Handy tips for easy crocheting

[caption id="attachment_226682" align="aligncenter" width="630"] New books on crochet[/caption]

67 Blankets for Mandela volunteer Karen van Rooyen takes a look at two new books on crochet

Crochet Tile Motifs With a Difference by Karen Adendorff, published by Human & Rousseau, R195

The Karen Adendorff books combine two of my favourite pastimes – reading (because books aren’t an actual pastime?) and crochet. In the preface to her latest offering, Adendorff – considered South Africa’s queen of crochet – describes how the book had “evolved through a popular new trend among crochet groups on social media”.

I can’t read a crochet pattern to save my life but that doesn’t mean I can’t enjoy this book. Instructions include the size of the completed motif, the number of colours of yarn used, a difficulty rating and a picture of what the completed motif should look like.

The actual pattern is provided in step-by-step written format and as a motif. And if all that doesn’t convince you this book is a must-have for any crochet lover consider this: at less than R200 for more than 30 motifs, it’s a fraction of the cost of data spent watching online tutorials.

Hello, Crochet by Cornel Strydom, Elsbeth Eksteen, Anisa Fielding, published by Human & Rousseau, R310

Gone are the days when crochet only meant those doilies adorning just about every space in ouma’s house.

Now, if you an imagine it, you can crochet it – everything from bags, skirts, slippers and even bits and pieces that can be turned into event decor or beautiful brooches.

Hello, Crochet includes some of these and more such as gloves and cute and cuddly toys, referring to it as “64 fun and funky projects”.

The book was born of the authors’ “shared love for crochet, yarn, textures and beautiful patterns”.

The patterns are divided into four categories – contemporary, artistic, romantic and bohemian.

Instructions are provided in written form and as motifs and include the type, amount and colour of yarn used in the examples.