Crochet :: Japanese Style

Ahhh this book, do you remember me telling you it arrived on Saturday? It came aaaaaalllllll the way from Japan you know, and for some inexplicable reason this makes me feel incredibly excited. First time I've ever had anything arrive All The Way From Japan before. I keep thinking how bloomin marvelous it is that I can see something on my computer screen, make a few clickety-clicks on my keyboard, then hey-presto less than a week later a plop through my letter box brings it right into my excited hands.  Can you tell I'm a newbie at International Internet Shopping?

Anyhow :: this book....let me tell you now, I've fallen truly, madly, deeply in L:O:V:E with it. 

It is quite simply GORgeous. Stunning. Inspirational. Beautiful. Desirable.

Oh yes it is all those things and many more besides and I am seriously in love.

This is what greets you when you first tiptoe into the pages..............

Oh oh OH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Mm mm MMMMMMMM!!!!!!!!!!!

Isn't that just the stuff of anyones Hooky Yarny Dreams???????

I fell in love right there and then, at the sight of that first Double Spread.

BAM!!!

Just like that.

Want to see some more??

Want to see some of the projects within these delicious Japanese pages?

A perfectly perfect Attic24-stylie bag.

Scrummy.

The most beautiful, beautiful crocheted clothes hangers.....

....just look at that amazingly pretty edging!!

And this, one of my absolute favourite pages in the whole book. Love everything about this image, isn't the styling to die for?? That shelf with those teapots!!! OH how I Love that!! Not to mention the beautiful hexie blanket there....

Isn't that design just amazing?

Love it.

Now as you know, this book came All The Way From Japan, meaning it is a Japanese book.

Meaning it is written in Japanese.

Of course.

But fear-ye-not, because the patterns for all these desirable projects are written in Universal Diagram format, as show above. Lots of gobbledegooky Japanese writing as well, but we can ignore that and concentrate on the diagram....

....which is actually pretty straight forward to follow.

Now if anyones interested, I would gladly write a post about these diagrams, explaining the symbols etc and how to read them, cos thats Very Useful Knowledge to have if you're into crochet.

This afternoon, I had a little go at reading the above diagram and making a hexagon, well five rounds of one anyhow....

....and it didn't turn out too bad, although I think I would need to practice my joining techniques as it's a little messy where each round begins and ends.

Now before I toddle off to go drool some more over the pages, let me give you a few details....

I first saw this book mentioned by Jane. And then by Hen. And it was indeed the lovely Hen who kindly told me where I could go to find this book and purchase it All The Way From Japan.

It came to me via an amazing Etsy Seller called Pomadour24. Super fast delivery, and beautifully packaged too. I think it cost me about £19 including delivery.

The book itself is called "Pretty Colour Crochet and Knit Goods"

Do go take a look at this amazing Etsy shop, there are some lovely looking books to be had All The Way From Japan. (just spotted this one oooo-ooooo!!)

Hmmm....I can feel an addiction coming on. Dear oh dear.

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Monday :: edited to add :: Wonderful to read all your excitable comments on this post, oh me too, me too, the excitement over this book has not yet diminished!!

Just to let you know that Pomadour24 does restock/update her etsy shop very frequently, so if the book is out of stock when you first go look, do check back again in a day or two as it will come back in again.

Also to add I've gone and bought Book 2. Dear-oh-dear. I'll show you it when it arrives All The Way From Japan.

And finally, due to popular demand, I will be writing a How-to-decipher post for the crochet diagrams, sometime this week I hope.

xx

 

Comments

[Karen Case]

Wow oh wow. Beautiful. It was such fun to read your post and look at the colorful photographs. Yes, oh yes, please post on reading diagrams as it would be so helpful.

[Mihaela]

Even if I have the 152nd comment I hope you will notice it.
I thanked you in my way on my blog.
Maybe you will find a little break to look here
http://abeeautifulday.blogspot.com

[Dottie]

Lucy, I check your blog everyday from the US. I knit some but can crochet. I would love to know how to read that chart and what the symbols mean. I want a hexagon throw. Thanks.

[Julie]

definitely drooling here over those baskets of yarn. You're so right about the styling being gorgeous - little pops of gorgeous colour against a plain backdrop - fab stuff!

[Marie]

Lucy, If you were to write some instructions on how to interpret those mindboggling diagrams I think you would become my absolute favourite person in the whole wide world!! If it weren't for your brilliant patterns and easy to follow instructions my crochet career would have been short lived!! Understanding those would open up a whole new world of crochet patterny goodness to me. As it is I see them and my brain tries to crawl to the back of my head to avoid the pain of trying to decifer them!!

Please, please do write something!
xMx

[Julie]

Yes please, if you could post some explainations of the diagrams, that would be great. I have ordered the book and so looking forward to when it will arrive!!!

[Teresa]

I would love it if you would write a post explaining the diagram. I just don't understand them yet. You write such good explanations. Thanks!!

[Louise Zaagsma]

I too would love the book....do the baskets of beautiful yarn come with it? Hugs

[frifri]

bonjour, je suis tombée par hasard sur votre blog, il est charmant et génial!ce que vous faites est très minutieux, j'apprécie beaucoup le travail des autres, même si je ne fais pas du tout la même chose que vous.Si cela vous dit passez voir ce que je fais et laissez moi un com cela me fera plaisir!

je me suis inscrite a la newsletter et mise dans mes préférés.

amicalement frifri.

www.frifricreations.canalblog.com

[Joyce Stewart]

I've just been browsing in the 'Rakuten' site...everything is beautiful but honestly while I love looking at Lucy's book and love the ideas I feel we should be supporting our own yarn companies in this time of hardship and when so many jobs are being lost on the manufacturing side of things. What do others feel?

[AMZi]

Ooh, an explanation of those secret codes--I mean, diagrams... would be AWESOME!

[The Garden Bell - Kate]

No surprise to me that you would dive right into your new book. Love it. The bag is looking interesting.

Off to see what I've missed while entertaining the MIL. Can't wait to get caught up with all.

Sunny and 75, perfect afternoon at the pool.

Happy at the Beach,
The Garden Bell - Kate

[Joyce Stewart]

I love all things Japan - and I have another book on motifs but what is annoying me is that I don't know what all the icons mean in the charts. I for one would greatly appreciate you telling it simply like you can do. Would be so grateful. I love the items shown on the pages....I think you are secretly designing for them? Joyce

[Felicity]

oh sorry I meant not to many sleepless nights!!

[Felicity]

Hi Lucy I have both those books they are so pretty to look at, if you go to a seller called pink nellie on etsy she shows you more pages inside each book also she emailed me some Japanese craft terms translated to English and some craft patterns if you would like I can forward the email on to you, just let me know, I've brought a few books from both those etsy sellers they are so lovely and the books come so fast complete with sweet tape on the parcels! I just thought I can show you the I side of the second book by email too if you'd like it is so yummy!

I hope your all settling in with baby B and too many sleepless nights!!
Fliss x x

[liset]

Have that one too! It's a great book and the hexagon blanket is definetly on my list!

[Kimberly Roberts]

This book looks GREAT!!!
I need to order one for myself!! thanks for sharing!

[Jennifer]

What a lovely book! I have a Japanese crochet book myself that I am trying to decipher. I have never used one of the crochet charts before; would really love to see a tutorial if you have time :)

[Marie]

The book looks fantastic, lots of pretty things therein. I love those chart patterns, such a clever idea, as there's no language barrier to understanding them. I'm sure if you did a post explaining the symbols it would be greatly appreciated, you always explain things so clearly :-). Finally, I don't know if you've ever visited this site http://www.rakuten.co.jp/gosyo/461397/but it's well worth a good browse, lots of lovely free Japanese patterns. Happy weekend x

[Karen Watson]

Wow,

I would love to have a lesson on how to read the symbols to crochet.

Waving from Indiana, USA, thanks

[Mildawg]

Thank you for sharing this with us! The projects are fabulous!

[Laura]

Yummy, Yummy, Yummy@!!!!

I looked online but can't find it in stock anywhere!!!! So sad :{

[Fay]

I actually bought the "small and easy" crochet book last week - it's absolutely divine! (Doesn't Pomodour 24 wrap her parcels in the cutest way?! i haven't made anything yet but the small rose cushion cover is to die for! i work for a Japanese company so travel there a lot and always stock up on craft books - this one is gorgeous: http://www.amazon.co.jp/exec/obidos/ASIN/4529047717/ref=nosim/bookfinder4u-22

i can read hiragana (but not that well) thank goodness for the diagrams!

[Rhonda Texas USA]

Ohhhhh I want that book! The colors! Pretty pretty! Have a great weekend hope you have time for some crochet fun! :)

[greedy nan]

No, no temptation - keep back. I can't do it again. I did get one you see from Mrs Pompadour but it's a dressmaking one and all I can manage is looking and gawping at the pictures because Japanese is in a foreign country from me and now I don't know what I'll do as I really want to make those lovely things. Any ideas? Perhaps you could put a little comment on my blog or email to give me some help ...