Year of Projects: Crochet Master Class – Sidetracked
(You still have time to enter to win in my week of giveaways celebrating my 100th blog post! For a list of giveaways and deadlines for entry, check out this post.)
This week, I don’t have anything related to my year of projects goal (to work my way through Crochet Master Class
Last week, I had some time off from work (which overlapped with my giveaway series celebrating my 100th blog post) and knew I would return to work on Wednesday to deadlines and chaos. Anticipating that my return would instantly wipe away the post-vacation glow on my face, I decided that I should have some “retail therapy” on Tuesday night. With my under $20 budget, I was looking through vintage crochet patterns on Etsy and came across two amazing finds at the For Paws and Home shop. I received these cool books in the mail on Saturday and had all weekend to play with them.
The first is Modular Crochet: A Revolutionary New Method for Creating Custom-Design Pullovers
I have been wishing for this book since I took the CYC Crochet Instructors Program at the Fashion Institute of Technology in 2007. Arnetta Kenney, the fabulous instructor, talked to us about this out-of-print book and made it sound pretty awesome. As soon as I got home, I looked it up on Amazon.com
I also saw The Great Granny Crochet Book
There are some awesome patterns in this book, like the CH3-DC Robot and the Giant Floor Ball, all made with granny squares.
It seemed pretty incredible that I would finally get my own copy of Modular Crochet after thinking about it for the past few years. It is just as cool as I imagined!
For those of you unfamiliar with the book, it was published in 1978 and the concept is to make custom designed pullover tops using 8 rectangles. The book walks you through a simpler pullover and then shows you many variations in style and size. It is the kind of book I love because there are no patterns, just descriptions of what to do to make the projects your own. This is the type of design book that is widely available to knitters but in short supply for crocheters.
While you would think that all the designs would be boxy and shapeless (since they are made using rectangles), Copeland actually achieves many different shapes and drapes because her method uses crochet done on its side (so basically vertically on the pullovers rather than horizontally); the pieces are constructed together, rather than sewn from flat pieces at the end; and she also shapes many of the garments to achieve a more fitted look.
These are scans of some of my favorite images from the book.
I’m really looking forward to reading this book thoroughly and designing some garments using Copeland’s method.
What great finds did you uncover this weekend?
Wow – what a great find on the book. Sometimes what you want ends up right in your hands when you most need it!
I know, I was in shock when I saw the price. I put it in my cart right away so no one else could have it
.
Well done for sticking out and waiting for the right price. Those items don’t even look crocheted. Stunning
I have been loving reading this book! The designs are retro fabulous.
You’ve gotten some great deals, how awesome! And I also love those pictures you picked out, can’t wait to see what your designs will look like! Have fun with it!
Thanks Lily! MC took those pictures of me on a very chilly day (hence the red cheeks).
It looks like a great book, I love the turtle neck jumper you show first in your list of favourites, but don’t think I could carry off the last top!
Alittlebitsheepish, I’m not sure most of us can carry off that last top
but it does look fun to make!
Gah! I love that tunic dress. I need the pattern! *drools*
That’s what I love about the book Tan – there are no patterns
. Just basically a recipe for making the clothes. There are even more super amazing photos sprinkled throughout the book, too!
Can I be cheeky and ask you for a larger scan of it? Just so I can study the stitches in detail?
LOL
Tan, I don’t think much larger pics would load up. But all of the projects are worked with (U.S. terms) sc, hdc, or dc stitches in the back loop only, which Copeland refers to as “ridge stitches.”
What a great book find. Well done – I hope you have lots of fun with it.
I was pretty excited, too, Dorothy. It is not often that you can add such an awesome treasure to your collection for less than ten bucks!
WOW! GREAT price on that Modular Crochet book! Good for you! LOVE the patterns in there! I like them because they are timeless patterns…
Congrats on your find!
Welcome Rebecca! The book is truly a treasure.
I was lucky enough to be around in the late ’70s to purchase this book when it was originally published. I’ve used it so much that I’ve had to put masking tape on the binding so it doesn’t fall apart. The designs are timeless, as Rebecca noted, which is why it is such a valuable book to have. Glad you were able to find it for such a fantastic price!
Welcome, Patrice! The book is truly incredible. I love your Galaxy Crocheted Afghan, by the way.