Interweave Crochet Magazine, Spring 2021
It is spring in the pattern world, even as the sleet falls near me. The cover of this issue has a cropped top has the airy look of a spring top. It is by Isa Catepillan named Taking Root Pullover, a reference to the little sprouting motifs that cover its boxy shape. If the cropped top is not your style, it could easily be made longer or the pattern itself used to a light wrap. It is made in a cotton blend yarn, a lace weight, Queensland Collection Dungarees Tweed. It is only a 2 on the scale of 4 for difficulty.
If you like more coverage, try the Day Hiker Sweater in green which was designed by Blazenka Simic-Boro with puff stitches used to create vines climbing the front, plus picot edging around the V-neckline. It rates a 3 out of 4 for difficulty and is made of a cotton blend called Scheepjes Softfun. Keeping with the color of spring, we have a pair of greens in Mrs. Crosby Train Case yarn, a superwash Merino and viscose blend making up Sati Glenn’s Budding Conifer Wrap. This is a generous 18″ by 72″ to keep your warm on those brisk days and only a 2 out of 4 on difficulty.
Lastly, we have the intriguing Thistledown Top with capelet sleeves by Kabila Sri Ponnusamy. And if it looks like knitting, that is because it is made using Tunisian crochet (which has nothing to do with Tunisia, BTW). Tunisian crochet is worked on a hook with a cable and like knitting, the stitches in a row are live, that is they would unravel if they weren’t on the cable, as the hook works them first forward and then backward. So it is a blend of crochet technique and knitted technique and creates a unique fabric made with special tools. 3 out of 4 for difficulty.
As you can see from the Project Index, there is one other sweater pattern, plus patterns for a shawl, three throws, and 3 bags. Plus an article by Brenda K. Anderson explaining how to use motifs fut from machine-made lace to give yourself patterns to embroider onto crocheted fabrics, a method that gives you a bit of an edge in keeping your intended shape clearer than if you tried to mark a bumpy fabric.
