Crochet Update
A couple of weeks ago I made a pineapple skirt from a pattern in Doris Chan's book, Amazing Crochet Lace. I found the skirt to be exactly that: amazing. I liked it so well, I am making another. It works up quickly and can be worn over jeans, another skirt, or a slip.
I have used the suggested yarn for both skirts (Paton's Grace, a mercerized cotton), if not the suggested color (the first was ginger -- a light green, the second is tangelo -- a varigated yarn with orange, ecru, and beige), and I even managed to get the gauge right with my new Clover 4.5mm hook.
( Tangent: I had resisted purchasing a Clover crochet hook, but there were no other hooks easily available that were the 4.5mm size. Once I used the Clover crochet hook, I became a convert and have been looking for excuses to purchase an entire collection since I used it. I would probably like them better if they came in shocking pink, lime green, and lemon yellow, but I have to admit that they are a wonderful tool despite the drab color.)
While I have read some less than flattering reviews of Doris Chan's book, I found it to be at least as good, and better than many crochet books that are published, and completing the pineapple skirt has infected me with a joi that is the whole reason I crochet.
In addition to the patterns which I find eminently adaptable, it is really inspirational. The story of how she came to create "exploded lace" as she calls it, was worth the price of the book as far as I'm concerned.
Finally, if you do decide you want to tackle any of the projects, make sure you read and understand how to make the single crochet base stitch as given in the directions Chan provides. I am the sort of person who is usually in a hurry and skims over things in order to get to the making of the project. That said, I cannot stress enough how important it is to understand and practice the SC BASE stitch before you begin the project. This stitch makes it possible to get the skirt over your hips, and it would really suck to do all that work and not be able to get the skirt on.
What I liked best about Doris Chan's approach to crochet is that once I got going on the project, I got more excited about it. Apparently Ms. Chan has a new book due out September 18 of this year titled "Everyday Crochet: Wearable designs just for you." I'm betting that I have it before summer officially ends.
A couple of weeks ago I made a pineapple skirt from a pattern in Doris Chan's book, Amazing Crochet Lace. I found the skirt to be exactly that: amazing. I liked it so well, I am making another. It works up quickly and can be worn over jeans, another skirt, or a slip.
I have used the suggested yarn for both skirts (Paton's Grace, a mercerized cotton), if not the suggested color (the first was ginger -- a light green, the second is tangelo -- a varigated yarn with orange, ecru, and beige), and I even managed to get the gauge right with my new Clover 4.5mm hook.
( Tangent: I had resisted purchasing a Clover crochet hook, but there were no other hooks easily available that were the 4.5mm size. Once I used the Clover crochet hook, I became a convert and have been looking for excuses to purchase an entire collection since I used it. I would probably like them better if they came in shocking pink, lime green, and lemon yellow, but I have to admit that they are a wonderful tool despite the drab color.)
While I have read some less than flattering reviews of Doris Chan's book, I found it to be at least as good, and better than many crochet books that are published, and completing the pineapple skirt has infected me with a joi that is the whole reason I crochet.
In addition to the patterns which I find eminently adaptable, it is really inspirational. The story of how she came to create "exploded lace" as she calls it, was worth the price of the book as far as I'm concerned.
Finally, if you do decide you want to tackle any of the projects, make sure you read and understand how to make the single crochet base stitch as given in the directions Chan provides. I am the sort of person who is usually in a hurry and skims over things in order to get to the making of the project. That said, I cannot stress enough how important it is to understand and practice the SC BASE stitch before you begin the project. This stitch makes it possible to get the skirt over your hips, and it would really suck to do all that work and not be able to get the skirt on.
What I liked best about Doris Chan's approach to crochet is that once I got going on the project, I got more excited about it. Apparently Ms. Chan has a new book due out September 18 of this year titled "Everyday Crochet: Wearable designs just for you." I'm betting that I have it before summer officially ends.
posted by janex at 5:46 PM
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