I was recently given the opportunity to review Fair Isle Crochet Workshop by Natasja Vreeswijk so today I want to share with you my thoughts on this book and give you an idea of what to expect if you’re considering purchasing this book. Thanks to Search Press, they have provided us with a a copy of the book to giveaway to one lucky winner.
This book was provided to me free of charge in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own.
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Fair Isle Crochet Workshop begins with a brief overview of basic techniques used in the book and walk through of the Fair Isle stitch technique. The technique utilized in this book is very similar to tapestry crochet in that the colour changes are carried inside the stitches and then brought back up when needed. The overview covers the technique, colour changes, crocheting in rounds & rows as well as the author’s tips & tricks for working with this technique. Since the majority of the designs in the book utilize the humble single crochet stitch this section doesn’t take up a lot of space in the book and doesn’t waste time jumping right into getting you started with it’s beautiful patterns.
Fair Isle Crochet Workshop contains “15 modern projects for the home”, all of which are just beautiful. There is a throw blanket pattern in the book that is an absolute show stopper that I’m confident would garner compliments and inquiries from every visitor to your home.
The projects in the book include patterns for:
- Pillows
- Blankets
- Nursery Items
- Plant Holders
- A Ragdoll
- A Clutch
- A Pouffe
- A Wall Hanging
- and more!
The patterns are written in the UK terminology but to be honest, it is used sparingly as most of the patterns reference the charts and aren’t written out row by row. Directions for borders and special considerations are written out in more detail so it is something to keep in mind when reading those sections if you are most used to the US terminology. A UK to US terminology conversion chart is available in the front of the book, but again, since most of the patterns are comprised mostly of single crochet stitches, it isn’t something you’ll likely have to reference often, if at all.
The charts are typically large enough to see and understand clearly. There were a couple of instances where I found the chart a little small and wish there was a way to enlarge them but, with some patience, I was capable of sorting things out. Grid lines/row & stitch numbers would have been helpful to have but, not a huge deal.
The pictures of the patterns are clear and beautifully illustrate the projects, making it difficult to determine what project to start first. The projects really wash away any “crochet is for grannies” perception. The styling of the book finds a fun and unique way to mix vintage and modern styling and is a visual pleasure to flip through it’s pages to look at the pictures. I honestly probably flipped through the pictures at least 3 or 4 times before settling down to actually read the content.
The projects in Fair Isle Crochet Workshop use a variety of yarns in different weights from fingering to aran. The yarns are available to most via the internet or at your local yarn store but could easily be substituted for other yarns you may already have in your stash.
Overall, this book would be a great addition the crochet library of an intermediate level crocheter that enjoys or wants to work on more colourwork projects. The designs in the book are gorgeous and definitely worth checking out. If you want to purchase a copy of Fair Isle Crochet Workshop, you can check it out HERE.
If you enjoy crochet pattern books, you can check out some more of my crochet book reviews on my blog:
- Debrosse Modern Crochet
- Two-by-Two Crochet by Bendy Carter
- Whimsical Stitches by Lauren Espy
- Giving Back Crochet by Jonah Larson
- You can find all my crochet book reviews HERE.
Thanks to Search Press, I have a copy of the book Fair Isle Crochet Workshop by Natasja Vreeswijk to giveaway to one lucky winner!
The Fair Isle Crochet Workshop Giveaway on The Loopy Lamb is open to participants in the U.S., Canada and U.K. and ends Friday, August 28th, 2020 at 11:45pm Eastern Standard time.
To enter, use the King Sumo form below. If you are on mobile and have difficulty entering, please use a desktop computer to enter. Only the Email option is mandatory – all other tasks are optional, for bonus entries only. Please note that by entering your email below, you are subscribing to The Loopy Lamb email list. We will not send you spam, just notifications about new free crochet patterns, news and giveaways.
