Abbreviations

  • ch = chain 
  • sc = single crochet 
  • sl st = slip stitch 
  • st = stitch 
  • sts = stitches 
  • tog = together 
  • rpt = repeat 
  • rnd = round 
  • lps = loops 

Pattern Notes

  • Unless otherwise stated, work in the back loops only. 
  • Join rounds with a slip stitch. 
  • The mitten is worked from the cuff upward. 
  • The hat is worked from the cuff upward. 
  • For a more traditional Christmas look, try red, white, and green. 

Christmas Mitten Ornament

Cuff

With mitten colour, ch 6.

Row 1: Sc in 2nd ch from hook and in each of the remaining 4 ch. Turn.
 (5 sc)

Rows 2–12: Ch 1, sc in each st across. Turn.

Row 13: Hold the first and last rows together, matching stitches. Working through both thicknesses, ch 1, sl st in each st across to form the cuff. Do not turn.

Hand

Rnd 14: Working in the ends of the cuff rows, ch 1, (sc in next row end, 2 sc in next row end) around. Join with sl st in first sc.
 (18 sts)

Rnd 15: Ch 1, sc in each st around. Join. Fasten off.

Rnd 16: Join stripe colour with sc in first st, sc in each st around. Join. Fasten off.

Rnd 17: With mitten colour, repeat Round 16.

Rnd 18: Join stripe colour with sc in first st, sc in next 10 sts, 2 sc in next st, leaving last 6 sts unworked. Join. Fasten off.
 (13 sts)

Rnds 19–21: Repeat Rounds 17 and 16 alternately, ending with Round 17.

Rnd 22: Working in both loops, ch 1, sc in each st around. Join.

Rnd 23: Working in both loops, ch 1, sc in first 2 sts, sc next 2 sts tog, (sc in each of next 2 sts, sc next 2 sts tog) 2 times, sc in last st. Join.
 Leave an 8 inch tail and fasten off.

Thread the yarn tail through the stitches of Round 23, pull to gather, and secure.

Thumb

Working in both loops, join mitten colour with sc in the first unworked st of Round 17.

Thumb Round 1: Sc in next 4 sts, 2 sc in last st. Join with sl st in first sc.
 (7 sc)

Thumb Rounds 2–3: Ch 1, sc in each st around. Join.

At the end of the final round, leave an 8 inch tail and fasten off. Thread yarn through the stitches, pull to gather, and secure.

Christmas Hat Ornament

Cuff

With hat colour, ch 4.

Row 1: Sc in 2nd ch from hook and in each of the last 2 ch. Turn.
 (3 sc)

Rows 2–32: Working in back loops only, ch 1, sc in each st across. Turn.

Row 33: Repeat Row 13 of the mitten pattern to join the cuff into a ring.

Hat Body

Rnd 34: Working in the ends of rows around the cuff, ch 1, sc in each row around. Join with sl st in first sc.
 (32 sts)

Rnd 35: Working in back loops only, ch 1, sc in each st around. Join.

Rnds 36–38: Ch 1, sc in each st around. Join. Fasten off at the end of Round 38.

Rnds 39–44: Working in back loops only, repeat Rounds 16 and 17 of the mitten alternately for festive striping.

Rnd 45: Ch 1, sc in first 2 sts, sc next 2 sts tog, (sc in next 2 sts, sc next 2 sts tog) around. Join.
 (18 sts)

Rnd 46: Repeat Round 45.
 (12 sts)

Rnd 47: Ch 1, sc in first st, sc next 2 sts tog, (sc in next st, sc next 2 sts tog) around. Join.
 Leave an 8 inch tail and fasten off.

Thread yarn through remaining stitches, pull to gather, and secure. Turn cuff up.

Tie

With mitten colour, ch 20. Fasten off.

Sew one end of the tie to the mitten cuff and the other end to the centre top of the hat on the wrong side.

Hanger

With mitten colour, ch 18. Fasten off.

Tack both ends of the hanger to the centre top of the hat on the right side.

This tiny Christmas set is adorable worked in classic holiday shades, and it would be very cute hanging on the tree beside handmade stockings and mini crochet candy canes.