Skip to main content

Crocheters Love Books!

If you've been crocheting a long time like I have, you'll remember that back in the day crochet books were a bit on the scarce side. Today, new crochet books chocked full of exciting pattern designs, are coming out on a regular basis in droves.


Designers come together at Crochet Guild Conferences and learn from each other, as well as having opportunities to meet editors who participate. Learning to navigate the pathway to publication is an important first step to bringing a design to print.

This week I am highlighting the books that I have recently reviewed here on the blog, and maybe you'll read about one that you'd like to add to your collection.

For those of you who may have an avid interest in vintage books (some from the late 19th century), I was contacted by Kathy Weintraub who wants to liquidate her large collection. Be aware that she wants to sell her books in "large chunks." if you are interested, call her at 773-288-5311.

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

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 ag...

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...

Guest Blogger Part 2: Karen Ballard - World War II Crocheting with Attitude

Thursday, December 12, 2013 "BEST GUEST POSTS" As promised, Karen Ballard is back as my guest to inform and educate us about attitudes about crochet during the World War II era. If you missed her first article which focused on World War I, you can access it here . Karen Ballard World War II Crocheting with Attitude by Karen Ballard After about 25 years of collecting World War Workbasket Campaign items associated with doing needlework for service personnel, wounded, refugees and patriotic home-front, I have amassed a very large WWII collection. Included are books, magazines, individual patterns, posters, sheet music, postcards, knitting bags; and yes, even a small number of patriotic crocheted items.  While knitting patterns abound, there are extremely few crochet patterns, even fewer than those found for WWI and    I have found no explanation for this. Out of 21 U.S. knitting books containing patterns for service men, only W. Newbold Ely, Pointe...