Friday 16 September 2011

Review of Crocheted Wraps & Throws

Ravelry Link


Published in the UK as Crocheted Throws and Wraps and the US as Crocheted Afghans

Impressions: Meh overall.  Some of the pieces aren't bad but they're really not making me want to crochet them.  Soem of them look rather insubstantial and wouldn't appeal to me for throws or shawls.  Overall it didn't speak to me.  I think part of the problem may have been the photography and settings.

Types of patterns: Piecework in crochet.

Number of Patterns: 25

Colour/Black & White: Colour

Schematics: no

Target Audience: it all looks like pretty basic stuff, the advantage with this sort of thing is that once you get the single blocks or the length roughly correct you can just make it bigger or smaller to suit.

How to crochet guide: yes, but the difference between UK and US terms isn't explained

Experimental/Classical/Modern: Pretty classical pieces

Comments on patterns: The first chapter is Vintage Style and they start with a Cream Comforter, pictured on a table, not what I'd use for a table is a piece with raised pieces.  Made in Debbie Bliss Rialto DK (11 balls).

The Pale Green Textured Blanket is pretty simple, crocheted in one piece, with puff stitches, made in Debbie Bliss Como (22 balls).

The Circular Coverlet is first show as a shawl on a model, inspired by a vintage Doily.  Made in Debbie Bliss Cashmerino Aran (19 balls).

The Shetland-Style Shawl uses the shetland idea and makes a shawl with it in crochet.  You could probably knit the center and crochet the outside, it's an interesting take on the Shetland blanket style.  Knit in Baby Alpaca or Pure Wool DK (7x50g)

Puffs Baby Blanket - many, many puffs joined to make a blanket, the baby blanket requires 35g of colour A; 60g of colour B & C; 45g of colour D, E & F and 50g of G in 4ply.  It notes that for every 10 puffs you will need 20g of yarn.

Argyll Afghan - worked initially like a parge colourwork granny square style affair from side to side with applied overchecks.  This needs 9x 50g balls of Sirdar balmoral in 4 colours.

Gingham Blanket - a dense baby blanket worked in three colours and then edged, 8 x50g balls of Sublime Extra Fine Merino DK

Chapter 2: American Dream

Shaker-Style Throw - now the yarn isn't identified but it's a Silk Mohair and Wool Mix Aran weight in Random Shaded Grey (7x50g balls) and my mind is suggesting Noro.  While this is an interesting homespun look, it doesn't say quaker to me, it isn't dense or practical enough.  Also the squares aren't joined as you go but joined at the end.

Navajo Blanket center star and radiating saw-tooth borders.  Inspired by Navajo design this one needs 18 balls of pure aran wool weight yarn in 6 different colours, done in pieces that are fastened together.


Seminole-Style Blanket - two strips that are then joined together; needs 14 balls of pure wool dk.

Sunshine & Shadow Throw, working in alternative squares of bright dark and light colours in a diamond pattern and then a plain border this usess dk yarn (wool rich); 270g of a, 65g of b, h; 50g c, e, g; 100g d, f; 200g I it would be aproximate though you could work with scraps of yarn depending on how much you had and work with filling in with approximate colours.

Log Cabin Coverlet - an interesting lesson in colour use and how to change colours in a round uses DK cotton yarn, 100g of A; 30g of B & C; 40g in D & E; 50g in F&G

Crazy Patchwork throw. Flowers are made square - about 170g of dk yarn in a mix of colours, this one could use up a lot of leftovers.


Chapter 3: Outside Inside
Rainbow Baby Blanket - strips joined and then with a rainbow sequence edging. - dk yarn 60g of A&B (red & Orange); 40g of (C, D, F) Yellow; Green & Violet; 90g in shades of blue (E) and 100g in Navy which is used as the edging.

Flower Garden Throw - Aran yarn made in hexagonal flowers and then joined - 11 x 50g balls in a variety of colours

Wild Flower Throw - flowers made from triangles and then set into squares and then worked together. Done in DK weight yarn with a single background colour and could be used to use up almost matching reds and pinks.

Roses and Daisies Throw - this one could be used to use up scraps with a solid background. 400g of a mix of dk yarn and 8x50g of background yarn.

Seascape Wall Hanging - this is a brown and blue hanging that echoes a seascape, as it's a hanging you could use any sort of yarn for this.

Landscape Play Blanket - a patchwork blanket
 making fields, hills and sky for children to play with animals with.  Done in a variety of dk greens with some yellow and blue scattered in.

Chapter 4 is Around the World
Tartan Blanket - bands of colour with grids of holes to weave contrast colours through.  Done in DK yarn with 11 balls of dk yarn this could be one to for those who follow their clan tartan

African Beads Circular throw - inspired by tribal circular beadwork patterns.  USing a contrast background to highlight the pseudo-beads, done in aran weight yarn, you would need 10 balls of yarn for this.

Scandinavian Sampler Throw - a red and white throw is cross stitched with red; 7 balls of 50g dk yarn

Aran-style throw - all in cream this is actually done in Aran Weight yarn - you will need 7x100g balls.  There is a mock fringing which is quite effective.

Kelim Carpet runner - this makes me think more of New Mexican designs rather than more Turkish designs but we have here eight pointed stars in octagons joined in a strip. Aran yarn and you would need 7x100g balls for this, split over 5 colours

Indigo Ikat Throw - diamonds in the centre with chevrons coming off them in strips. a variety of blues, whites and creams dk weights

Buy/Borrow: I was a little underwhelmed; but this would be a great stashbusting book.  Several of the designs look more ornamental than warming to me, I'd borrow to see what you think.

Where found: Dublin City Public Libraries has copies.

2 comments:

  1. Stashbusting books are always good, but only if the patterns are ones you like!

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  2. I don't know what it was about the book but overall it left me with a meh feeling. There is a space for a good stashbusting book like this.

    ReplyDelete