Sunday 12 January 2014

Tunisian Crochet Baby Blankets ~ Book Review



#Tunisian #Crochet #Baby #Blankets ~ #Book #Review

Front Cover

Available in eBook format from LeisureArts.com

I am honoured to welcome Sharon Silverman
who is here to talk about her new book:
Tunisian Crochet Baby Blankets 

How long have you been crocheting for and tunisian crocheting?
    I've been crocheting since 1965, and had my first experience with Tunisian crochet in 2002.

Why did you decide to learn tunisian crochet?
    I saw the technique in a stitch dictionary and it looked intriguing. It put a huge smile on my face the first time I tried it! It created a beautiful fabric and was so fast to work up. I soon discovered that there are many different Tunisian stitches. I think I tried all of them. 

What inspired you to write the book?
    This book is a natural progression from my previous several titles, all of which were partially or exclusively Tunisian designs. Baby blankets don't have very complicated shaping, so they provide an excellent opportunity for crocheters to add Tunisian crochet to their repertoire. It was fun for me to use color combinations, stitch patterns, and techniques that are a good fit for contemporary nurseries.
    I also welcomed the opportunity to do a project with Leisure Arts, one of the major craft publishers in the US. It has been a wonderful experience so far.
    
What is your favourite thing about tunisian crochet?
    Hard to choose just one! Tunisian crochet allows me to create a wide variety of fabrics--everything from lacy to chunky--while using the hook and hand motions of crochet. I knit, but not very well, so I'm thrilled to be able to crochet things that look knitted. Because each row is worked in two passes, it also opens up an opportunity for colorwork that doesn't exist in regular crochet.
Which is your favourite pattern in the book and why?
    Bright Strands is my favorite. I love the way the yellow, white, and navy work together. It was the first time I designed with the stranding technique, which was fun and exciting.

What is your favourite yarn to crochet with?
    Anything that doesn't shed or split. I gravitate more to the lighter weights than to bulky or super bulky.

What would be the one piece of advice be to someone who wants to learn tunisian crochet?
    My immediate answer is, "Try it, you'll love it!" For more concrete advice, I'd say get a couple of high-quality hooks that are pointy enough to go through the fabric, but not so pointy that they stab you. A hook with a long plastic extension is more comfortable; when there are a lot of stitches per row, a long, rigid hook can get quite heavy. Choose your hooks a size or two larger than usual to avoid having the fabric get too dense. (I like ChiaoGoo hooks and Denise Interchangeables, but there are many choices.)

Basket Weave Blocks

As you'll see from the designs Sharon uses different
Tunisian stitches to create beautiful unique baby blankets
that will be sure to be treasured.

Purple Garden

The book includes a stitch guide and pictures to show you how
to work different techniques.

Frosted Stitch Stripes

You also get  LeisureArts.com video
tutorials to help you as well.

Color Waves

The patterns give you a varied set of designs to choose from.

Telegram

The blankets you make will be treasured and I am sure
they will become an heirloom to be passed down the family.

Bubbling Bobbles

 Whether you're looking for classic cables, ripples, 
stripes, bobbles, or basket weave blocks
you will find them all in this book.

Cables & Honeycombs

If you are new to Tunisian crochet, or need a refresher on the basics,
the Tunisian Crochet Skills section will help you get started.

Bright Strands

Available in eBook format from LeisureArts.com

Now you've seen how fantastic this book is
and what you can learn to make
it's time for the opportunity to see if you can win a book.


Good Luck!



I received a copy of the eBook to review
but all opinions expressed are my own.
No monies were received for this post
but affiliate links are included.

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