Book Review - Clever Crocheted Accessories

Clever Crocheted Accessories - edited by Brett Bara

Published by Interweave

ISBN 978-1-59668-827-8

Reproduced from the Interweave website for promotional purposes

I loved this book.  It is a collection of crochet designs by a group of different designers, all rounded up by editor Brett Bara.  As a result you get a wide and varied range of patterns numbering 25, which is impressive and great value for money.  What makes it such a good buy is that you have hats (for men and women), accessories to wear (scarves, gloves, socks and necklaces), items of clothing (cowls, shawls, capelet) and bags, purses and clutches.  So somewhere in there you will find a simple design of what you want to make.

For me, my favourite had to be the beret, as shown on the cover.  My sister, an avid knitter, had discovered a yarn shop while we were on holiday, so I took the book along and asked for some advice.  I came away with some Sublime Cashmere Merino Silk yarn in a beautiful coral colour and set about making it.  After a first attempt which came up much smaller than I was expecting (not concentrating on reading the pattern properly), my daughter had a lovely beret, and I started my 2nd attempt. This was much more successful, and although I am not a hat person, I was really impressed with how good it looked for a simple pattern.

Saturday Beret from Clever Crocheted Accessories

View from the top

I am also making a start on one of the bags, the Amazing Motif Bag.  I have yarn in 3 different colours, and so far I have done the flowers for one colour.  They are all still attached on one long piece as had I cut them all up separately as I was doing them, they'd be scattered around the house, like the little green stones in James and the Giant Peach that escape when he drops them and wreak havoc with the peach tree. 

The bag should look like this when it is finished:

Picture taken from the book Clever Crocheted Accessories for promotional purposes.  Design of bag by Regina Rioux

When I have finished those two projects, I quite fancy the Beaded Cocktail ring.  Or even the Kings County Pork Pie Hat.  Although I am not sure my husband is quite ready to embrace my crocheting on that level.