Book review and giveaway: Mini Christmas Crochet
Search Press was nice enough to send me several of Val Pierce‘s books to review when I interviewed her several weeks ago. I’m reviewing another of Val’s books in the Twenty to Make series, Mini Christmas Crochet (Twenty to Make) and I’m also hosting a giveaway for my review copy of the book, so read on for more details!
Book Review
Mini Christmas Crochet (Twenty to Make) is part of Search Press’s Twenty to Make series. I am not really in the target audience of this book, since I grew up in a multi-faith family and never inherited the tradition of creating Christmas decorations from my grandmothers. (I’m am not much for seasonal decorations, in general.)
The book includes twenty patterns for crocheted Christmas decorations. All of the patterns are made using crochet cotton thread and a 2 mm (US size B) crochet hook. The book aims to be bilingual (U.S. and U.K. terms) and includes a key at the beginning, as well as parenthetical translations. The ornament patterns are Pine Cones, Festive Wreath, Dove of Peace, Glimmering Snowflake, Christmas Stocking, Wishing Star, Christmas Bell, Christmas Pudding, and Christmas Bear. The character projects are Rudolf the Reindeer, Good Fairy, Baby Penguin, Cool Snowman, and Little Angel. The table top decorations are Christmas Cracker, Tabletop Tree, Yuletide Coaster, and Festive Napkin Ring. The other projects are the Snowy Fridge Magnet and the Poinsetta Gift Topper.
In general, the projects remind me of the types of decorations my maternal grandmother used to make for the holidays – very traditional crocheted items made primarily using reds, golds, and whites with some greens and other winter colors added in. Most of the projects include additional embellishments, such as buttons, ribbon for the ornaments, or holly berry embellishments, and quite a few projects are stuffed.
The target audience is advanced beginner to intermediate crocheters comfortable working with thread (or willing to make larger projects by substituting yarn) who decorate for Christmas and/or give away decorative gifts. This could be a fun book if you are participating in a yarn related Christmas swap or “secret Santa” exchange. The book itself, like the others in the Twenty to Make series, is a slender, short paperback which is very portable, but it doesn’t lay flat for you to read while crocheting. The projects are quite small (as the title suggests) so they can be made with a minimal amount of crochet cotton.
If you like making relatively traditional Christmas decorations (or have people on your gift list who like to receive them), it would definitely be a good book to have in your hand this time of year. If not, you will probably not have much use for these patterns.
Giveaway
I’m giving away my review copy of Mini Christmas Crochet (Twenty to Make)
You will have 7 days to enter this giveaway.
To enter,
Leave a comment on this post by 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time on Monday, October 31, 2011. Be sure to include your email address (which won’t be displayed) so I can contact you if you win. (Please note that my comments are moderated, so if you are a new visitor, your comment will not appear immediately.)For another chance to win, like the Underground Crafter Facebook page. Then you can either post a comment on Facebook or here again so I will give you another entry. (If you already like my Facebook page, just post a comment for another chance to win.)For another chance to win, join my Ravelry group. Then you can either post a comment on my Ravelry group or here again so I will give you another entry. (If you already are in my Ravelry group, just post a comment for another chance to win.)For another chance to win, share the link to this giveaway via Twitter, Facebook, or your blog. Then post a comment here with the link to your Tweet or blog post, or leave a comment on my Facebook page so I will give you another entry.
Good luck!
To find more blogs participating in Blogtoberfest 2011, visit Tinnie Girl. For Blogtoberfest 2011 giveaways, visit Curly Pops.
Wow, what a great giveaway. Its my first year in my own house for christmas so im trying to make my own decorations and this book sounds perfect for that.
What a fun sounding book – thanks for the giveaway.
Thank you so much for all your awesome giveaways!
Welcome Mary Beth, and thanks for entering. Nice to see you here too, Fleur and Emma!
Already belong to your facebook group. Great page
Have just joined your Ravelry group. Thanks
What a lovely picture on the cover of that book. Indeed, one would learn how to crochet finally when seeing this book
Have a nice day, all! Ciao, Fleur (Fleurtje-Eliza on Ravelry)
I love it! I tried to crochet my first reindeer decoration…it was quite the centerpiece..the kids still call it my ‘rein-pig’. But,it does start conversations! Not sure what I’ll try this year! Thanks so much! Beth
I’m intrigued by your rein-pig, Beth W!
And, of course…I like you on Facebook and am part of your Ravelry group! Thanks for all the ideas!
This looks a great book!
I would love to win a copy!
The books looks awesme!!
Will post on ravelry right now
What a wonderful little book. Christmas is my very favorite holiday and the book would have to provide hours of big fun!
Thanks for entering, Rose, Gil, and Ana!
What a neat book. I have a friend who is a crocheter with young children to whom I would give this book. Just in time for Christmas!
Welcome Julie, and it would definitely be a wonderful gift.
Thanks for having this giveaway
Welcome Elisabeth, and thanks for entering the giveaway.
I am a fb fan of your blog
Love the idea of making little secret santa presents! I was a novice crocheter last year but now I am a master
Congrats on reaching master status, Tanya!
I’m already a member of your Rav group
This is so lovely of you.I would love to win this book,thanks for the chance.I love to crochet ornaments and always on the lookout for the new ones.
Thanks for stopping by Danijela. I knew that if I posted the giveaway, people who like to decorate would be happy about it!
I love all this small decorations that will make my room fill like home (I am far away from home). All best, great blog!
I hope you’re not too homesick, Aneta!
What a great Book Giveaway!!!!
Thanks for stopping by, Penny!
Hello, this book seems to have many cute amigurumi. Always good to use yarn leftovers …
Hope having a chance at drawing !
You could definitely use yarn leftovers for these projects, LaNouchette, but they’d be larger than what is pictured, of course.
I’m always looking for cute critters to make. I could use such a lovely book.
Welcome Jackie!
This looks like a great book!
Welcome Debra!
How very cute would love a chance to win:)
Welcome Kylie!