Amazing Crochet Lace:
New Fashions Inspired by Old-Fashioned Lace
Doris Chan
(Potter Craft)
ISBN-10 0307339750/AUD$45
After finding out about Doris Chan and her crochet work through magazines like Interweave Crochet and Knitscene, news of her first book was exciting. I had high expectations. Chan calls her way of working 'exploded lace—what I do is make the patterns bigger, bolder, more contemporary'.
Here she has provided clear diagrams, extensive instructions and what appear to be great matches of yarn to project (although U.S.-based brands such as Lion Brand dominate). And technically speaking, the garments are works of art—large-scale lace constructing is an area where Chan has excelled. Her patterns (pineapple lace and other traditional style motifs) are beautiful.
But there is a touch of retro crochet-book dagginess in the presentation that could inspire an outcry from the fashion police. Is it the photos (black and white with tinted projects), the clothes that I'm lustless over (shawls, wraps, a mod dress, vests), or the models (who have stepped right out of the '70s)? When going through a book, it's great to have a hit of project lust—I'm making that, now!—but I was underwhelmed.
If you're a crochet fiend who's ace at picking a pattern and substituting yarns then you might feel differently. Chan definitely has some interesting tricks up her sleeve in terms of technique—for instance, a useful grounding in her method of foundation chain. So if you're looking to add to your bag of tricks and the cover photo has you rapt, Amazing Crochet Lace could be for you.
While the title does live up to its name, it's a case of 'I want to love this book.' But I also want to grab a quiet moment, sidle up to the pages and tell 'em the truth: I'm just not that into you.
—kylie gusset