Book Review: Tunisian Crochet - Gorgeous Designs to Wear for All Seasons by Helle Kampp Mathorne, January 2025

Tunisian Crochet: Gorgeous Designs to Wear for All Seasons

Helle Kampp Mathorne's Tunisian Crochet presents 17 gorgeous garment patterns that blend the unique textures of Tunisian crochet with elements of traditional crochet and knitting. This collection offers projects suitable for various seasons, from light summer tops to cosy winter jackets.

Measuring a Swatch

The book begins with a detailed discussion of how to measure a swatch made using Tunisian Crochet – a very important stage when making garments which you would like to wear rather than consign to the back of the wardrobe!

Seasonal Garment Collection

After that it is straight into the garment collection. Organized by season, the book features the following garments:

Spring: a V-neck cardigan with a knitted front band, a crochet skirt complemented by a knitted rib hem, a V-neck sweater featuring ribbing and a moss stitch sweater with stripes and knitted ribbing.

Summer: a V-neck glitter top, a short-sleeved top showcasing a lace pattern, a Tunisian crochet top with glitter stripes and crochet straps, a top featuring a flowered back and a short-sleeved, and a lace pattern top with a boat neckline and raglan sleeves.

Autumn: a skirt embellished with cross-stitch embroidery, a V-neck sleeveless vest, a long-sleeved sweater in a lacy pattern and a ribbed sweater with diagonal lines and bead accents.

Winter: a textured V-neck sweater, a long jacket featuring a wheat stitch pattern and raglan sleeves, a roll-neck sweater with raglan sleeves and an oversized jacket complete with pockets.

Detailed Instructions and Visuals

Each pattern is accompanied by comprehensive instructions, charts, and high-quality photographs, for clarity and ease of execution. The designs cater for UK sizes 6 to 18 (US sizes 2 to 14), with guidance on customisation to achieve the perfect fit.

Versatility and Creativity

The designs highlight the adaptability of Tunisian crochet, encouraging crafters to experiment with various textures and stitches. The book also offers insights into selecting appropriate yarns and tools to enhance the crafting experience.

Techniques

At the back of the book there is a detailed section covering all the techniques used in terms of the shaping required for garments together with comprehensive images.

This is invaluable for the maker, for example it shows how to cast (bind) off to create a shoulder slope on both the right and the left side of the work; how to cast (bind) off to create armholes; how to increase/decrease to create raglan seams; how to ‘cast on’ stitches at an armhole; how to work mattress stitch in Tunisian crochet to join seams and many more.

My Favourite Pattern

I think this has to be Primula – a moss stitch sweater with stripes and a knitted rib section at the bottom. To create moss stitch the pattern uses the Tunisian Simple Stitch and the Tunisian Purl Stitch.

My Observations

This book is quite a triumph! By marrying the interesting technique of Tunisian Crochet with beautiful garment designs, Helle has created an outstanding resource. I have a few observations for you to consider if you would like to buy this book:

• I believe that the yarns used in the patterns are not readily available in the UK, however with the information given in each pattern about the yarn composition, length and weight, most makers should be able to find a substitute yarn to fit the bill if they can’t find the original.

• The patterns are written using US crochet terms. If you use UK terms there is a handy fold out flap on the front cover so you can have the US to UK conversions to hand as needed.

• The techniques used in the patterns are all fully explained including the basic Tunisian terminology such as the ‘Forward Pass’ and the Return Pass’, however I feel that the book is aimed at makers who already have a good working knowledge of Tunisian Crochet.

Summary

Tunisian Crochet by Helle Kampp Mathorne is a valuable resource for crafters seeking to expand their repertoire with stylish and seasonally appropriate garments. The blend of traditional and innovative techniques makes this collection a standout addition to any crochet enthusiast's library.

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