All About Cotton – Crochet Pattern Book Review
I have received a sample copy of this book for review from Leisure Arts. I am not financially compensated for my blog post and am under no obligation to give a favorable review. Any conclusions and statements about the book are my own. If you do choose to purchase the book, I receive a small commission (at no extra cost to you), and you are helping support Goddess Crochet, allowing me to create more free patterns for you. It’s a win-win!
All About Cotton – Crochet Pattern Book Review
There is something so wonderful about cotton yarn. It’s versatility is unmatched when it comes to home decor and bath items, not to mention bags! I love making bags with cotton because they are always so sturdy. And the price makes it SO accessible! Not sure about you guys, but my local A.C. Moore has sales on cotton yarn all the time, so when it’s a buck a ball, it is not rare for me to lay $20 down on cotton yarn. Oops. #SorryNotSorry, Lol. Seriously though, you can get some great deals if you look for sales and use coupons wisely. Pro tip, y’all.
Cotton works really well for dishcloths and washcloths. It’s especially important to use cotton yarn when making an item that will be used in the kitchen as a potholder. The natural fiber is very heat resistant, unlike it’s acrylic cousin which will literally melt under high heat. Yikes!
I was very excited to review this book for Leisure Arts! I have a pretty decent stash of cotton yarn (see first paragraph, lol), and am always looking to bulk up my “gift” stash for the holidays. Seriously, it is never too early to start crocheting Christmas presents! Put them away in a sealed bag. You will thank yourself come December. There are some fabulous patters for gifts in All About Cotton. The bath set would make an awesome gift – and if the recipient deserves something extra nice, include a fancy soap and a relaxing candle, you’ve got yourself a gift basket!
“All About Cotton” patterns include “Oval Baskets”, “Bottle Carrier”, “Lacy Tote”, “Air Plant Hanger”, “Bath Set”, “Coaster Set”, “Dishcloth and Towel”, “Potholder”, “Placemat Set”, and “Half Hexagon Rug”. Each pattern starts out with a shopping list of needed materials so you know exactly what you need for yarn and hook size. There is also a stitch guide for any special stitches, and a general instructions section in the back with information about abbreviations, symbols, and gauge. There is also a couple pages of diagrams with descriptions for stitches or terms you may not be familiar with.
The bath set of a body poof, washcloth, and face scrubbie worked up particularly quickly – with the poof taking the most time. The scrubbie worked up super fast and takes very little yarn, so it would be a great scrap buster project. Next I made the washcloth, which is a nicely textured but still drapey stitch pattern, and is super easy repeat, so after a couple rows you’ll be moving along confidently and quickly.
At first I was a little concerned that the poof pattern might be too hard, but it was SUPER easy you guys! Most of it is spent working into the chain spaces which is kind of nice. You will be amazed at how much yarn you can fit into that poof – it used up almost a whole ball! Different from your “usual” crochet project, this hyperbolic shape is achieved by putting a LOT of stitches into a small space. You’re still working in the round…but it’s a squiggly road! It’s really cool, the finished poof looks like brain coral.
We just repainted the kitchen cabinets in the fall to freshen it up, so being able to add some “homey” touches without breaking the bank was great. With the cotton I had on hand, I was able to make up a rug, a dishcloth and dishtowel, and three baskets.
The rug is made using puff stitch, which makes for a pleasant texture on bare or stocking feet. This rug is going right in front of the sink – perfect because we have wood floors. To make sure the rug would not slip and slide on the wood floors, I bought some rubbery rug backing and traced out the rug on the backing. Then I used spray glue to attach the backing to the rug. It’s a little tricky (and a little sticky), so take your time and have someone help if you can. The only very small alteration I made to the pattern was to do crab stitch for the border. If you’ve never done the puff stitch before, be patient with yourself. Once you’ve done a few rows of it they will start to even out and you’ll find your groove.
My husband painted a fabulous sunflower on the cabinet, so I went with a bright yellow for the dishcloth and hanging dishtowel. You will need a solid 2 balls of cotton to finish the towel, it is big! Both the dishcloth and the towel are another one of those patterns, that, once you get going and get into a groove you’ll find yourself remembering the repeat and moving along quite quickly. I’ve never done a hanging towel before, so that was fun. It starts out huge and kind of curls in on itself. It’s going to come in super handy near the stove – I can definitely see making another one of these sets in the future! Turquoise, perhaps.
My counters received a nice little sprucing up with these oval baskets. They now house oatmeal, tea, and sugar packets. I started out making size small and realized it was going to be a kind of “big” small, so I made an extra small basket by stopping at round 4 and moving on to the sides. So the two larger ones you see here are actually size small and medium. Since the pattern has you holding two strands together to make your basket, I took the opportunity to do a little marling, changing out just one strand of color at a time to give it kind of a fading effect. Fun!
I had a blast making a bunch of the projects in this book! They were well presented, easy to follow and there’s something for everyone in it. I still haven’t even made everything I want to yet…that double thick potholder is next on the list!
If you’d like to make any of the projects you see, you can purchase “All About Cotton”, in paperback, OR, a downloadable PDF, for instant gratification!
Have fun and merry making!
