It’s hard to resist a beautiful pattern for a colorful crochet sweater or top so I couldn’t wait to see what Colorful Crochet Knitwear by Sandra Gutierrez had to offer. Today I’ll be sharing my review of Colorful Crochet Knitwear, a sneak peek of the projects included in the book as well as details on what you can expect to find inside the book
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Colorful Crochet Knitwear contains 12 crochet garment patterns that use a variety of different crochet techniques. These are not your common, basic crochet sweater patterns. The knitwear patterns included in Colorful Crochet Knitwear have been approached from a unique angle to bring it’s makers a variety of unique knitwear projects with a focus on colorwork. The techniques used in this book are: Mosiac Crochet, Intarsia, Tapestry Crochet, Stripes and Colorblocking.
Thanks to David & Charles Publishing for providing me a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
The book is 128 pages long and includes the following crochet patterns:
- Wabi Sabi Hat and Mittens
- Commuovere Pullover
- Iktsuarpok Tank Top
- Ailyak Pullover
- Hygge Jacket
- Fernweh Tank Top
- Lagom Pullover
- Merak Hat and Cowl
- Pana Po’o Summer Top
- Gigil Cardigan
- Forelsket Shawl
- Jayus Cardigan
The patterns in Colorful Crochet Knitwear are written in the US terminology but a conversion chart for the UK terminology is included in the back of the book. I found most of the patterns to be relatively straightforward to understand however, if you’re a beginner crochet or not someone that is familiar with reading color charts, you may find these patterns to be a bit overwhelming.
Check out the Video Version of this Review and See a Flip Through of the Book!
Other Books With Crochet Garment Patterns
- Crochet Hacking by Emma Friedlander-Collins
- Hello Hexie by Sarah Shrimpton
- Crochet Tops by Salena Baca
Tools and Materials Used in Colorful Crochet Knitwear
The tools and materials vary pattern to pattern in this book and the amount of yarn needed varries on the sizes made. Below is a high level outline of materials used throughout the book:
- Rosa Pomar Mondim Fingering Weight Yarn
- Knit Picks Palette Fingering Weight Yarn
- Knit Picks Swish DK Yarn
- Less Traveled Yarn Tweed Me Sock Yarn
- Knit Picks Wool of the Andes Tweed Aran Weight Yarn
- Knit Picks Lindy Chain Fingering Weight Yarn
- The Fiber Co Canopy Fingering Weight Yarn
- Rosa Pomar Vovo Sport Weight Yarn
- The Yarn Collective Bloomsbury DK Yarn
- Sirdar Country Classic Worsted Weight Yarn
- La Bien Aimee Merino Sport Weight Yarn
- Debbie Bliss Baby Cashmerino Sport Weight Yarn
- Hook Sizes: 5mm/ H, I/ 5.5mm, D/3mm, E/3.5mm, G / 4mm, 4.5mm,
- Stitch Markers
- 3/4″ Buttons
- Blocking materials appropriate for the yarn you select (blocking mats, pins, water, basin, towel, steamer, etc.)
Resources Available in This Book
In the beginning of the book (pages 6 – 29) is where you will find the main resources available for makers in Colorful Crochet Knitwear. The resources available are:
- Color Theory
- Getting Started (information on hooks, yarn & substitutions, Gauge, Blocking, Abbreviations and Sizes & Measurements)
- Colorwork Techniques
- Tapestry Crochet
- Mosaic Crochet
- Intarsia Crochet
- Stripes and Colorblocking
I found the information in these sections to be well thought out and informative. Some sections were a bit brief and might not contain sufficient information for someone just starting out with garments to fully grasp. However, I think this book is more geared towards experienced makers so that wasn’t a huge deal for me as those sections are areas that most experienced makers wouldn’t need a ton of information on anyways.
In the back of the book (pages 110 – 125) you’ll find a variety of charts for all of the designs in the book and a general techniques section that covers how to do basic crochet stitches. The charts cover things like yardage for each pattern, finished sizes, the amount of ease in each pattern, etc. The general techniques section covers the following stitches:
- Single Crochet (SC)
- Half Double Crochet (HDC)
- Double Crochet (DC)
- Reverse Single Crochet (RSC)
- Central Single Crochet (CSC)
- Extended Single Crochet (ESC)
- Working into the Front or Back Loop
- Back Post Single Crochet (BPSC)
- Crocheting Cord
- Faux I-Cord Edging
- Invisible Join when Working in Rounds
- Invisible Join to Fasten off When Working in Rounds
- Mattress Stitch
Overall, Colorful Crochet Knitwear is a book full of gorgeous crochet garments and helpful colorwork information. I think it is best-suited for experienced crocheters, particularly those that have experience with colorwork or garment making already. If you’re looking for a resource with a variety of different size-inclusive, colorful crochet garments, then you may be interested in adding this book to your crochet library.
If you'd like to purchase a copy of Colorful Crochet Knitwear, it is available for purchase from Amazon.
