Crafts Beautiful
This collection of 35 crochet projects aren't just beautiful to look at, they also help you to be 'in the moment', so you can relax and unwind. Enjoy the process, along with the satisfaction of creating lovely gifts and items for the home.
Slipknot, The Knitting & Crochet Guild Magazine
This colourful upbeat book is excellent value - it has 35 projects and includes crochet basics. Its philosophy can be summed up by the first pattern, Mandala Curtain. It consists of strings of round motifs or mini mandalas. Emma encourages us:
"Think of each mandala as a mini-make - it can be completed in under 30 minutes and be picked up and put down any time. If your narrative is that you're no good with colour, now's the time to change that (...) experiment and play a little."
There are four sections: Colour Therapy, Touch and Texture, Mindful Meditation, and Caring and Sharing. Mindfulness messages come with each pattern. Most designs are small and quick to make, but there is no hurry as Emma reiterates - the whole point is to slow down, immerse yourself in the crochet and the colours and enjoy the moment. This approach is something most of us know instinctively but push aside as we yield to the grownup emphasis on correctness and achievement rather than childlike play.
Mindfulness crochet is particularly relevant to Emma herself as she has used this crochet therapy to help her recover from breast cancer. Her pursuit of mindfulness is embedded in her Buddhist practice.
It is a joyful book with lots of projects to choose from. Many are for the home, playful boho style bunting or garlands, and baubles, mats, containers and more, and to wear there are fingerless mitts and several scarves/shawls. The designs are such as we see on the internet and in magazines.
Unusual designs that appealed to me were an Indian style window valance with real shisha mirrors, and a flowery chandelier!
