Crochet Girls: 10 Sweet and Simple Friends to Crochet and Appliqué

Crochet designer Lynch’s cheerful debut shows how to add some pizazz to a tote, backpack, or jacket with crochet appliqués of women’s faces. The detailed introduction to crocheting includes a list of budget-friendly yarns, step-by-step instructions for making increases and decreases, and an overview of how to read crochet patterns. The projects are all variations on a single design: a two-dimensional portrait of a woman’s face with cartoonishly small lips and no nose. The nine projects show how to modify that pattern and create crochet accessories to match various seasons or events. For instance, Lynch details how to crochet heart-shaped glasses and a bouquet of roses for the “Valentine’s Girl,” and how to craft a party hat and gift boxes for “Party Girl.” Some light embroidery is required to create the girls’ lips and certain accessories (for instance, the sprinkles on the ice cream cone of “Summer Girl”). The sewing-averse will appreciate that Lynch recommends a simple hot glue gun for attaching the crochet appliqués to sweatshirts, decorative baskets, or jute bags. Featuring straightforward projects and thorough instructions, this is a great guide for budding crocheters. (June)