Title: Crochet Wraps Every Which Way
Author: Tammy Hildebrand
Book Review by Marie Segares (www.undergroundcrafter.com)
All images © Stackpole Books and used
with permission
Crochet Wraps
Every Which Way by Tammy Hildebrand is a crochet pattern book featuring 18 designs for
women’s wraps made with six different crochet techniques: traditional crochet,
motifs, hairpin lace, broomstick lace, Tunisian crochet, and double-ended
crochet.
Perfect Pineapples
The book opens with a friendly introduction
from Tammy, along with 10 crochet tips, most of which are to help your projects
look more finished. This is followed by
a glossary of U.S. crochet pattern abbreviations.
You are My Sunshine
The next six chapters are organized by
crochet technique. Each chapter includes three patterns. Each pattern includes
multiple, large photos of the wrap, shown from different angles. Several, including the Irish Jig (crocheted
with hairpin lace) and the Ardeona Lace (crocheted with broomstick lace) are
styled differently in each photo and can be worn around the waist as well. Each pattern also includes a skill rating and
a glossary of special abbreviations.
Chica Mala
The Essential Crochet Techniques chapter
provides written instructions along with process photos for all of the major
stitches and techniques used in the book, including basic crochet stitches
(single, half double, double, and treble), joining motifs as you go, hairpin
lace (strips and in the round), broomstick lace (flat and in the round), and
the basic forward and return pass for both Tunisian and double-ended crochet.
Cascading Rivers
My personal favorite patterns are the Purple
Pineapples (in traditional crochet), Waiting for Willow (in motifs), Irish Jig
and You are My Sunshine (in hairpin lace), Chica Mala (in broomstick lace),
Cascading Rivers (in Tunisian crochet), and Zen Garden (in double-ended
crochet). The book ends with a resources
page, including information about the yarn and tools used for these projects,
and a visual index with a thumbnail of each pattern for easy reference.
Waiting for Willow
There are no international stitch symbols
used in the book. Like all paperbacks,
it doesn’t lay flat, so it’s hard to crochet and read. While the process photos are great, some
crocheters would prefer not to have to flip to the back of the book. Perhaps the photo tutorials could have been
moved to the beginning of the relevant chapter.
Although the different wraps are surprisingly diverse, there is really
only one type of project in this book, so if you don’t love wearing (or gifting)
wraps, it may not be a good book for you.
Like all (mostly) pattern books, you may find that some patterns appeal
to you more than others. You can check
out all the patterns online through Stackpole Books’ lookbook, here.
Irish Jig
I give this book 4 out of 5 stars for beginner
and intermediate crocheters who enjoy making shawls, wraps, shrugs, and
ponchos, and who are interested in moving outside of their comfort zone to
learn new crochet techniques. Although
there are quite a few “experienced” level projects in this book, in her intro,
Tammy notes that “you might just have to pay a little more attention” to those
patterns, “But you can do it!”
Project types: 11 rectangular wraps, 4 triangular shawls, 1 poncho, 1
shrug, 1 circle shawl
Skill levels: 6
easy, 6 intermediate, and 6 experienced
Retail price: $19.95
Full disclosure: A free review copy of Crochet Wraps Every Which Way was provided by Stackpole Books. Although I accept free products for review, I do not accept additional compensation, nor do I guarantee a positive review. My reviews are based entirely on my honest opinions.
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