Book Review: Crochet Ever After by Brenda K. B. Anderson

Crochet Ever After

This book is especially ideal for doting grandmothers; but anyone who likes to crochet unique and whimsical designs will love it too! It is adorable and I like the recent trend of crochet books with a theme! All projects in the book are inspired by classic fairy tales.

Glass-Beaded Slippers: "So much more comfy!"

This timing of this book is impreccable and it should fare well on the heels of the popular, recently release movie, Into the Woods!

Snow Queen Beret: "Metal Crowns can be impractical!"

I have no doubts that Brenda is a clever and talented designer. She designs costumes for Sesame Street Live and various sports team mascots. I first became familiar with the child-like sense of wonder that comes through in her designs when I reviewed her first book, Beastly Crochet.

Beastly Crochet

The 18 projects within the books are adeptly described, “heroines, fairy princesses, witches, and big bad wolves; all are accounted for and accessorized in this fanciful collection of crocheted toys, accessories, bags, kids’ clothes, and more.” Brenda’s sense of humor, her talent as a costume designer and her skillful crochet all lead to fantastic results and clever takes on these classic tales.

Fairy Princess Dress

I, for one, have chosen several projects to add to my To-Do list; and I have a Princess-in-Training who is more than happy to wear the things I crochet for her! Even if you don’t have a little one who idealizes these fairy tales, you’ll enjoy several projects in the book that are appropriate for adults; as well as Brenda’s humorous presentation of these projects in “a less-than-helpless-princess way that is a bit sarcastic, never bitter, and always charming.”

Magic Bean Stalkings: equally great for climbing a beanstalk or dinner in the Giant's castle!

Run, don’t walk, to buy this book; I highly recommend it! As always we can depend on Interweave/F+W to produce quality materials. Crochet Ever After was published in December 2014 and is available in soft cover, a bargain indeed at it's sale price of $18.99!

Comments

Craft vs. Fine Art: How is Crochet Blurring the Lines

I was awakening to the world of crochet in 1972,a time of immense artistic expression through fiber arts; and crochet was not the “ugly stepchild” at the time. In fact, Ferne Cone Gellar who I admire as a successful fiber artist said in “Knitting: The Stepchild of the Fiber Arts?” ( Fibercraft Newsletter 1978), “Has knitting been slighted among the areas of the fiber arts? The very word ‘knitting’ evokes images of the little old lady in tennis shoes. Over the years, I’ve learned to ignore all those jokes.” Cone Gellar went on to publish Crazy Crocheting in 1981 and encouraged her readers to create more than bedspreads, providing ideas such as “things to play with or to display on a shelf or hang on a wall.” A photo of single crochet from bread wrappers served as inspiration. In 1972 in her book, Creating Art from Fibers & Fabrics , Dona Meilach wrote: “Why are fibers and fabrics becoming increasingly appealing to artists? Most artists agree

Wartime Crochet With Attitude, Part I

Wednesday, October 30, 2013 Karen Ballard and I have a mutual love of free form crochet. We met for the first time in a class taught by Prudence Mapstone of Australia at the Chain Link Crochet Conference 2011. I admire Karen's vast knowledge of needle work history and am grateful for her willingness to share with us as my guest blogger this week. Karen wearing a World War II-era knitting hat with stubby needles on top Karen's Heritage Heart, with flowers symbolic of her heritage, is currently on tour with Prudence Mapstone's traveling "Hearts & Flowers Exhibition" in Australia and New Zealand World War 1 Attitudes About Crochet by Karen Ballard In 2008, I coined that term, "Workbasket Campaigns" to describe the organized efforts during World War I (WWI) and World War II (WWII) coordinated through the American Red Cross {ARC} and the Navy League to create needle crafted items. These items were mostly knitted but also sewn, qu

What is Free Form Crochet?

Monday, January 6, 2014 This topic came about from the title of my article recently in Fiber Art Now magazine. "Crochet As Art: A Conversation with 5 Free-Form Crochet Artists." Yes, the 5 artists I wrote about, all of which are in my book The Fine Art of Crochet , are free-thinking when it comes to their creativity. They are free-wheeling with the hook and use unique fibers in many cases. Once you read the article, tell me what you think? Are these artists doing free-form crochet? In order to define free-form crochet, we must look way, way back to it's origins: Irish crochet. A brief history of crochet, including the Irish method, written by Ruthie Marks is available through The Crochet Guild of America . Unfortunately, there are no images on the site. On her blog, Nancy Nehring has a beautiful montage of Irish Crochet in reference to a class she taught in 2013 at Lacis . I wrote an article in Old Time Crochet Magazine (Spring 1998), "History of Irish Croc

Crochet Queen: Royal Ramblings

Search This Blog