There are some crochet books that immediately make you want to grab your hook and start creating, and Cozy Crochet Motifs by Tuija Heikkinen is absolutely one of them.
At first glance, this vibrant pattern book feels playful, artistic, and packed with personality. The motifs are colorful, quirky, and heavily inspired by Scandinavian design with touches of Nordic flair throughout the collection.
But while working on this Cozy Crochet Motifs review, I also ran into a few frustrations while actually making one of the motifs from the book.
So… is Cozy Crochet Motifs worth adding to your crochet library?
Here’s my honest review after taking a closer look through the book and crocheting one of the patterns myself.
I’m also giving away a copy of this book to one lucky winner. Keep reading to learn how to enter to win.
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Thanks to David & Charles Publishing for providing me with a copy of the book free of charge in exchange for my honest opinion. I do not guarantee a positive review of any product reviewed on my site. All opinions shared here are my own. This post may contain affiliate links, which means that I may earn a small commission from purchases made through these links at no cost to you.
Table of contents
About the Author
Finnish designer Tuija Heikkinen showcases a playful personality through her colorful textile-inspired designs and nordic-style crochet motifs. She is a textile designer from northern Finland whose work often combines strong colors, bold shapes, and beautiful handmade items with a touch of Nordic charm. Many of her projects featured on Instagram feel almost like textile collages, artfully pieced together from various motifs and textures in the most creative way.
If you enjoy Scandinavian design, retro-inspired crochet, or quirky collection-style projects, her style will likely appeal to you immediately. You can find her on Instagram at @tuijaheikkinen.
Patterns Included in Cozy Crochet Motifs
Cozy Crochet Motifs includes 75 portable crochet motifs divided into themed sections across five pattern chapters. The chapters include:
Chapter 1: Living Room
This section includes cozy home-inspired motifs like:
- Armchair
- Flowers and Vase
- Radio
- House Plant
- Fireplace
- House
- Coffee Table
- Lamp
Chapter 2: In the Kitchen
One of the largest sections in the book featuring:
- Pea Pod
- Salad Leaf
- Pineapple
- Strawberry
- Carrot
- Apple
- Pear
- Chocolate Cookie
- Sugar Cookie
- Thumbprint Cookie
- Pomegranate
- Blueberry
- Orange
- Moka Pot
- Espresso Cup
- Nordic Cup
- Teacup
- Retro Cup
- Porcelain Cup
- Striped Cup
- Cake and Cake Stand
Chapter 3: Craft Room
This chapter felt especially charming and includes:
- Cable Pullover
- Tartan Cardigan
- Beanie
- Buttons
- Gingham Dress
- Mittens
- Sock
- Sewing Needles
- Sewing Machine
- Yarn
- Sewing Thread
- Scissors
- Yarn Basket
- Zipper
Chapter 4: Nature
This section leans heavily into Nordic-inspired florals and woodland motifs including:
- Lavender
- Beaded Lily
- Geometric Flower
- Apple Tree
- Folk Tree
- Dahlia
- Chanterelle
- False Morel
- Leaf
- Mushroom
- Folklore Flower
- Columbine Flower
- Water Lily
- Pinecone
- Tulip
- Wildflower
- Spruce Tree
- Sun
- Cloud
Chapter 5: Animals and Insects
This quirky collection includes:
- Butterfly
- Ladybug
- Turtle
- Yellowhammer
- Caterpillar
- Hedgehog
- Birdie
- Sleepy Kitty
- Raven
- Squirrel
- Fox
The motifs themselves are fairly compact projects, making them ideal perfect stash busters for using leftover yarn. Exact yardage, yarn brands and colors are not included with the patterns.
What Are the Patterns Like to Work With?
I decided to make the Raven motif from page 101 while reviewing the book.Mine ended up purple and grey instead of black and grey simply because those were the yarn colors sitting on my desk at the time. While the finished motif turned out cute, I did find myself struggling with parts of the instructions.
Some instructions lacked clarity, and there were moments where I found myself repeatedly cross-referencing between the written instructions and the stitch diagram to figure out what was intended. For example:
- instructions to fasten off were missing in parts of the pattern
- there was unclear guidance around hook placement in the feet section
- there appeared to be an error related to where the work should begin
Thankfully, the included stitch diagram helped me troubleshoot the pattern and complete the motif successfully. This ended up being a recurring theme throughout the book for me: the charts are not simply extra support materials. In many cases, they are essential to fully understanding the patterns.
Some motifs rely heavily on the charts for clarification, stitch placement, and even yarn color guidance. Because of that, I really feel the written instructions and charts are intended to work together rather than independently.
Each pattern does include:
- materials list (but without yarn brands, yardage or exact yarn colors)
- motif size
- stitch diagram
- stitch key
One thing I loved was that every motif included its own stitch diagram key on the same page as the chart. That saved a lot of flipping back and forth through the book. That small detail genuinely improved the experience, especially since I found some of the charts to be so tiny that they were difficult to read. I do wish there had been step-by-step tutorial images for some of the trickier motifs or techniques. I think that would have elevated this title significantly and made it much more approachable for a wider range of crocheters.
Crochet Terminology
The book uses US crochet terminology. There is a terminology section that includes UK equivalents, but it’s located near the back of the book on page 116. From a usability perspective, I honestly wish this information had been placed near the front of the book instead. When I’m flipping through a crochet book in a store trying to decide whether to buy it, terminology is one of the first things I check. Having it buried after the stitch instructions makes it less convenient to find quickly.
Skill Level
I could not find any official skill level listed in the book. Personally, I would not consider this a beginner-friendly crochet book. Some motifs themselves are relatively simple, but the instructions assume a fairly high level of crochet knowledge. There were multiple moments where I found myself rereading instructions several times and relying heavily on charts to troubleshoot confusion. The charts themselves are also fairly small in some sections, which can make them tricky to read.
Because of that, I would recommend this book primarily for:
- intermediate crocheters
- advanced crocheters
- makers comfortable reading crochet diagrams/charts
- crocheters interested in learning new crochet techniques that don’t mind troubleshooting (and potentially frogging their work until they figure it out)
I do think beginners may find the level of assumed knowledge frustrating, especially if they rely on more detailed support or highly instructional pattern writing styles.
See a Quick Flip-Through of Cozy Crochet Motifs by Tuija Heikkinen Here
Supports Included for Makers
All support material is located in Chapter 6: Crochet and Embroidery Basics at the back of the book.
This section includes:
- basic stitch instructions with illustrations
- embroidery stitch instructions and illsutrations
- brief blocking guidance
- gauge information
- chart-reading information
Most stitch tutorials use single illustrations rather than step-by-step tutorial images. There were also moments where the book used somewhat non-standard language to explain techniques, which could potentially confuse newer crocheters. Even here, in the basics section, there was a high-level of knowledge assumptions made. For example, when explaining tapestry crochet, the instructions state to “change to the new color in the usual way” without actually explaining how to change colors anywhere in the book.
The support material overall feels geared toward makers who already have strong foundational crochet knowledge. I also noticed there was no clarification for left-handed crocheters in the chart-reading section, as the instructions appear written only for right-handed makers.
That said, I really enjoyed the inspiration section at the back of the book. It showcases practical ideas and creative project ideas for using the motifs in real projects including:
- tote bags
- wall hangings
- framed art
- sweater embellishments
- wicker baskets
- pouches
- garlands
That section really helps showcase the endless creative possibilities these nordic-style crochet motifs can offer.
Supplies Needed
Most motifs use:
- fingering weight cotton yarn
- sport weight cotton yarn
- 2.5 mm crochet hook
You’ll also need:
- embroidery needles
- tapestry needles
- stitch markers
- scissors
- pins
- blocking materials
- beads for select motifs
Specific yarn brands and exact yarn color names are not provided. This makes the book feel very flexible and approachable for stash use, especially if you enjoy stash-busting projects and using leftover yarn creatively.
Where to Buy Cozy Crochet Motifs
Want to grab a copy for yourself? You can find Cozy Crochet Motifs by Tuija Heikkinen at retailers including:
Final Thoughts
Overall, I think Cozy Crochet Motifs is a visually inspiring and highly creative crochet book filled with playful personality, strong colors, and Scandinavian design influence. The motifs themselves are charming, artistic, and packed with Nordic flair. I can absolutely see experienced crocheters having fun mixing, matching, and combining these motifs into beautiful handmade items and practical items with a retro-inspired aesthetic.
However, I also think the level of assumed knowledge throughout the book is important to mention honestly. The lack of detailed instructional support, unclear instructions, and heavy reliance on charts means I personally would not recommend this title for beginners or makers who prefer highly detailed pattern writing. For intermediate to advanced crocheters comfortable with troubleshooting patterns and reading charts though, this could be a fun source of inspiration filled with endless creative possibilities and unique stash-busting projects.
Want Your Own Copy? Enter the Giveaway Below!
Thanks to the publisher, I’m giving away a copy of Cozy Crochet Motifs by Tuija Heikkinen.
This giveaway on The Loopy Lamb is open to worldwide participants (except where void by law). Giveaway ends Saturday, May 23rd, 2026, at 11:45pm Eastern Standard time.
To enter, simply use the King Sumo form below. If you’re on mobile and run into any trouble, try switching to a desktop computer. Only your email and name are required to enter—everything else, like following on social media, is optional and just for bonus entries!
Can’t see the entry form below? Click here: Giveaway Form
