Spring is here!
Out in the yard, I see daffodils, as well as purple and white
crocuses. Leaves are budding on the tips of branches. Cardinals are
chasing each other from tree to tree.
But the surest sign of spring is the new issue of Interweave Crochet, blooming with bright designs.
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Winkle Vest
by Tracy St. John |
Chloe and Clarity Cardigans
by Doris Chan |
Wisteria Shawl
by Kristin Omdahl |
Shells patterns are the highlight of this issue.
Here's what we love about shells: They are a pure celebration of
crochet, an alchemy of crochet chains and solid stitches that creates a
fabric made of fiber and air. Shells are the basis of granny squares,
the square root of all crochetness. Shells are also the basis of
cutting-edge crochet, creating garments with incredible laciness and
drape. Shells can be as simple as two stitches joined by a chain or as
complex as an exuberant alternating-fan pattern.
The true marvel of shell patterns is that they are as individual as
the designer. By adding a stitch or a row, a designer can create a
wholly new stitch pattern that translates the beauty of the image in her
head to a crocheted design.
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| Lucine Tunic by Robyn Chachula |
In this Spring issue, we have seven designs that celebrate shell
patterns -- from lacy cardigans (Clarity and Chloe Cardigans by Doris
Chan) to a simply elegant tunic (Lucine Tunic by Robyn Chachula, at
left) and a vest that's as easy to make as it is to wear (Winkle Vest by
Tracy St. John, below).
Doris Chan explains the structure of shells and explores their
shaping possibilities in Beyond the Basics, with plenty of swatches to
demonstrate differences in design.
By adjusting the scale and size of the shells, the designers in this
Spring issue have created garments that hug the figure without clinging,
with the built-in ease that only shells create. Shells love every
shape, and we think you'll find a shell pattern to love in this issue.
And there's more to love in this issue: You'll find a profile of
Kristin Omdahl, who dishes on her crochet inspiration (Hint: it involves
subtropical plants, the Pythagoreum theorum and running shoes). Kristin
also gives a tour of crochet-friendly yarn shops in South Florida.
We also have four mod designs for the home (including Kaleidoscope
Eyes Curtains by Rhonda Davis featuring totally retro little mirrors
crocheted into the motifs), two dresses for girls and three lovely
shawls – including a Tunisian wrap by Vashti Braha that you can make in a
weekend, even if you've never done Tunisian before.
To make learning Tunisian even easier, we've created a series of videos on Tunisian techniques at CrochetMe.com. Go to Videos and slide down to Crochet Techniques.
While you're at CrochetMe, you can find even more details about a project we introduce in the Spring issue: The Chain Reaction Afghan Project.
In this yearlong project, we'll bring together squares designed by your
favorite crochet designers and squares designed by you, our CrochetMe
readers, in a single afghan that will be auctioned for charity. We hope
to inspire you to make this afghan and consider sending it to your
chosen charity. In the Craftivism column, Betsy Greer offers several
ideas for charities that could benefit from your crochet work. And we
get you started with designs for two crocheted squares.
To see the full preview, visit our magazine gallery. It's an abundance, my friends. Get in there and start picking your favorite blooms.
Best,
Marcy