And another review with a giveaway! Wa-hey! (This is part of a blog tour organized by Pavilion Books – more on that at the bottom of this post.)
So I’m guessing you’ve noticed that there are lots of knitting and crochet books around these days. Like, loads. If you’re as untidy as I am, you probably trip over a pile of them every single time you stand up to water the cat. (See those bruises on my shins? They’re knit-book-related injuries. Life is tough.) Some of these publications are more genuinely ground-breaking than others, it has to be said. But this week, a new crochet book has come out that really is clever in its originality. Meet Edward’s Crochet Imaginarium, by Kerry Lord, published by Pavilion Books in the UK.
It’s a book about crocheting toys – monsters, specifically – but you get to design the toy. Do you remember those picture books from childhood where all the pages were split horizontally into three so you could interchange the head of a police officer with the torso of a scientist and the legs of a farmer? Well here’s a pattern book that works on the same principle. Genius, huh?
You’re given the generic pattern for a delightfully pot-bellied torso and a head, and then you flip through dozens of options to choose the style of the legs and feet, the arms and hands, and the embellishments for the head. The pattern for each element is provided opposite its picture, and the spiral binding ensures that the book actually stays open where you left it, at least until your children discover it…
A pretty cool idea, huh? Dang, why didn’t I think of that?
The is the third book by author Kerry Lord, who also runs TOFT yarns in Warwickshire in the UK. So I grabbed some pure wool DK-weight TOFT yarn, and started hooking.
My monster options were chosen by the twinnage, who are five. I have to say, the book really caught their imaginations and I witnessed some entertaining intra-twinnage debates about the relative merits of webbed feet versus claws. I loved the way that they were thinking this through together, and my hard/cynical ol’ heart melted just a tiny bit…
…Which leads me to the thing that I like most about this book. Lord is aiming to be inspirational rather than prescriptive. She wants you to let your imagination off the leash so it can scamper freely all over the place and cause joyful mayhem. In addition to all the potential configurations of body parts, she offers suggestions for making use of colour in your monster, and adding a tail, or hair, and how to make your monster in different sizes. Why, for example, should your monster have only four limbs? And have you considered making it spotty? And there’s a charming gallery of suggestions to inspire you.
But this is The Twisted Yarn, and if you’ve loitered in these ‘ere parts afore, you’ll know that I’m prone to getting nit-picketty in my reviews, because nothing is perfect and I want you to know all the pluses and all the minuses before you decide to part with your hard-earned cash. The book is billed as being suitable for anyone, whether they’re a beginner or an expert. I think a beginner would struggle a little though, particularly because the book could’ve used a tad more copy-editing. There are errors and omissions in the patterns that really aren’t a problem if you’re used to working from crochet patterns, but if I was a complete beginner who was still trying to work out which was the business end of the crochet hook, I would have struggled. For example, the generic body pattern doesn’t tell you how to begin, but instead starts with an instruction to work into loops that are already there. Do you see what I mean? No biggy if you’re experienced enough to know what to do anyway, but very confusing if this is your first ever pattern. The wording of the instructions takes a little bit of getting used to, but once you get yourself on a wavelength with the author, you’ll be fine. And there are little minor errors. (I’m not surprised – the amount of work that must have been gone into producing this book just boggles the mind.) An example: foot pattern number twenty talks about hands and fingers, because it’s clearly been copied and pasted from the hand pattern of the same design.
Who cares, though, when you’ve got such an inspirational resource? Just maybe put this book on hold if you really are a total beginner, OK?
Now for the giveaway. I’m really sorry but unlike normal, this one is for UK readers only. (If it’s any consolation, you’ve still got plenty of time to enter the KnitPro/Knitter’s Pride needles competition here, regardless of which portion of the planet you call home.) But UK folk, if you would like to win a copy of Edward’s Crochet Imaginarium, leave a comment below. And if you’d like an additional entry, hop over to Facebook, ‘like’ The Twisted Yarn’s page, and leave a comment with some way of contacting you if you win (eg Ravelry username). OK? The contest is open RIGHT NOW until noon GMT on Sunday 25th September 2016. When the giant gong sounds to announce the end of the giveaway, I shall consult the oracle that is random.org to determine the number of the winning entry. I’ll then contact that person to request an address which I will pass on to the publisher so that they can send out the prize. OK?
THIS REVIEW IS PART OF A BLOG TOUR ORGANIZED BY PAVILION BOOKS.
I DIDN’T PAY FOR THE BOOK, OR THE YARN. PLEASE ACCEPT MY USUAL DISCLAIMER ABOUT MY FLIGHTY, FICKLE LITTLE HEAD HAVING BEEN TURNED AT THE MERE HINT OF A FREEBIE.
So tomorrow, mosey on over to The Little Room Of Rachell to see her review. And if you fancy travelling back in time, go take a look at yesterday’s review at Crochetime. Enjoy, my fine fibrous friends. 🙂
Wow! This book looks amazing! I’d love a copy!
This looks really good, please put my name in your hat.
Thanks for a brilliant blog, always very entertaining!
Hi Phil, thanks as ever for an entertaining and honest review. Please enter me into the draw for monster fun forthwith! Joy :0)
Squeeeeeeeee! Endless Fun Creatures to crochet… Please put my name in The Hat 🙂
Love the chance to win this one , great review always makes me smile reading your page
Oh yes please! I love Edward’s Menagerie and the flip book looks so different!
It would be lovely! Count me in, thank you!
This is their best book yet – what a genius idea to do the flip book! Please enter my name into the draw:)
oh my lordy, what a fantastic idea. I would love a copy to pet and stroke please.
This looks like fun! Wish I knew how to crochet…
Oh how my great-goddaughter would love choosing what I MUST make for her! She would want it in five minutes flat too.
Very interesting and completely bonkers. I like that. Please put my name in the big bucket. Thanks!
This book sounds fun! I’m fairly new to crochet but always up for a challenge!
lindarumsey on Ravelry
Love a good monster inspired crochet, please pop me in the virtual hat thank you
I bought Edward’s Menagerie for my niece and it was a complete wrench to give it away as it was so beautiful (thankfully, my niece adored it – and made me a thank-you bunny too 😉 ). This looks such fun! I feel a bit guilty entering two competitions in a week but heck, chances are I won’t win either, so consider me another number to randomise. 🙂
Would love to make these for my friends children they would love them so please enter me in the give away
Amazing, I love the idea. Looks pretty cool. 🙂
Looks like an amazing book that my bonkers daughter would love.
My grandson would love to design his own monster! We would love a chance to win this book. Thank you
This book looks brilliant. I really like the mix and match idea. I have made some Toft animals before and it was fun.
I showed this to the kids. Big mistake. They are already desperate to design their own monsters.
What a cool book the kids are always asking for monsters. Endless design possibilities
Dang indeed…what an awesome way to design a pattern book. My boys would love this. Thanks for the review xx
Ooh, yes, please! It looks wonderful, and my two would just love pinky purpley spotted monsters
Oh sweet Lord of all that is woolly goodness! I have a5yo who would LOVE to be the boss of which monster I make next. Thanks for flagging this one up, great giveaway!
This looks like one of the best crochet books ever! I would love a chance to win!
The flip-book idea is such a good one! Please put my name in the Hat1
I love monsters -yes please!
I absolutely love the idea of this book. I can’t wait to get stuck in. It’s already on my Christmas list!!
Looks a good book and I have agrandson who would adore designing a monster. So lovely to see that you amde one already!
I love the idea of being able to mix and match!
I am SO buying this!
name in your hat please- for a truly “monstrous” prize! 😉
????
Ravelry: sylinreallife
I’m really enjoying your honest reviews and your disclaimer about freebies is great! Please may I put my name in the hat as well – I have some nieces who would appreciate monsters in their Christmas stockings this year 🙂
Andrea F
Fantastic! Count me in for the givaway!
Craftink on rav.
(I also like the page)
Another fabulous book from Edward(s) – such an interesting and useful format. I can imagine that the Twinnage could keep you busy for sometime with orders!
Looks a brilliant book and I’d love to try some of these out!
I’ve never done crochet and don’t like making toys, but seeing this book made me want to have a ‘go’ as it’s different from the usual animals and bird patterns.
Please enter me in the giveaway, my children would love this, it reminds me of one of their picture books.
I would love to try these having returned to yarn after being inspired by lovely blogs!
I would love to give it a try as I’m just working on my very first crochet project. And I know, it’s not 100% suitable for beginners, but hey, I need a goal to work towards 🙂
How cool is this book? My Grand kids would love everyone of the monsters in this book! Where can I get one if I don’t win? Please add me to the give-a way.. Thanks
Ooh yes please. I’d also recommend visiting Toft. It’s such a lovely place.
I’m so glad I found this post. I’ve just got the book and got a bit confused about the standard form start! I thought it was just me missing something. I’ve only been crocheting a year and I’m just finding my feet 🙂