I am tickled pink that I, once again, have the privilege of reviewing a book by our very own lyrical HookStar, Dora Ohrenstein.
Photo Courtesy of Lark Publishing
Her latest book Custom Crocheted Sweaters (Lark, Jan 2012) tackles the subject of custom fit and design like no other published to date!
Beautiful sweaters, great stitch patterns, and a book filled with drawings, charts and schematic make this an advanced crocheter’s dream! Yes, it is an advanced book, but don’t let that scare you! You want to read this book cover to cover, Dora goes into great detail explaining how to make each style of sweater work for you!
Here’s our written Q&A:
(FL) What inspired you to write the book?
Dora: Whenever I publish a book on crochet, I have two main objectives: 1) to make pieces that are beautiful and 2) to teach others to do the same. I’ve always loved making sweaters, but realize as I read through ravelry discussions, that many people are fearful. The main reason seems to be that the sweaters don’t fit! From reading posts carefully I was also able to understand what the stumbling blocks were; people are not clear about how to use schematics, how to relate those measurements to their own bodies, and what to do if they don’t match. So the inspiration comes down to wanting to empower people to make sweaters that really fit.
Photo courtesy of Lark Publishing
(FL) What was your greatest challenge in writing the book?
Dora: I can’t say there were challenges in the sense of obstacles. I loved every minute of it! As a designer, I can get almost any yarn I want, and when designing for a book, I must only please myself with the designs, not anyone else. This is why I love making books! There were some things about sweaters that I had to study and build my knowledge about, for example, making the back of a raglan sweater taller than the front, and the consequences for the top of the sleeve. I also challenged myself to come up with a good way of making a bust dart in a complex stitch pattern. I suppose the biggest challenge was fitting in all the information I wanted to convey, and in fact, a big chunk of text had to be cut from the book. But I think what got in is very useful and gives people plenty to study.
(FL) How did you decide which stitch patterns to use in your designs?
Dora: When I chose stitch patterns for the sweaters, I gave some thought to working with patterns that would be easy to shape. And the truth is, I rejected this idea! Deep down I felt like what would get this book a wide readership was to make the sweaters as gorgeous as possible, and not worry about the difficulty level. I knew I wanted to make the dropped sleeve sweater with a thin yarn and beautiful lace pattern and that became Floating Tee. I wanted to make a motif garment, and that was Double Trouble Shell, using two motifs from a Japanese book. All the others were selected based on the yarn. Other than the two just mentioned, I wanted closed stitch patterns that create a sleek, contemporary look. It’s not always so easy to find closed patterns that drape well, so that was at the forefront when swatching to find the right pattern. I love the little angled boxes used in the cover piece, Beau Blazer, and the raised pattern used for the yoke in Creampuff was something I’d had in my swatch pile as a “must use” for ages. The most surprising stitch pattern of all was the one used in Uptown: sc, ch 2, sc in each stitch. I hadn’t used it before but it produced a smooth knit look and also has a tendency to pull in and hug the body, almost like ribbing. That was a very cool, unexpected outcome!
(FL) Which design is your favorite?
Dora: No way I can say I have one favorite. Love ‘em all!!
(FL) If you have one piece of advice to readers of your book what would that be?
Dora: One piece of advice — another very difficult request!! But if I must reduce it to one big idea, it’s this: crocheters: do nor fear sweaters! In order to make sweaters that really fit, you need to have a clear grasp of your measurements, and know how to do a few calculations — with your calculator — so you can modify the pattern. It’s not rocket science, I swear. And a corollary (I told you I couldn’t just give one) is: allow yourself to fail! That’s how you learn. It’s taken me 7 years of designing, and now I rarely have to pull out a sweater and redo it, but I did it countless times until I got them to fit the way they should.
Photo courtesy of Lark Publishing
(FL) What is the one thing you hope readers take away from reading and using the information in your book?
Dora: Pretty much the same answer as above. Go through the material in the book methodically and thoroughly, making as many of the sweaters as you can. Write down your measurements on a schematic and plan your alterations carefully. Check your gauge. Measure each piece as you go, and if it’s not coming out as planned, go back and analyze what you did. Write to me if you need help: doraoh@earthlink.net.
One more thing, coming back to the inspiration for this book: I hope to empower crocheters to make beautiful crocheted sweaters. I honestly believe that those who study the book can teach themselves to do this. I am self-taught, and don’t bring any special gifts to crochet — I can’t draw or do math easily – but I am persistent. I think anyone who really wants to master sweater making can, and I hope with all my heart that this book gives them the tools to do so.
Dora Ohrenstein is a crochet designer, author and publisher. Her new book Custom Crocheted Sweaters (Lark, Jan 2012) is the first in-depth book on sweater construction and alteration for crocheters. Her previous book Creating Crochet Fabric, has been highly praised for addressing another neglected area of crochet education, command of various yarn weights, fibers and stitch patterns. Dora’s chic and innovative fashion designs appear regularly in Interweave Crochet and Crochet Today, and her designs have been published in several European magazines. She writes regularly for Interweave Crochet, Yarn Market News, and others, specializing in crochet history, traditions, and techniques. Dora is the founder and editor of Crochet Insider, (www.crochetinsider.com) an online magazine that has twice won the Flamie Award. She is also a professional singer and voice teacher.
You can find Dora’s books at any fine book seller or on Amazon.com
This is a sponsored review, I did not agree to give a positive review. Laurie A. Wheeler
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