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.

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Comments

[Marie Salamanca]

Dear Lucy, finally ive managed to make these russian dolls!! i have miss big made and ready to embroider. Please can i ask if you can do a explanation how how to embroider once the toy is stuffed? Im struggling a bit with that....and cant find anything on google. i can embroider on flat crochet, but this is hard as i keep "loosing" my needle and then cant make tiny fine stitches....can you help at all with some easy explanations??? hugs and hugs from nz

[Maria Flores]

Hello Lucy, it would be so nice if you can share the patern to do the babushkas. I live in Venezuela and we cant buy things from abroad, as we have control exchange. I have read here that some of the girls can get the book from the librery? My God we can never get a book like this from a local librery...well any away, thanks for sharing I do like your blog...thanks

[Keen Handmade Creations]

Is the book in US or UK terms? I'd love to have the pattern for the Russian dolls.

[Lori]

I love your blog sooooo much and I believe I told you this ages ago. I said I was going to begin reading it all from the beginning and catch up. It has been hard not to comment along the way but I knew I would never get caught up if I did! I had to comment here though! Your words here "I love the whole look and feel of this book, and just flicking through the pages is enough to make one sigh with pleasure." Well change the word book to blog and that says exactly how I feel about your blog. :) It is taking me quite awhile to get caught up to the present, but I don't mind, I just can't miss a single word or picture, they make my heart sing! Thank you for sharing your days Lucy..HUGS HUGS HUGS..I'll be back. :) ~Lori

P.S. I do peek in at the present too. :) I ordered your Yarndale tote a few days ago as I wanted to be a part of it somehow! Wishing you all the very best Lucy, I know it is going to be FANTASTIC!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Marie]

Love your work!!!!
I purchased the book purely after seeing your blog about the Russian Dolls. Can't wait to start.
I have been following your blog since I started crochet again, lots of babies being born in the family = lots of blankets. Really got back into when I broke my leg and have been truly inspired by your work!

[Jojo]

They are fantastic! If only I could crochet! X

[Lynda M O]

Lucy, these are the most precious renditions of nesting dolls I have seen. My late sister raised her family in Moscow and brought us little dolls when they came back. So evocative for me on a deep abiding level. Thank you.

[fostering agencies London]

Great simple post for starter.
Thanks ......
fostering agencies London

[Catherine]

Found it - thank you! (And ordered the book from Amazon, very naughty)

Catherine

[ninifee]

Oh I love the things you make - the colours are great and I think you have a really cosy, love and peaceful home. I enjoyed every minute I read your blog.

yours
ninifee from bavaria

[Marcela]

Hi Lucy , I'm from Argentina. Can you please share instructions about russian dolls ? I cant get the book here.....:(.
I really love your blog... I'm a big follower !!!!! Congrats !!!
Thanks and regards, Marcela

[Audra Curtis]

I bought this book for the baby booties - but theres a typo! I'm not very experienced at crocheting, but I KNOW something's wrong! Can you make a pair and see if you have a problem with them?

[Nastja]

In Russian this doll calls matryoshka, this knitted edition looks really cute :) If you allow me I'll make the translation of your post into Russian (sure with link to you)

[Cindy Smith]

I am thrilled to find your blog and crochet patterns! I love them. Your use of color is fantastic. I get inspired by looking at what you have done. I am also a stay-at-home Mom of two girls. Thank you for sharing your creativity with all of us! Blessings!

[joyce]

hi lucy i really love your crochet work and i love the colors or what yarn you are using..i saw crochet book pattern in some of your photo do you share pattern.i really like your blog i like your ideas and all stuff i saw in your blog...

[Joni]

Maybe Naughty Little Miss and her two big sisters need weightier bottoms! :) A few special stones found on the beach, washed and hidden in the fluffy cottom might help her from falling into the fire!

I just found your blog...well...three hours ago, and have been emmersed in it ever since. What an amazing person you are...your designs are the shining of your spirit. I love to crochet, and your blog is going to make it even more enjoyable. Thank you for sharing your happy yarn moments with the rest of the world.

[Kanchan]

Oh! The dolls are absolutely gorgeous. Look at those beautiful flowers on their dresses. Just lovely.I got the same book on 31st Dec. Made Beanie Hat today from it.

[jlbright]

Charming, charming, and your hand stitched embellishments are to be jealous of. Really, your work is lovely - and inspiring. Thanks for sharing.

[JennyPennyPoppy]

After seeing your sweet crocheted Russian dolls I now HAVE to buy this book! My grand daughters will absolutely love them :)

[Allison Baker]

So cute!

[foldemci]

voilà ma première babushkas terminée...
elle n'est pas parfaite mais j'y travail!!
merci

[Crissi]

So pretty Babushka, lovely!!I was in Russia and bought those dolls
Hugs Crissi

[Nicki Trench]

Lucy, have tried to find your email and can't! Just wanted to say thanks so much for the lovely review - and thanks to all the lovely comments too - Kind regards, Nicki Trench.

[Jocelyn Nelson]

This book has been on my amazon wishlist for ages but I saw it this morning for £3.99 from thebookpeople.co.uk! I can't wait to receive it after seeing your post and the beautiful projects.

[Gena Resende]

Hello Lucy,

So you have done your own Matrioskas/Babuskas...they are lovely.
In what concerns the shelves, books and so on, have you considered the idea of plastic boxes, in a transparent colour, therefore whenever you want something, you know where it is, by just opening the door of the drawersor looking to the shelves. And on the shelves, baskets, like those IKEA ones, to put maganizes, catalogues and so on...I am a mother of five, and all my life have used this kind of help. Firstly in paper boxes, but they are no good, two months later they are trash, so I have adopted the plastic boxes, piled, and so everythns is arranged. You know, the ones where a magazine enters perfectly, that size and even a bit bigger. There are also with roulettes, under, for the kids rooms. And they can be pilled.
I know what is a life like yours, unhappily I could never be at home with them, always worked outside, but my salary was never enought to pay scholls...!!!

Kiss you.

Gena Resende