Cute & Easy Crochet :: The Babushkas

I've been meaning to chat about this book with you for months and months as I bought it way back in the Spring, but somehow I just haven't found the time to do it before now. But as I mentioned the other day, I'm on a mission to catch up with myself re my hooky endeavours and I've got some lovely bits and bobs to share with you.

So this book then....Cute and Easy Crochet written by Nicki Trench. It's always a little gamble ordering a book from Amazon when you're not quite sure if the contents are going to really twang the old creative heart strings. Sometimes the cover image can look inviting but the projects inside don't quite measure up. Not so with this book. It's quite simply GORGEOUS from cover to cover.

There are 35 projects in the book, and almost every one is guaranteed to bring forth an ooooh or aaahhhhh or wwwoooowww. 

It's incredibly inspring, makes you want to  start crocheting first thing in the morning and not stop until last thing at night.

It makes you want to crochet things just for the pure joy of it. Do I need another crochet bag? Probably not, but oooooh that one is just soooooo cute! 

There are one or two familiar projects in this book. Things that remind me of my own style of hooky.

The colours are softer than my own choices, but the style is definitely familiar.

Yes, definitely right up my street.

The styling and photography throughout the book is sublime, with each crochet project sitting in beautiful surroundings. There is a touch of shabby chic about it, with pale distressed furniture mixed up with quirky accessories. I love it. I love the whole look and feel of this book, and just flicking through the pages is enough to make one sigh with pleasure.

Many of the projects in the book are made using Laughing Hens "Rooster" yarn, and this defines the overall style and colour palette. They are kind of soft, but not pale. Think pretty vintage rather than sweet icecream or baby pastel.

This is page 97 and when I landed here my oooooohs and aaaaahhs and woooowwws definitely went up a notch. How totally, fabulously adorable are these sweet little Russian dolls? They almost took my breath away with their cute little flowers and sweet little headscarves. Awwwwwwwwww!! 

The very uselessness of them appealed to me enormously, I have a definite weakness for decorative but useless crochet items (bunting falls into this category). I couldn't wait to get started.

These sweet dolls are worked from the bottom up and they are made in traditional amigurumi style ie by working the rows round in a continuous spiral. It took me a while to get used to this idea as I hadn't ever done it before, but it's not that difficult. Two things I learnt the hard way ::

1. when the pattern instructs you to place a stitch marker at the beginning of each round, you should really take note and do as you are told.

2. Concentration and the ability to keep count are essential when making these little things, you cannot easily wing it.

There are four sizes of doll (large, medium, small and tiny) and I chose to start out with Miss Medium. As you can see, I couldn't bring myself to use white for her body so she was given a pink top instead.

You can see her white crochet face (the small white circle) sitting there on the page too, awaiting some embroidered features. Actually stitching the faces was quite a challenge, it's harder than it looks to embroider eyes and a mouth and make it look smiley rather than grimace-like. I can also tell you that when the pattern tells you to "press face" you should do it cos it makes a big difference. It's worth the trouble of getting the iron out before you try and stitch.

This is Mrs Large, all stuffed up and waiting for face and decorative details. Oh how I LOVED making the Decorative Details!! I mean, I did enjoy the challenge of working and shaping the body and creating those ingenious little headscarf ties, but really in my mind the project was ALL about The Flowery Bit.

It gave me a ridiculous amount of pleasure to prettify these little Babushkas. The combination of crochet flowers (teeeeeeeeny tiny, worked on a 2.5 mm hook) with embroidered detail (chain stitches mainly) was a complete joy to work on. 

I could have gone on and on and on covering these dolls in flowers, stems and leaves but the trick is knowing how much is enough. Deciding when to stop is often harder than it seems.

So here we have them, my three little Babushka dolls, Ta-dah!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Mrs Large, Miss Medium and Little Miss Small........

......sitting happily on my mantel, smiling their sweet embroidered smiles.

I confess to having a soft spot for Little Miss Small. Her neatness and smallness is captivating.

But she does have a tendency to keep diving head first off the mantel and into the coal bucket. Naughty Little Miss.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx



 







 

 

Comments

[June]

What an inspiring book - If only I could crochet! I agree Amazon can be hit and miss but you seem to have found a winner!
June

[Rachel]

I have that book and I totally agree, it is fantastic! Some of those gorgeous jar covers will be adorning the preserves I have made for Christmas presents this year for sure.

[Evi]

Very, very well made, Lucy!! And so cute.... it's a pity I'm with the 'mostly useful items' brigade or I'd be tempted to start them now!! But that book, now I might have to put that on my wish list!

[Maria]

The dolls have improve a lot in your hands with those brilliant colours. Lovely embroidering. The baby blanket looks fantastic and more useful. Hope that Amazon deliver to Spain. xxx

[Alison]

Love the dolls! Must have a look for that book in the library! Started a baby ripple just to try the pattern on Saturday and now can't put it down! It's 9.30 and the children got on the school bus over an hour ago and I'm still sitting here! Have broken my arm so no work - but not stopping me crochet!!!! ;) x

[Kerstin]

Ohh,thanks a lot for the reviews of the book. Yesterday I read about this book which is now available in swedish. It has just come here and I wondered if I would buy it. I will! Thanks!

[Mo - North East Scotland]

Hi Lucy
What adorable little dolls! And beautifully made as ever with your craft work :-D The book looks amazing, so a browse round t'internet is called for and lookie see if my local library has it before I decide to buy, but that's merely a formality; if I find a book that tweaks my creative juices then it ends up at the checkout. Have a lovely day :D
Mo x

[Sam]

I really need to learn how to crochet. If only I could find a little group. I must make a note of the book so one day perhaps I will be able to make something as lovely as your dolls.

[Allyson Evans]

The only thing I can say to that is ....awwwwww! Cute!

[Lorena Sonido Retro!]

Lovely, lovely , lovely... Lindas lindas lindas!
Lorena :D

[maggie]

I've had this book for a time now and made several of the items, including that bag, which has gained much approval and questions of where I got the pattern from people who have seen it. Where possible I use the 'look inside' option on books from Amazon, and go to the contents page, which usually gives me an indication as to whether the book is going to be of use. In the case of fiction, I choose the first pages option and see if it immediately grabs me. The same as going into a bookshop and browsing, only with lower prices.

[vanessa]

Oh I do so LOVE those dolls! I have had them down on my 'to do' list for a while. I love that book. There is a lot that I want to make. I am currently in the process of making that bag from it having just completed several shell scarves from it too! I originally bought it for the granny squares throw in your third picture. The throw was a big hit and looks lovely draped on my bed. You are right about the stitch markers though....I made some amineko cats a few months back. The most addictively cute toys to make which the kids loved, but you REALLY have to concentrate with your rounds! The Russian Dolls have a lot of personality. A REALLY cute addition to your mantel!

Have a super sunny day!

much love

Vanessa xxxxxxxxx

[Stocki]

Hi Lucy, Beautiful work..I bought the book too...can't wait to see what mine turn out like... I know someone who collects Russian dolls...what a great Chrissy pressie that will be:)x

[Diane Goldie]

Are you me? Are you maybe a sister that my daddy never told me about?

We share the joy for useless crochet things ( crocheted rubber ducks anyone? ) and the teeny tiny and the absolute indulgence that is bright colours. Brighter, more rainbow , more hot pink and clashing bright red and orange , the better. Excite my eyes, make my spirit dance with colour vibrations ( hmm maybe a bit too hippy with that statement ehem.) But anyway, I like your blog. Lots .

Can I put you on my blog roll please?

Pretty please with a cherry on top? And glitter?

PS My granddaughter ( 14 months ) is obsessed with my Russian Dolls. I think I may just frustrate her and make her a set of useless crochet ones. It would be worth it watching her try and open them!

[Nell]

Oh my goodness! I have looked at this book on Book depository but wondered how many "useable" projects it might have. It is definitely going on the Christmas wish list now! Love your bright babushkas!
Happy hooking!

[Jennifer McLachlan]

aw so cute, well done!

have to say i LOVE the paler colors, esp that green bag!!!

xxxx

[Siobhan]

Very cute and colourful - just like the real dolls are which I love too. I just did a google image search for crochet matroyoshka and all sorts of things popped up. There is a similar pattern here, except they have felt faces. http://www.etsy.com/shop/handmadekitty. There are also Japanese koreshi dolls which are really lovely too in the same shop.

There are even some nesting crochet dolls in the google search, not such great colours though but a nice idea. Lots of cute little things out there. Useful and beautiful is good but I'm a fan of useless beauty for sure.

[Julia M.]

This is really, really cute ... I've been reading your blog for a while now, always amazed by your patience to crochet entire BLANKETS, because though I love to crochet, too, I'm afraid that a blanket would never be finished.

I LOVE these dolls! They are so incredible beautiful and sweet. REALLY well done! And they do not look too burdened with decorations, not at all. :)

The book looks also very, very nice - it's true what you said, nothing is more frustrating than ordering a book (WHATEVER book) and then being disappointed by its contents. Or finding out that the stuff on the cover was the best ...

Congratulations!
And many, many greetings from Germany. :)
Julia

[Nic]

Those are the cutest things I have ever seen! Well done. ;p)!

[Karen]

oh good gracious they are so cute!!!!

[Sam F]

Nicki Trench is great - her toy book 'Super Cute Crochet' helped me to learn crochet in thouse early and wobbly stitch days (and working in the round). She was also helpful when I emailed her about something and took the time to reply.

Great stuff. Love your work. When is your book out?

Sam F

[Joanne Tinley]

They are so cute!
I've been teaching myself Tunisian crochet over the last couple of weeks, and loving it! I've almost finished a baby blanket. Just got to wait and see whether my friend has a boy or a girl so I can crochet a coloured border!

[Joanne]

Poor Mrs Small doomed to dive of the mantel. I wonder if a few lentils in her bottom might tether her a bit?
Beautiful!

[Kate]

11.07am Read your delightful post
11.10am "Thank you, your order has been placed"

[Kashi Griffith]

It was your dolls that inspired me to make my own. I have seen this book in the store many times. Now I have to put it on my list. It looks like it could have been written by you. Love your work.