Colorful Crochet book review with Cobblestone Blanket pattern

If you love bright and cheerful crochet projects, you’ll be interested in today’s book review for a crochet pattern collection. My review also includes an excerpted modern crochet blanket pattern, so read on for details!

This post contains affiliate links. I may receive compensation (at no added cost to you) if you make a purchase using these links. Tuva Publications provided me with a free PDF review copy of Colorful Crochet by Marianne Dekkers-Roos. Although I accept free products for review, I do not accept additional compensation, nor do I guarantee a positive review. My reviews are based entirely on my honest opinions.

Book Review

Colorful Crochet by Marianne Dekkers-Roos is a bright and inspiring crochet pattern collection. The book starts with a warm and welcoming introduction from Marianne. It continues to Before You Begin, which includes Marianne’s tips, Things I Learned (The Hard Way); skill level symbols and descriptions; a list of crochet abbreviations and hook sizes; a US to UK crochet abbreviation conversion chart; and a key to the international stitch symbols. 

The book continues on to the patterns. Each pattern includes at least one full-page photograph, the skill level, a brief description, the finished size in inches and centimeters, a supply list (What You’ll Need), pattern notes, and a list of any special stitches with written explanations. Each pattern includes instructions in both US pattern abbreviations and international stitch symbols.

The patterns include

• 9 easy patterns, 11 intermediate patterns, 1 intermediate/challenging pattern, and 2 challenging patterns 
• 9 blankets, 8 cushions, 3 shawls, 3 variations of a bag pattern, and 1 of each of the following: wallhanging, garland, vest, poncho, cardigan, scarf, and pouf cover

After the patterns, the Crochet Basics and Techniques section includes written and illustrated instructions for the slip knot, the chain, and basic crochet stitches (slip stitch, single crochet, half double crochet, double crochet, treble crochet, and double treble crochet) working into the front, back, and third loops, the crab stitch; and written instructions for forming the magic ring, creating standing stitches, changing colors, surface stitches, and several methods for joining/seaming, and tips for block.

Colorful Crochet concludes with a thank you note from Marianne.

I like that this book included a good mix of project types, pattern skill levels, and construction methods including motif projects, one-piece projects, and a project that combined Tunisian and standard crochet. For a true beginner, this book might be too advanced, but for most advanced beginner and intermediate crocheters, there will be plenty of fun makes included. As the title suggests, the book is very colorful and there is a lot of great eye candy in the pictures. If you like brightening up your home or your wardrobe with crochet, you will find plenty of projects to love in this pattern collection. 

Cobblestone Blanket

Modern Crochet Blanket Pattern by Marianne Dekkers-Roos

Published in Colorful Crochet

Text © Tuva Tekstil ve Yayincilik Ltd, 2017. Shared with permission from Tuva Publishing.

Notes from Underground Crafter

• This pattern uses standard US crochet pattern abbreviations. You can find a list of these abbreviations here.
• Moogly has a helpful video tutorial for joining with sc here.

This is another easy pattern with great looks. The stitches give the blanket a nice, textured feel. Adapting the size to your personal preference is not complicated at all, so for a stroller blanket, a baby blanket, or anything bigger, here’s your go-to pattern.

Skill Level

• Easy

Finished Size

• Blanket measures about 31.5” (80 cm) wide by 47.25” (120 cm) long

What You’ll Need

• DMC Natura Just Cotton Medium 
  • Light Grey (#12) – 20 balls
  • Yellow (#09) – 1 ball (for the Border)
• Hooks:
  • Size K-10.5 (7 mm) for Blanket
  • Size I-9 (5.5 mm) for Border
• Yarn Needle

Pattern Notes

• The stitch pattern has a multiple of “3”
• The three stitches in the group (sc, hdc, & dc) are all worked together in one stitch
• From Row 2 onwards, each group of stitches is worked only in the sc-st of the previous row; the hdc- and dc-sts of the previous row are skipped
• Weave in all ends as you go

Designer’s Note: You can adapt the width of the blanket to any size. Just make sure the number of chain stitches you star with is divisible by 3.

Special Stitch

• Puff Stitch (puff): In same st or sp indicated, [yo hook, insert hook, pull up a loop (to height of hdc)] 3 times (7 loops on hook), yo and draw through all 7 loops on the hook, ch 1 (to lock) (puff stitch made)

Blanket

• Row 1: (Right Side) Using Grey and larger hook, ch 111, (hdc, dc) in 3rd ch from hook, skip next 2 chs, *(sc, hdc, dc) in next ch, skip next 2 ch; rep from * across to last ch, sc in last ch. (35 groups of 3-sts, 1 group of 2-sts & 1 sc)
• Row 2: Ch 2, turn, (hdc, dc) in first sc, skip next 2 sts, *(sc, hdc, dc) in next sc, skip next 2 sts; rep from * across, ending with sc in ch-2 sp. (35 groups of 3-sts, 1 group of 2-sts & 1 sc)
• Rows 3 to 104 (or to desired length): Rep Row 2, ending on an even-numbered row. At the end of the last row, fasten off Grey.

Border

• Round 1: With right side facing, using Yellow and smaller hook, join with sc (see Notes from Underground Crafter) to first sc (last sc worked on final row), *ch 3, puff (see Special Stitches) in 3rd ch from hook, skip next 2 sts, sc in next sc; rep from * across, working last sc in ch-2 sp, **working in sides of rows, [ch 3, puff in 3rd ch from hook, skip next row, sc in next ch-2 sp] across to next corner**, working last sc in first skipped ch-2 sp on foundation ch, working in sps on starting ch, [ch 3, puff in 3rd ch from hook, sc in next sp] across, working the last sc in the first ch-2 turning ch; rep from ** to ** once, omitting last sc on final rep; join with sl st to first ch. Fasten off Yellow.

Looking for more crochet inspiration? Check out my review of Emily Littlefair’s Round and Round the Crochet Hook with the Sunny Citrus Cushion pattern excerpt and Agnieszka Strycharska’s Crochet Blocks with the Motif 2 and Skirt pattern excerpts.