Sascha Blase-Van Wagtendonk, known for her crochet blog A La Sascha (www.alasascha.com), publishes a variety of crochet patterns in both Dutch and English. She is the author of several books of crochet patterns in Dutch, and is a contributor to My Crocheted Closet (Stackpole Books, 2017).
A book full of cute crochet makes for an older child, as all have
little eyes (pop on safety eyes), called rag dolls because only the
heads and arms are stuffed and the body is flat. The expressions
and designs of the toys are delightful. Many have a parent, aka a
larger matching figure, so endless scope for imaginative play. The
crochet terms are US with handy illustrations. The toys are made
using a lightweight DK yarn and a UK 3 mm / US d-3 size crochet
hook. The photography and styling are superb. I am a little bit in
love with the panda! Every child should have a soft crochet buddy
to love and cuddle!
*lazydaisyjones.com*
My first thought on encountering this big, blousy book was that it
was brave in the face of competition like Kerry Lord's Edward's
Menagerie, with which it would. inevitably, be compared. Indeed it
adopts a similar approach in that all the projects are adaptations
of the same basic pattern, It also mirrors Lord's ideas regarding
minimum stuffing but takes them one step further, advocating fully
floppy torsos and toes - the only filler being in the crittur's
heads. It is American, however (watch out for those stitch names!)
so the similarities could be coincidental. This could also account
for what might be, in the UK anyway, a slightly misleading title,
for I argue that there is only one actual ragdoll in the book.
She's called Princess, and very lovely she is too - I particularly
adored the inclusion of patterns for her extended wardrobe. From
the photos, the basic patterns seems super simple and you might
think that you could reel a few off in a week, so I confidently
began with the friendly little frog. I was however, quickly
disavowed of any ideas that this gloriously named author's projects
would be rapidfire. Admittedly the two-colour adaptation posed a
greater challenge, and I could have saved myself some time and
tension if I'd opted for the one-colour hippo or croc for my first
go. Working these sweet creatures, even the babies, takes
concentration and focus, with close attention to the pattern; so if
you're looking for a relatively short project that will take your
mind off things for a while, look no further. The animals in
the photos are all made from Scheepjes cotton mix, but the
quantities are low, so this could be good for a raid on your stash,
or an excuse to buy a single ball or two of something perfectly
plush. The book includes stitch reminders, tips and assembly notes,
as well as the 30 projects that could keep you gifting for years,
making it a must-have resource in your collection.
*SlipKnot - Issue 169*
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