Globe Pequot / Stackpole Books
Pages: 272
Trim: 8½ x 11
978-0-8117-3869-9 • Paperback • May 2021 • $27.95 • (£19.99)
978-0-8117-6867-2 • eBook • May 2021 • $26.99 • (£19.99)
Nele Braas studied graphic design and photography in college. After completing her studies she did editorial work in various photo editorial departments. Then, she worked as a freelance photographer in the field of architecture, interior, garden, and people for various lifestyle magazines. She learned to crochet and knit as a child and then stopped, before beginning again later in life. She finds the most fun in creating her own designs and making usable pieces.
Eveline Hetty-Burkart works as a freelance editor and author for magazine and book publishers. Her field of work encompasses a wide variety of handicraft techniques from the design through the creative implementation to the manual. Crochet is her favorite. She lives with her husband and son near Hamburg.
Designers Braas and Hetty-Burkart (35+ Potholders to Crochet) cover classic stitches and newly-created patterns in this encyclopedic guide. The authors organize the work into 11 sections based on stitch-type, and their step-by-step instructions cover basic stitches, shells and fans, spike stitches, and mesh patterns, among others. Standout designs include “Staggered Paws,” a botanical-looking stitch; “Spike Stitch Double Crochet Vs,” with pretty swirls and pointy barbs; and “Two-Color Teardrops,” an open design perfect for a throw or blanket. There are edgings galore to choose from, and the Granny Square section is a boon to anyone who loves experimenting with different versions of this crochet staple. A helpful glossary divides patterns by type and level of difficulty, and patterns are both written out and charted, making it easy for readers to choose which way they prefer to conquer each project. Crocheters new and experienced alike would do well to have this on the shelf.
— Publishers Weekly