Crochet in No Time
Far from being your granny's craft, crochet today has assumed a distinctive cachet, thanks to such designers as London-based Griffiths. Here, she eschews the traditional in favor of exploiting the hobby's differentiators, such as lace-, flower-, and block-type motifs. These one-a-week-for-one-year patterns are developed not only for quick finales (with estimated time to complete indicated for each design) but also for maximizing contemporary fashions. An unusual flowery paisley throw, fingerless granny-square gloves, and a pansy motif scarf, among others, take full advantage of new yarns, bright (and subtle) colorways and combinations, and consumer-current fashion demands. All projects are to be stitched in a day or less, and instructions are excellent, featuring (in addition to the usual materials, gauge, directions, and color photographs) actual color samples of the recommended yarns, time to completion, and great professional tips. As a wrap-up, a good set of illustrated instructions is the best substitute for learning one-to-one. Jacobs, Barbara