Book Review: Interweave Crochet Summer 2011

The weather is getting warm with flowers popping up all over and my thoughts are turning to summer knitted and crocheted things. In a past summer, I made the Midnight Twilight Shawl and I'm thinking of what summer project I'd like to work on this year. I'm always really impressed with the quality of projects in Interweave Crochet and happened to have an old Summer 2011 issue .... let's take a look at some possibilities.

Here's a shot of all the projects (click to enlarge). Downton Abbey had been airing for only a few months when this issue came out, but you can already see the design influence of that mega-popular show coming through. Note: if you crochet and are a Downton Abbey fan, the Interweave Crochet winter 2012 issue has several patterns you might be interested in :)

If I was looking for a wedding shawl, the "River Walk Wrap" might be a good bet. If I had a little girl, the "Early Girl Dress" is super cute and looks to be easy to both make and alter. I am a fan of sugared bowls and there is a great design for one with "Azalea Bowls". Someday I would love to try to make a sugared bowl design myself .. something with a vintage flower design inspired by my Grandma's glass candy bowls ....maybe later this year :)  The number one reason I like this issue is that knitted wearables have a stretch and cling to them that is hard to achieve in crochet, which leads to a great many crocheted outfits looking like shapeless sacks, pretty lacey sacks, but not very figure conscious. This issue has *4* body conscious crocheted garments, "Pinecone Top", "Zipline Shell", "Trillium Tunic" and "Grove Park Tank" (that last one is on the front cover).

Bottom Line? Not sure I see a "must-make summer project" here, but if your local library or a friend has a copy, definitely worth a look inside.