Reviews

Laurel Hill Crochet Hooks

What happens when beautiful natural materials are matched with commitment to excellence in craftsmanship?  When beauty and function are melded together?  Laurel Hill Crochet Hooks!  These beautiful hooks are each a work of art, and a wonderful addition to the hook collection of any active, avid crocheter.     I received two Laurel Hill crochet hooks as a holiday gift last winter. Each was attractively packaged on a card that told about the exotic wood from which it was made.  The woods—Nam Oc and Trai, in this case—are lovely to look at.  Because I am concerned about the health of tropical rainforests, I was glad to find out that these hooks are made from wood scraps left over in the manufacture of furniture and musical instruments.  The pieces are too small for their “other” uses, but are the ideal size for making crochet hooks.  Each wood is a slightly different color, ranging from rich shades of butterscotch and caramel through the black of ebony. 

The hooks have a distinctive shape, with a long tapered shaft behind the thumb rest, a unique shape and position of the thumb rest, and a tapered throat, ending in lace-friendly point at the top of the hook itself.  The hook’s throat is cut deeply and smoothly enough to hold yarn of various sizes. It’s shaped for ease in moving in and out of the crochet fabric, for catching and releasing loops, as needed, within each stitch.  The long shaft gives a wonderful balance to the whole tool, which lends a touch of speed and hand comfort to the work.  Speed and ease are also enhanced by the careful attention to smoothness and polish of the extremely fine-grained woods that have been used. These hooks have a velvety touch. The thumb rest is positioned a little forward of center on the shaft, and very smoothly shaped in a manner that offers comfort to the hand, no matter which “hook hold” the crocheter prefers.  I do a lot of lace work, and so the shape of the hook’s tip was a welcome discovery for me:  it’s sharply pointed, but not so narrowly tapered to that point that it would tend to split yarn.  Instead, it’s easy to insert the hook exactly between the threads I wish, but not easy to force between the plies of a strand of yarn, splitting it.  The only drawback I have found to the pleasure of using these fine hooks, is that the shaft diameter, between hook and thumb rest, is also tapered—this is elegant in appearance, but can make maintaining constant gauge a challenge.  When working a fancy stitch pattern, such as clusters of tall stitches, or bouillons, there’s a tendency for the loops placed on the hook first to be larger than those added near the end of the stitch process, because of the neck’s tapered shape. However, for any project using the basic, “regular” stitches, and in which speed, comfort and aesthetic beauty are important, these hooks positively outshine most of the competition!

In price, Laurel Hill hooks are comparable to other fine hooks, where the same attention to craftsmanship detail has been paid.  You can find less expensive hooks, and smooth them yourself, or wish the head were shaped a little differently, or that the balance was better.  It’s also possible to find more expensive hooks, with even more emphasis placed on luxury in one form or another. But as a balance, where form follows function; where value means both craftsmanship and fair price, where sustainable ecological practices meet responsible production and marketing, Laurel Hill hooks are a great value.  If you have not tried them out yet, I recommend using the Laurel Hill website to locate a retailer near you, or purchase them from one of the online shops that make them available to all of us!

Crochet So Fine

Crochet So Fine is a gorgeous new book by Kristin Omdahl, just released by Interweave Press.  Kristin has always brought a special eye to crochet design, bringing together the beauty in geometry, great stitching technique, an artistic eye, and lovely fashion sense.  It all comes together in beautiful crochet, with one smashing design followed by another.  Of course, it's the use of fine weight yarns that underlies the success of these designs.  We all know that many stitch patterns -- some of the oldest and most elaborate -- look best when made with fine weight yarns. Too often the industry, and we crafters, lack the patience, and the time, to undertake projects of this calibre.  If anyone can convince us to make time, its Kristin!

Many of the projects take a lace weight yarn and work it in an open pattern with a large hook .  This produces fabric that's super airy and drapy, more like a shawl than a sweater, whether knit or crochet. It also means that the project won't take eons to complete.  For example, the Dragonfly Shawl (photo here) is made with Aunt Lydia's Crochet Thread worked with E hook. The central back panel of dragonflies is very open, with more dense lace on either side. It's like a painting out of yarn.

Orchid Circular Shawl, also on Kristin's interview page in this issue, is another stunner, an ingenious circular design where all the details are realized with great originality.  The center medallion avoids looking like a doily (not that I don't love doilies, but not too wear), followed by rounds consisting of enormous chains punctuated by Clones Knots.  A wide old lace edging is added all around the bottom -- this is a garment worthy of a wedding or visit to royalty! 

The Broomstick Hat out of Lion Brand Microspun also looks great, with a heavier cabled edge that adds structure and warmth. There are many more wonderful designs here, clearly showing the beauty of crocheted lace and how it can be used in contemporary design without suggesting anything period or dated.  Some projects are very accessible and others are more challenging. Yarns run the gamut from crochet cotton to high end alpaca and silk.

Interweave books are consistent in look, clean and attractive.  The photos of designs are lovely, but Kristin's work deserves a more artistic book design.  Many high end yarns made of luxurious fibers are used and I sorely miss well-lit close upshots showing the quality and sheen.  Instructions are very detailed,  with good stitch diagrams and schematics.

Kristin is clearly on a roll with crochet and has lots more to do and discover.  It's very reassuring for the future of crochet to see a continued stream of high quality books like this one.

Etimo Crochet Hooks by Tulip

The initial look and feel of the Etimo crochet hooks, manufactured in Japan by Tulip, bring words to my mind like sleek, special, prestigious, upscale, premium. They are my fleet of Cadillacs and I feel proud to own them. The weight and almost velvety texture of the silicone-like material of the handle signal high quality. The handle seems to be durable and totally nonreactive, unlike the handles of Clover crochet hooks and the Susan Bates hooks with bamboo handles. Clover hooks are my pre-Tulip favorite, but their handles are hard plastic and the printed-on size rubs off after awhile. The Bates bamboo handles are great until the varnish gets sticky.

For those who like metal crochet hooks, Etimo’s mirror-like gold-tone metal finish is beautiful. It seems denser, heavier, and more damage resistant than Clover hooks, which are more delicate.  All I have to do is drop a Clover on my tile floor and if the head hits the grout, the hook head gets a crumbled, chewed-like surface.

One instance where I preferred Clover’s matte, almost frosted finish is when speed crocheting a very slippery silk yarn (Tess Cascade Silk); with the Etimo there was some drag.  Some knitters like their needles to "grip" or provide some "traction" with a slippery yarn, but as a crocheter, that quality is less appealing. I wouldn't have suspected that Clover's frosted type of finish has the least friction with a slippery glossy yarn, but a trial run proved it so. With all other yarn types so far, I prefer Etimo’s finish.

As for the hook head, I learned to crochet with Boye hooks in 1973 and over the past 5 years of designing have come to prefer Bates-type heads sometimes, depending on the yarn. Most often I use a hook that is a combination of the two hook head styles, sometimes called a "modified Boye," and I consider the Etimo hooks to have that.

Other qualities of a crochet hook design that are important to me are how pointy the head is, and how the throat widens to the final diameter of the hook shaft. I like a mellow point: not sharp enough to split yarn, not so bulbous that it’s like using a baseball bat to place the next stitch. Tulip heads have enough of a pointed head for most purposes. I have not yet tried filing and buffing the head to a pointier shape for “savvy single” or “back bump” single crochet stitch fabrics, so I don’t know what would happen to the finish.

Regarding the shape of the shank, or shaft--the zone between hook head and thumb rest, i.e. where most crocheters make most of their stitches--the throat should widen as quickly as possible, so that the shaft reflects the hook’s stated mm. In other words, have a short "throat." With the Tulip throat, I have no problem making even stitches to gauge.

For a hook anatomy diagram, see

www.dummies.com/how-to/content/getting-hooked-on-crocheting.html

The overall look and feel  of these Etimo hooks is exemplary. A complete Etimo set is stunning to behold, so they make a no-brainer gift item for the special crocheter in your life, and the ultimate way to pamper yourself.

Everything noted so far also holds true for the Tulip steel crochet hooks that I’ve had the privilege to try with thread crochet. They are not yet available in this country as far as I know, but be on the look out for them. If you are not a thread crocheter, you may know someone who is, and believe me, a gift set of them would put stars in a threadie’s eyes!

Tulip's hooks are being distributed in the US by Caron International. They are scheduled to be available in shops by August of this year.

Tulip Crochet Hooks (a/k/a Etimo)

The initial look and feel of the Tulip crochet hooks bring words to my mind like sleek, special, prestigious, upscale, premium. They are my fleet of Cadillacs and I feel proud to own them. The weight and almost velvety texture of the silicone-like material of the handle signal high quality. The handle seems to be durable and totally nonreactive, unlike the handles of Clover crochet hooks and the Susan Bates hooks with bamboo handles. Clover hooks are my pre-Tulip favorite, but their handles are hard plastic and the printed-on size rubs off after awhile. The Bates bamboo handles are great until the varnish gets sticky.

For those who like metal crochet hooks, Tulip’s mirror-like gold-tone metal finish is beautiful. It seems denser, heavier, and more damage resistant than Clover hooks, which are more delicate.  All I have to do is drop a Clover on my tile floor and if the head hits the grout, the hook head gets a crumbled, chewed-like surface.

One instance where I preferred Clover’s matte, almost frosted finish is when speed crocheting a very slippery silk yarn (Tess Cascade Silk); with the Tulip there was some drag.  Some knitters like their needles to "grip" or provide some "traction" with a slippery yarn, but as a crocheter, that quality is less appealing. I wouldn't have suspected that Clover's frosted type of finish has the least friction with a slippery glossy yarn, but a trial run proved it so. With all other yarn types so far, I prefer Tulip’s finish.

As for the hook head, I learned to crochet with Boye hooks in 1973 and over the past 5 years of designing have come to prefer Bates-type heads sometimes, depending on the yarn. Most often I use a hook that is a combination of the two hook head styles, sometimes called a "modified Boye," and I consider the Tulip hooks to have that.

Other qualities of a crochet hook design that are important to me are how pointy the head is, and how the throat widens to the final diameter of the hook shaft. I like a mellow point: not sharp enough to split yarn, not so bulbous that it’s like using a baseball bat to place the next stitch. Tulip heads have enough of a pointed head for most purposes. I have not yet tried filing and buffing the head to a pointier shape for “savvy single” or “back bump” single crochet stitch fabrics, so I don’t know what would happen to the finish.

Regarding the shape of the shank, or shaft--the zone between hook head and thumb rest, i.e. where most crocheters make most of their stitches--the throat should widen as quickly as possible, so that the shaft reflects the hook’s stated mm. In other words, have a short "throat." With the Tulip throat, I have no problem making even stitches to gauge.

For a hook anatomy diagram, see  www.crochet.org/hook/hooktype.html

and  www.dummies.com/how-to/content/getting-hooked-on-crocheting.html

The overall look and feel  of these Tulip hooks is exemplary. A complete Tulip set is stunning to behold, so they make a no-brainer gift item for the special crocheter in your life, and the ultimate way to pamper yourself.

Everything noted so far also holds true for the Tulip steel crochet hooks that I’ve had the privilege to try with thread crochet. They are not yet available in this country as far as I know, but be on the look out for them. If you are not a thread crocheter, you may know someone who is, and believe me, a gift set of them would put stars in a threadie’s eyes!

The Knitgrrl Guide to Professional Knitwear Design

Shannon Okey is one of the most dynamic people in our industry -- she's always into the newest and hottest thing, knows absolutely everyone important, and is an excellent designer and teacher.  The book she has written on the business of designing is an exceptionally valuable resource for those seeking to advance in the handknitting/crochet business.  It's also a cautionary tale:  almost all the designers interviewed had reservations when asked if they'd do it again. 

The book has two main parts:  eleven chapters that cover crucial aspects of the industry, followed by a series of interviews -- twenty-nine in all -- of industry movers and shakers.  Among them are Ysolde Teague, Melanie Falick, Adina Klein, Louisa Harding, Karin Strom, and Annie Modesitt, all generously and very openly sharing their perceptions of where things stand in the industry.  Both parts of the book are extremely valuable.  Shannon's chapters cover the various ways to generate income, from designing to teaching and tech editing; using social media like twitter, facebook and ravelry; legal matters such as copyright; pattern writing; digital pattern sales, advertising, and much more. These chapters are replete with links to sites where more information can be obtained.  In other words, the book provides not only a solid foundation for the curious, but offers steps to further one's education. 

It's also a fun read -- Shannon conveys hard core facts with humor, such as this tidbit that precedes the section on Contracts:

     "I may have worked in a law office once upon a time, and I do look awfully good in a suit, but I am not a lawyer and I am not your lawyer and there are no lawyers within 100 yards of me right now and let’s just all agree that lawyering is not happening here, OK? What I am going to tell you about contracts is mostly: common sense, designed to give you a basis for understanding what contracts are meant to do, and a means of supplying resources to help you find further information."

Among the many designer interviews, I especially enjoyed what Melissa Wehrle had to say:

     "New designer: Don’t feel like you need to accept every offer that comes across your desk. If the pay is too low, don’t waste your time or figure it’s a good exchange for exposure. If it’s ever going to get any easier for a designer to make a living at this, we all need to stick together for one another and for ourselves. Don’t be taken advantage of and don’t be afraid they won’t want to work with you again if you speak up. If they like your work, they like your work no matter what.

     To the old school knitter: The internet is your friend! PDFs are not the enemy. Twitter is not going to steal your soul. Trust in the digital revolution, your customer base will grow and everyone will be happy! Mainly you! "

Former Vogue Knitting editor Adina Klein has a very informative interview, and understands well the plight of designers today:

     "Unless you are tech savvy and want to spend a large part of your working hours working on your website, your blog, your Twitter, etc. you can’t be a success as a designer these days. My heroes in this business are eating beans and foreclosing on their homes or abandoning their careers because they simply don’t give a damn about the internet. They are designers. They don’t want to be blogging, they want to be designing. They don’t want to be answering questions from idiot knitters 24 hours a day. Inferior designers who are tech savvy or who have tech savvy boyfriends or sisters or whatever are making money hand over fist and the people who created the foundation of this industry are being left in the dust. "

Here are some opinions about pattern writing  from tech editor Charlotte Quiggle:

     "I prefer succinct, well-written patterns that give the knitter (and me as tech editor) the information necessary to work a given project. So, I don’t like to get a 20-page pattern where everything is over-explained. I particularly dislike patterns that tell a knitter “Now you are going to do this, now you are going to do that, when you’re done with that, do this while doing this at the same time.” I don’t like the use of the 2nd person in a pattern and don’t think that a well-written pattern is a conversation, it’s a recipe. All that 'talky' stuff tends to overwhelm the actual instructions and the pattern gets more difficult to read."

There's so much more, it's impossible to summarize the thrust and impact of reading these interviews.  Suffice it to say that having read them, you will know a great deal more about the industry then you did before, since many thoughts aired here have never before seen the light of print.  To my mind, what's depicted is an industry in flux, grappling with changing media and other challenges, not yet sure of its way into the future.

What I am sure of  is that this book will empower many new designers to make their way in this difficult industry, and also those of us who aren't new but continue to strive.  I'm in the latter group and have been stimulated by the book in countless ways.

Now, departing from any semblance of reviewer impartiality:  I sincerely wish that the book's contents could also stir industry decision makers to reconsider the perpetually low fees paid to designers.  I never understand those who say "The world doesn't owe designers a living."  Of course that's true, and no one is holding a gun to my head to continue.  But the same issues come up with all creative industries, and the "talent" is always underpaid, while the "suits" head to the bank.  Responsible industries take it upon themselves to insure that everyone gets a reasonable piece of the pie;  if they don't, those who provide services often have to unite and protest to instigate action, witness the Musicians Union, Writers Guild, Screen Actors Guild, etc.  I don't get those who way, "If you don't like it, get out."  Sadly, many fine designers do.  I'm not a quitter, I want to see it get better, and I call on the industry to reorganize itself to reflect the real value designers put into the business.  And on my fellow designers to join the good fight.

Freeform Style: Blend Knit & Crochet to Create Fibert Art Wearables

In case you're not familiar with these two stellar names in the knit/crochet world, Jonelle is the founder of SWTC yarns, a pioneer in the manufacturing of bamboo yarns, and Prudence is the foremost practitioner of freeform knitting and crochet.  What they have come up with in this book is a marvelous display of creativity and fashion.  I particularly appreciate that knit and crochet are combined, with both shown off beautifully.  There is an opening section showing various freeform embellishments.  Then come sections on scarves, hats, gloves, vests, sweaters, tees, skirts and wraps.  In each section, a garment is worked at three levels of difficulty.  What a fine idea! This gives the crafter a way to master a particular shape or technique gradually.  The garments are basic, yet flattering, shapes that become works of art once embellished.  Directions for embellishing are specific and show many options for how to make and attach them.  In both the hat and scarf sections felted fabric is used, an excellent surface for embellishing.  Embellishments can be on the surface, between sections, on edges, necklines and hems, turning a nice garment into something spectacular that expresses the maker's unique vision and style. The book ends with a showcase of scarves by other talented freeformers, adding to the inspirational punch.  Layout and photography are very attractive.  It's a hard cover book, not inexpensive, but I doubt something this classy will come around again soon.  For those who want to bring true creativity  and individuality to their work, this book's for you.

Around the Corner Crochet Borders

Author Edie Eckman really has her pulse on what gaps in crochet knowledge need filling.  Her new book, "Around the Corner Crochet Borders," pinpoints an obvious one that's been left unfilled for too long: how to work around corners when edging a square piece of crochet, such as an afghan.  Edie has given us a book with 150  colorful edgings with neat, and neat-looking corners.  The opening section prepares the reader thoroughly for how best to add edgings to crochet, knit or woven pieces, how to count and adjust for stitch pattern multiples and how to join rounds.  The edgings range from simple to complex, and include waves, leaves, picots and all the varieties of crochet prettiness one can imagine.  The stitches are nicely photographed and show good detail, with stitch diagrams supplied for each edging. Many are traditional looking, but others satisfy my own particular craving for more unusual ideas, like a border of overlapping discs.  Students of this book will be able to figure out ways to turn the corner on any other edging pattern they come across. Kudos to Edie for continuing to provide great resources to the crochet community!

Summer Crochet: 12 Designs for Women by Marie Wallin

Rowan does a beautiful job with mood and photography in this booklet of 12 designs, and the garments are lovely and very wearable. The setting is Malta, and the atmosphere rich with shimmery shots of waterfronts, and old world buildings with charmingly faded facades. A wealth of pretty pictures show one gorgeous model wandering in various settings -- I want to join her!  All the garments are made with two Rowan cottons, Siena 4-ply, a fingering weight, and Cotton Glace, a sport. The designs are sophisticated, knitterly in their approach to shaping, and seem very accessible. There are jackets, vests, sweaters with sleeves and without, and a nice variety of silhouettes to suit different figures. Instructions are very clear, using British terminology, with schematics, but no stitch diagrams -- though they may not be necessary as the stitch work is quite straightforward.  Patterns are sized to 2X.  Marie Wallin, an in-house Rowan designer, has done a very fine job with very feminine yet modern garments. It's an uplifting book that I hope it will inspire more crocheters to take the plunge into cotton summer wear.

Knitwear Design Workshop

We've all been waiting for this book by Shirley Paden, which makes the fitting of handknit garments a practical craft anyone who is serious about it can attain.  Interweave has done a beautiful job with this hard cover, spiral bound volume, with a cover price of $40 and well worth every penny. 

The book's layout is very clean, clear and attractive , with high quality photos and diagrams, to keep the reader inspired and motivated.  Paden writes succinctly and well, packing in a wealth of information, from most basic to advanced, on the craft of sweater making. Among many things, the book provides a step by step math primer for numerous garments, showing all the calculations and exactly how and why they are made.  There are pages on innumerable types of collars, again with math galore, also necklines and sleeves, plus skirts, dresses, coats, and finishing techniques. 

The garments are signature Paden designs, each with great, up to date chic and stunning pattern stitch work.  Some are new designs, and some have been published previously in Vogue Knitting and other magazines, and so provide a great tour of Shirley's work from the last several years.  

For me as a designer, the schematics alone are a gold mine of information.  Good sources for designers to learn the shape and cut of high fashion are as rare as mushrooms in Central Park. Studying these garments is a crash course in fashion school. Further, having math calculations ready at hand is always helpful in the design process, and can keep one on track when the going gets rough.  The fact that this book is written for knitters should not stop any crochet garment designer from buying it.  It's information is applicable to both arts. If garment making is your thing, I urge you to  get this classic now before you have to pay through the nose on ebay!

-- Dora Ohrenstein

Crochet Lace Innovations

Review by Andrea Truitt

When I first found out about Doris Chan's new book, I was eager to review it. When it arrived at my door, I became even more excited--so many techniques featured with lovely patterns!  The beautiful layout and photography emphasize the sensual and feminine aspects of Chan's designs. Because this book employs techniques that may be unfamiliar to or unpracticed by many— broomstick lace, hairpin lace, and Tunisian crochet—along with Chan’s signature exploded lace, it has a bit of a different format than most other crochet books.  Arranged by technique, each section begins with a tutorial, followed by the three to four patterns that increase in difficulty as the chapter goes on.  Garments featured are tops, sweaters, scarves, skirts, two belts, and even a dress.    

The cover features the Isabeau top from the Exploded Doily Lace chapter, and matching Tunisian belt, which exemplify well the book’s mood.  The creamy color, paired with a dusty lavender dress, and the damask wallpaper backdrop capture the inherent, romantic prettiness; the hint of vintage provided by photographer Heather Weston works well.

Chan begins with broomstick lace, the standout garment being the Melisande Vest, a versatile, classic piece bought to life by the undulating stitches.  I associate the yarn’s muted, pastel colors and roundness of the stitches with Art Nouveau and nostalgia.  The most alluring item in the hairpin lace chapter is the Kylara Vest. Worked in gold yarn, it's worthy of a night on the town but could easily be adapted for day use.  The designer uses hairpin lace on the edge, the main body of the vest being an exploded lace stitch. The Tunisian crochet garments failed to captivate me: two were scarves, and the larger cape, even with its laciness, was weighed down by its length.  Many of the patterns use repeated and recombined stitches in different garments, Chan definitely showing and creating a distinct style.  One must refer to the Garment 101 chapter for stitch directions and pattern modifications that can be made to accommodate a variety of body shapes and sizes.  Expect to flip around between the garment pattern and this chapter; this is the trickiest part of the book’s format.    

The final half of the book features exploded lace, with separate sections entitled “Motifs,” “Doily Lace,” and “Lace Trim.”  The motifs chapter didn’t have any garments that suited me personally, but the Isabeau Top in the following chapter, as discussed earlier, caught my attention because of the lace pattern.  Although open, the piece still has a substantial feel to it, which works nicely with its structured, form-fitting shape.  The light colored yarn also shows off the stitch definition well.  The Ling Collar in the last chapter consists of half-diamonds in the upper portion near the shoulders, which are set off by the bottom diamonds worked in a breezy mesh stitch that is scaled nicely.  The garment could be worn loosely at the shoulders like a capelet or gathered at the collar as a neckpiece. Wearing it close to the neck would make it more sculptural.  

While I like Chan’s exploded lace garments better in other books, most notably Amazing Crochet Lace, I prefer the designs made from the other techniques in this book. Combining unusual crochet techniques along with her exploded lace in the same book is a positive. Chan is expanding her range, incorporating new looks into her design style. Given the variety of crochet forms, and the complexity of the patterns and garment shaping, it is definitely geared to intermediate and advanced crocheters. The book is also better suited to those who have some experience with broomstick lace, hairpin lace, and/or Tunisian already under their belt. It gives me a lot to work with and practice, challenging me to branch out in terms of techniques and skill level.