In my last article, we finished reviewing Blue Ribbon Afghans and did a review of some of the patterns in The Best Of Maggie Weldon’s Crochet Afghans. I sincerely hope my reviews have helped you decide if you’d like to tackle a pattern you might normally pass up. In this article we will review several more books. We’ll start with: 50 Sensational Crochet Blankets and Quilts – The Needlecraft Shop. This book is worth buying! It has afghans like you’ve never seen before and you’ll want to try all the patterns at the same time! Let’s start with:
Cheerful Squares on page 8 – This is an intermediate pattern consisting of squares like you’ve never seen before! The colors in the photo are fuchsia, leaf green, teal, and lavender. What a color combination, huh? The center of the square is a green X that looks like a chain turned into an X. It has a lavender border and then fuchsia. Then a square around all of that in teal, and finally several rounds of green edged in fuchsia to tie it all together. It’s hard to explain this, but believe me, it’s a beauty!
Arbor Rose on page 12 – A simple, plain white afghan quilt made in bunch rows. At each end is a mesh section that has a trail of crocheted stems, leaves, and flowers throughout in the same off-white color. Awesome afghan. This one is also classified as intermediate.
Spanish tiles on page 22 – This blanket is made up of large hexagon and small hexagon motifs and some triangles to join the rows. It is another very unusual and pretty Afghan. The pattern is done in carrot, medium thyme, gold, and burgundy. Beautiful afghan for a sun porch slung over the back of a wicker chair! This is an intermediate pattern but it doesn’t seem to be very difficult. This is one I’m going to try!
Afghan Stained Glass on page 41 – This is by far the most impressive Afghan I have ever seen! It is done in blocks of blue, turquoise, light mint, gold, carrot, cornmeal, and black. The center is blue fading to turquoise. Then the cornmeal is mixed with the gold and mixed with the carrot. In the four corners there is a leaflet of 3 colored turquoise and blue. It is then bordered with several rows of black, then a row of carrot, then a row of black. Above the central circle of colors is a net of black that gives it that definitive stained glass look. Intermediate classification only! I’m really looking forward to trying this one! I’ve seen one made and it’s exquisite!
Grandmother and grandchildren on page 49 – This afghan is rated easy and easy! I have done this. It’s really a huge granny square done in dark pink for 3 rows, then fern green for 3 rows, then off white for 2 rows, then gold for 4 rows, then pink for 3 rows, then fern green for several rows and so on. . When you’re done with the big granny square, you make the grandkids: little squares in different patterns that you glue to each end of the granny. Then go through it all with several rows of each color. It works pretty fast. A great blanket for teens!
Hot ‘N’ Spicy Afghan on page 58 – Made in panels of large clusters of orange and red, then the panels are woven with black. Really pretty and very spicy ‘N’! easy classification
Contemporary windlass on page 66 – Another easy classified! This is done in squares made up of rows of hdc in 3 colors. Shown in yellow, tan, and gray, but would look great in any color scheme! Several rows of the first color, then the same number of rows of the second color, and then the same number of rows of the third color. The blocks are then arranged with the stripes in different directions. A bit like the old rail fence pattern in quilting. Great blanket for the men in your life.
Rose lattice on page 68 – This afghan blanket is rated experienced due to the special stitches called rolled stitch. The afghan is made of leafy green squares with a bright pink flower in the center. The flower is made of the special roll stitch. Rolled stitch is as follows (in this pattern anyway) Yo 15 times loosely, insert hook at indicated st, pick up lp, yo and draw all 17 lps. It may take a bit of practice, but this is a doable pattern. Very pretty too.
Fantasy garden on page 73 – Puff stitches made in pretty flowers bordered by 3 rounds of sc. Each square is slightly different. Made with an I and J hook and in dark orchid, dusty teal, coffee, carrot, and light fuchsia. For example, a fuchsia flower might have a teal background, a teal flower a carrot background, a carrot flower a fuchsia background, etc. Nice afghan for a family room. the colors could easily be changed on this one.
Loving on page 90 – Easy grading, this quilt is made in one piece, row by row. It is made of shell stitch and the designer used Red Heart Symphony yarn in Lt Rose. It has a double knotted fringe at both ends. This afghan looks soft as a summer breeze!
Dream Time Ripple on page 140 – A beautiful wavy blanket made with cluster stitches. The designer used Red Heart Baby Light yarn (which is a lightweight worsted) in dusty yellow, lime, and a girly print. Very soft and lacy ripple. Rated as easy.
Giggles on page 142 – This is one for the girl in your life. Made in flamingo pink yarn and snow Bernat Satin (combed) and voluminous Bernat Bubbles in baby bubble pink. It is done in rows of dc. First several white rows followed by several pink rows. Then the special stitch row (v-st and cluster) that makes the row look like little flowers. These rows are repeated until the blanket is the size you want. It is then bordered with baby bubble pink. Adorable and easy sorted!
Grandma’s lullaby on page 150 – Beautiful baby blanket made up of grandma’s large squares in different colors. The designer used TLC Baby Amore medium weight (worsted) yarn in pink, mint, yellow, orchid and white. Rated easy, this afghan will go with any nursery!
Fun Blocks on page 156 – Smooth DC blocks made in different colors. Whipstitched together in a fun pattern. The colors used were rice green, dark orchid, blue, cherry red, white and black. Rated easy, you’ll have this finished in no time!
The next book I’m going to talk about is Ripple’s 40 Favorite Afghans – Recreational Arts
Wine on the Vine on page 5 – a first prize winner, this beautiful ripple is done in variegated plum and green, dk plum, dk green, and tan. Wavy tan rows are spaced between the varig and plum rows. Makes a beautiful afghan. There are bunches everywhere that look like grapes on the vine!
Snowman Crest on page 7 – The perfect billowy afghan quilt for the winter months! The waves are made in blue, dark blue and white. There is a row of squares sewn into the corrugation that has these cute little snowmen worked into the squares. Then there are several more rows of corrugation. Just lovely!
Romantic melody on page 15 – Soft and beautiful with flowing fringe to the edge. This wave is done in pink and ecru and the dc front post gives this beauty definition!
Evergreen Forest on page 25 – Done in dark green and white, this wave shows off evergreens through waves of green and white! Great Afghan Christmas!
Daisy border on page 33 – Waves of ecru, green, brown and a mottled brown make up this afghan. At each end are hexagonal motifs with an ecru daisy in the center. Then more rows of waves and everything is edged in an ecru picot. Very nice blanket!
American Waves on page 45 – Dc ripple rows in red and white blocks. About five wave blocks up is a row of blue squares with star centers. Then more red and white waves, another row of stars, and more red and white waves. very beautiful afghan
Aztec sun on page 51 – a wave made in the round! This is just beautiful when finished! I have seen this done in many color combos and they are all stunning! The pattern calls for a round yellow ripple in the center that graduates to orange and then red. then yellow, orange and red are repeated ending with red at about 60″ in diameter
Rosebud on page 61 – Beautiful ripple done with a K hook in muddy green, light green and pink. There are rows of muddy green waves, then a row of pink clusters, then more muddy green, then another row of pink clusters, and so on. Beautiful heater!
Granny’s Ripple on page 63 – This wave is made in panels 7 squares wide. Then wave rows (one row ecru, 2 rows lilac, three rows medium plum, 4 rows dark plum, then medium plum, then lilac, then one row ecru, then another panel of squares This pattern continues until the afghan reaches a length of approximately 62″.
Azalea Lane on page 77 – Made in wavy rows of ecru, pink, green, lt rose and lt green. A cluster stitch and a puffer stitch add a lacy touch to this beautiful quilt afghan. Great for the back of the sofa!
Sailboat Celebration on page 79 – This is one I plan to do for our boat. There are rows of lieutenant blue graduating to navy blue waves. The row of blocks that are made to look like sailboats (quilt-like pattern), then more navy to blue waves, then a panel of blocks made with stars in the center (another quilt pattern), and then repeats again. Beautiful and it seems difficult, but after reading the instructions several times it seems very easy. This pattern is worth buying the book for!
Intensity on page 85 – When I see this wave I think of my granddaughter, Shannon! She loves these colors. This ripple is made of simple CC in dark blue, lime green, and variegated green and blue. Several of the varied wavy rows are made from the loop stitch!
Mountain flowers on page 107 – Simple DC waves with rows of white petals between the dark green waves. Elegant! Made in green lt, green dk green and raw.
Well, I think I have given you enough to think about in this article. I have several more crochet books to review that I will do in future articles. Until then, happy crocheting!
Lynne
