Cat Mad Crochet

Estimated reading time: 2 minutes

Do you have books in your collection that you have been hauling around for a long time because something in them speaks to you about art in such an inspiring way that you need to have it in your collection always? Enter Design Essentials: The Quilter’s Guide by Lorraine Torrence. When I first started crafting, I made a few quilts. The process was laborious and the end products were only passable. However, true to me, right away I started collecting books about quilting and how to improve as a quilter. This is one of those books. I no longer quilt, but this book has stayed because it challenges the reader, quilter or not, to think about new ways to organize and manipulate the forms you work with. Nearly everyone could use a nudge to be more open to in their crafting adventures. This book will help you do it. 

After a discussion of more general art ideas like color, balance, scale, value, and unity, Torrence presents projects and inspiration based on curves and designing with a single shape and checkerboards that are easily accessible for many different types of fiber artists. Her slash and sew chapter is perhaps a bit difficult for crochet but that could be just a me thing. The curves chapter presents its own challenges, but I think the right crochet person could tackle it beautifully. That’s not me yet but maybe someday.

I’m really intrigued by her projects based on checkerboards. I love checkerboard patterns, especially ones that break rules. My two favorite designs in this book are below.

The second quilt was made with hand dyed fabric. Reading this book was the first time I learned that fiber was being hand dyed and that there were ways to get my hands on it. I remember making a quilting wishlist of hand dyed fabrics. Thankfully, that never came to be because I would have really felt compelled to continue with quilting if I spent a bunch of money on hand dyed fabric. Instead, I have been sating myself on hand dyed yarns, so much better! 

Sadly this book is out of print. There are used copies floating around, and they are well worth finding because you apparently won’t be finding them at the local public library, at least not mine anyway.