150 favorite crochet motifs from Tokyo's Kazekobo Studio

A main tenet of Japanese crafting--simplicity, above all--is infiltrating the U.S. craft-iverse. To the growing bookshelf of Japanese needlework, such as the recent Japanese Wonder Knitting (2020) (also reviewed in this issue), add this modest collection of crochet motifs designed to spark imaginations and inspirations. The 20-plus patterns showcased here--usually for conceptual, rather than functional, uses--are bound to get needlecrafters thinking about hundreds of other possibilities. Instructions for each are delivered by crochet symbols, while occasional footnotes occur with more complicated patterns. (Readers will want to spend time gathering and interpreting the symbols as explained in the techniques section.) Needleworkers may be intrigued by the compendium of Irish crochet motifs included, from simple leaves to grape clusters culminating in a breathtaking shawl.

This slim but intense guide from Hatta (Japanese Knitting Stitches from Tokyo's Kazekobo Studio) provides 150 designs for crocheters to tackle. Some beginners may be undaunted by the charts and schematics, but on the whole, Hatta's work is best suited to more experienced crafters and to those familiar with Japanese patterns. It's divided into sections that highlight shapes--circles, squares, triangles, and polygons--along with a shorter section of Irish crochet motifs. Readers are encouraged to review Japanese crochet symbols before they put yarn on their hooks: "The symbols used in Japanese crochet are pretty much universally recognized, but are sometimes adjusted to suit specific circumstances." The book begins with a simple circle before moving to more complex versions of that shape, along with ways of combining these circles into colorful patterns. Ordinary fabric scraps cannot, unlike in many crocheting, be used for the projects, but Hatta provides the material, weight, and yardage for the Japanese yarn she uses in each motif so crafters can easily make substitutions. Experienced crocheters should find Hatta's guide a delight. (Sept.)