Nordic Baby Crochet E-Book

Charlotte Kofoed Westh

• Herausgeber: Batsford
• Kategorie: Lebensstil
• Sprache: Englisch

Seitenzahl: 272

Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2023

Beschreibung

Nordic Baby Crochet includes easy to follow crochet patterns to create beautiful baby clothes and accessories without the need for arduous assembly.  Nordic Baby Crochet features 35 patterns for adorable clothing and accessories for babies. With accessible step-by-step guides, the patterns are suitable for experienced crocheters as well as for those just starting with crochet. Here are patterns for cardigans, dresses, bibs, blankets, hats and more. All projects are assembly-free and achieve a modern Scandinavian look with simple patterns and elegant colours of your choosing. Crochet has a somewhat unfair reputation for being uncomfortable and tight. However, Charlotte Kofoed Westh, with her individual crochet technique, smart choice of patterns and the right yarn ensures that the pieces in this book are snug, elastic and comfortable. This is crochet in a whole new way, a far cry from the rigid designs that many associate with crochet.

Leseprobe

Contents

Preface

Crochet facts

Crocheting techniques

BEFORE YOU START

About the patterns

Sizes

Difficulty

Tension

Stitch height

Stitch width

Crochet flow

Turning stitches

How and when you crochet the various stitches

Tools and materials

Yarn recommendations

Crochet hooks

Holding the hook

Other tools

Finishing

Weaving in ends

Edges

Buttons

Garment elastic

Steaming, pressing and laundering your crocheted garments

BABY CLOTHES

Alma’s tunic

Milla’s blouse

Filippa’s dress

Otto’s cardigan

Olga’s sweater

Ester’s cardigan

Erik’s jacket

Anton’s nappy pants

Freja’s skirt

William’s vest

Karl Viggo’s trousers

Jens’ & Julie’s tops

Antony’s tunic

Lucia’s top

Anni’s T-shirt

Thit’s sweater

Eva’s romper

Alexander’s bodysuit

Emmy’s dress

Agnes Marie’s Christmas dress

Amanda’s dress

Leo’s christening gown

Lulu’s bonnet

ACCESSORIES

Ashe’s bib

Georg’s cap & mittens

Manna’s moccasins

Peer Bo’s sunhat

Berthine’s & Helene’s collars

BABY’S ROOM

Dagmar’s elephant rattle

Holger’s pacifier cord

Vidar’s baby blanket

Sandra’s baby blanket

Philip’s baskets

Jack’s cloth and nursing pads

Bjørn’s coathanger cover

Acknowledgements

About the author

: For novices

: For novices and crocheters with some experience

: For the experienced crocheter

: For the confident

: For the very confident

Preface

Welcome to my world of crochet

The patterns in this book are the result of more than a year’s worth of labour. But this was a labour of love, where I’ve tried to create useful and stylish patterns for babies and toddlers up two years old. As you explore these patterns, you’ll find that this is crochet in a new and somewhat different manner. I’ve found that, while there are many good books on knitted baby clothes, there has always been a gap when it comes to useful and well-thought-out crocheting patterns for the kinds of clothes and accessories you need in that first period after a baby is born.

Unfortunately, many people believe that crochet is impractical for clothing and choose knitting instead. Crochet has a reputation for being inelastic and dense – something that offers an advantage for amigurumi or when making items such as bags, oven mitts or blankets. However, crochet is good for other items too, and I hope that more people will discover the opportunities that crochet affords when it comes to making clothes for little ones.

I’ve tried to ensure that, with the patterns in this book and the right type of yarn, you will be able to discover all that crochet has to offer. I hope to guide you to achieving a nice finish as well as excellence in the finer details. I recommend that you read the opening chapters of the book before you start any project as it will be easier to follow the instructions if you first understand the construction and logic of the patterns. In those first chapters I share my observations on crochet as well as giving instructions on how to achieve a fluent crocheting flow so you can crochet better and for longer. I also include relevant tips such as how to hold the hook comfortably and how to achieve the correct stitch density for the patterns.

I’ve tried to design the baby clothes in the book with an ethos of simplicity that follows a consistent Nordic expression and style; one that is neither too flamboyant nor too cute. At the same time, I’ve tried to ensure that the clothes have a comfortable, elastic fit so that they are practical and suitable for day-to-day wear. Crocheting into the back loop creates a more elastic ribbed pattern that features in every pattern in the book. This also means that the clothes can be readily combined with each other.

Most of the clothes are crocheted in one piece, and are usually crocheted from the top down, but a few are crocheted from the bottom up.

I feel that I’ve really managed to pack this book with clothes and accessories for babies. As with many a labour of love, I found that once I started I just couldn’t stop, and I particularly enjoyed ‘nerding out’ over different details and new designs.

It is such a pleasure to share these patterns with the world. I hope you will use this book extensively and that you’ll pull it down from the shelf again and again to make gifts for baby showers and the like. I hope it will inspire you to create fantastic items for the little ones in your life, that it will help you develop your own ideas and patterns, and that it will produce many a meditative crocheting session. Do share your crocheted baby clothes on Instagram using the hashtags #nordicbabycrocheting and @charlottekofoedwesth.

With love,Charlotte

Crochet facts

Crochet is done with a needle that has a hook on one end. It likely developed as an evolution of tambour embroidery, a kind of crochet embroidery where stitches are formed on the surface of a frame-mounted piece of fabric by pulling loops of thread repeatedly up through the fabric with a thin hook. I crochet slip stitches as a finishing touch on all the patterns in this book, and in this I was inspired by the original form of tambour embroidery.

Historians are unsure where in the world crochet originated. However, it is believed that tambour embroidery came to Europe from Asia during the 1700s. In the 19th century, crochet was widely adopted and became especially popular in England. Queen Victoria even taught herself to crochet after falling in love with a piece of Irish crochet work. Crocheters then mainly created artistic lace patterns that matched the beautiful lace knitwear of the time.

Crochet is often measured against knitting’s many fine qualities and beautiful patterns – a historical comparison that I also tend to make. As such, crochet has often found itself in knitting’s shadow when it comes to making clothing. However, I am both a knitter and a crocheter, and while knitting is always a safe choice when it comes to making baby clothes, I would love this book to demonstrate that crochet and knitting both have something valuable to offer and can often be used for similar purposes.

Throughout the 20th century, craftspeople would commonly crochet a bit of clothing here and there, and perhaps a few blankets, as well as practical items for the home. Especially after the world wars, it was more common to crochet practical rather than decorative items. A throw blanket was a classic item found in many homes, and in the 1950s and 60s it was popular to own a beautifully crocheted christening gown or a crocheted bridal dress. Crochet was especially popular in the 1970s, when crocheted bucket hats in colourful patterns were fashionable. I’ve tried to continue such traditions by designing a christening gown and two baby blankets for this book.

CROCHETING TECHNIQUES

Crochet is a technique in which a hook is used to pull yarn through stitches and loops, again and again. After a while, a coherent piece of crocheted fabric takes form that, with a bit of magic, can be shaped in different ways depending on how many and what kinds of stitches the fabric is composed of.

Crochet has four basic stitches: chain stitch, double crochet, slip stitch and treble crochet. Chain stitch is used to create the starting chain. Slip stitches are used to join one crocheted element to another and for tambour embroidery. Finally, double and treble crochet are crochet’s answer to knitting’s knit and purl stitches in that they can be used to create other variants of stitches.

All four stitches can be endlessly combined and varied. For example, I often use half treble crochet stitches – a variation of the treble crochet stitch – for the patterns in this book, and I’ve played with all four stitch variants throughout.

Something I also urge you to do when making these patterns is to experiment when you reach places in the design where one crochets straight up and down in rib. For example, you could swap half treble stitches with double crochet stitches, or swap treble crochet with half treble crochet or slip stitches and so on. In this way, you can easily vary the expression and overall appearance of the designs in the book to create unique pieces.

Try to make your stitches light and relatively loose, so the finished pieces are airy and soft. Picture the insulation in a house: if there is no air in the material, it won’t keep the house warm and insulated as efficiently. It is the same for yarn. The biggest issue in crocheting is often that the stitches turn out too tight.

BEFORE YOU START

There are about 30 patterns in this book, and more than 40 different designs. There is a good mix of large and small projects of differing degrees of difficulty, and a wide range of baby clothing and other accessories.

Filippa’s dress, along with a pair of baby shoes, became the first set that I crocheted for my sister’s first grandchild. This inspired me to give all the other designs names too.

As a result, there are many names flying around in this book. However, I believe this makes referencing easier; when Thit’s sweater or Sandra’s blanket are mentioned it’s clear exactly which design we mean. However, this doesn’t exclude one from crocheting Thit’s sweater for a boy or William’s vest for a girl; most of the designs are intended to be unisex. Dresses and ruffles might be less common for boys but I say let it rip.

About the patterns

As a rule, I’ve crocheted all the designs in one piece. Most are crocheted from the top down, although in some cases you’ll need to crochet from the bottom up or from side to side. Common to all, however, is that they don’t need to be seamed. There are no ugly, thick seams and there is nothing that needs to be joined together when you crochet in one piece. At the most, you might need to reinforce a stitch when you fasten off or sew on a button. If there are pieces that need to be joined together it is done using slip stitches.

Projects that require joining often end up being abandoned because the process can be tedious and often gives rise to problems, especially if the parts don’t fit seamlessly with one another. I’m sure many crocheters will be relieved that much of this challenging work is not required for the patterns in this book.

As mentioned, when crocheting top down, everything comes out in one piece and the construction of the design is considered from the start. This method ensures that your sweater, trousers or dress is complete once you’ve crocheted your last stitch. I even suggest that you weave in your yarn ends and sew on buttons as you go, letting you enjoy the work while also giving you the satisfaction of being able to dress the little one immediately once you are done.

In many of the patterns, I describe measuring off 1–5 metres of yarn before you crochet the first chain stitches. This is quite uncommon, but since the purpose of it is to avoid joining your work, I want to make sure you have a minimum of yarn ends to weave in. When you measure off yarn to use for edging and ties and so on from the start, you end up with only one end to fasten off instead of three or more.

If you are unfamiliar with crocheting from the top down it may feel somewhat new and different at first. However, you will quickly get used to it. It will also help if you try to visualise the shape and cut of the item you are crocheting and where you are in the design as you go. I also encourage you to sketch your own designs and ideas on paper before you start, so that you have a clear idea of your intended garment. As an example, look at Vidar’s baby blanket (p. 208), where I’ve included an image that shows the colour scheme and where the crocheted blocks are placed.

It’s always useful to get an overview of the method and the different steps of the pattern before you start. However, it is not my intention that you study the pattern in detail before beginning. That can often lead to more confusion than clarity.

When I mention the right and left on a design, I mean left and right as if the baby is wearing the design; therefore, the baby’s left and right side.

The foundations and most of the intellectual work are done at the beginning of the project when you crochet starting from the top (for example from the neckline, shoulder or waist) and down to the bottom edge of the blouse, skirt, vest etc. Unfortunately, this method is a little slower than if you are used to crocheting from the bottom up because of the increases, the distribution of stitches plus the placement of different markers and so on, which may take you a while to get used to. Make sure you count the stitches at the beginning, ideally on every row where there are increases. Achieving the right shape and fit of the garment depends on having the correct number of stitches and achieving an even tension.

This method requires more counting at the start, but is still preferable to starting over. Soon you will be rewarded with plenty of ‘TV crochet’, where you can just get on with the project without having to give much thought to each row and round. ‘TV crochet’ is my term for when you can talk, watch TV or listen to audiobooks as you crochet.

I have only used increases in raglan and circular yokes when creating patterns that are made from the neckline down. Choose patterns with increases in round yokes if you have never tried the top-down method; this is easier than making raglan increases. You’ll find eight patterns with raglan increases and 11 using increases in a round yoke in this book.

When you are crocheting raglan increases, use a contrasting colour of yarn for your markers that can be carried up with each row or round. Using yarn makes it much easier to see the progression in the diagonal increase line.

In these patterns, I have avoided using saddle shoulder construction, using the contiguous method for attaching sleeves, using balloon sleeves or anything like that. Those are all exciting techniques but better suited for different designs, even though I can see how those methods from knitting can all be applied to crochet. Knitting is extremely well suited for baby clothes, and with many of the patterns in this book I was inspired by knitted garments that have a beautiful shape or fit.

Working top down also means that the length of the body or the sleeves is easily adjusted while you work, and it’s relatively easy to try the clothes on the baby as you go. Even easier, in fact, since there is only one stitch to keep hold of while you are fitting the garment.

The approach also lends itself well to projects where you think you may only have just enough yarn to finish. You can adjust the length during the project with the yarn that you have at your disposal. For many of the patterns I’ve also made it easy to lengthen the sleeves, legs and body later as the child grows.

I have used ribbing in all of the patterns. That requires crocheting in the back loop only, usually abbreviated as BLO. This gives a beautiful and elastic structure to the finished garments. To achieve the ribbed effect you must crochet BLO, alternating between the right side and the wrong side. With shoes, baskets, skirts and trousers where you crochet in rounds you therefore need to change direction on each round. In this manner, the stitches are alternated from the right/outer side to the wrong/inner side. I also use slip stitch rib, double crochet rib, half treble crochet rib and treble crochet rib.

I am very fond of single-colour designs. However, it is nice to step out a little, which is why I include a couple of patterns in spike stitch that both look nice and are easy to make. The spike stitch creates a bit more variation in colour and expression. It is an inherent advantage of spike stitch that it seems like you are crocheting with several colours while only working with one at any given time.

There is quite an intentional and uniform finish on all the designs as all the details have been thought through. I consistently use slip stitch for edging, but other techniques and stitches can also be chosen.

As mentioned before, the different designs can be combined freely as they share commonalities in technique and therefore match in terms of overall style and look. As I worked on the different designs I was often tempted to mix and match patterns, sleeve lengths, ruffles and edges. Therefore you have quite a few options. For example, you could choose two colours rather than one when crocheting the rib patterns, or a blouse could be crafted with short sleeves rather than long ones. You could make a different style of ruffle or exclude the ruffle entirely. You could use a lighter, more summery, yarn even if the designs are listed using a heavy woollen yarn. You’ll find other options and variants in the ‘Tip’ sections for the different designs. I encourage you to think of the patterns in this book as a starting point from which you can continue to develop your own ideas and designs. As an example, Amanda’s dress (here) is a pattern that I’ve re-used for three very different dresses.

SIZES

Some patterns are for a single size while others have instructions for four to five sizes. In most of them, the sizes range from three months up to two years old. Bibs, moccasins and other accessories are usually in two or three sizes, whereas blankets and other items for a baby’s room are one size. For caps it’s important that they fit snugly, so there are six different sizes to choose between for something like Georg’s cap. Of course it’s best to get the child’s exact measurements. Then again, children are unique and grow surprisingly fast – you might need to crochet a nine-month size for a six-month-old baby, for example.

DIFFICULTY

For each pattern I’ve included a key that describes how challenging it is: from one to five crochet hooks. Of course, this is also unique to the individual; what may be easy to some may be more challenging for others.

: For novices

: For novices and crocheters with some experience

: For the experienced crocheter

: For the confident

: For the very confident

TENSION

It’s important to start with a sample to ensure you have the tension correct before you embark on the whole pattern. If you achieve the correct tension, the pattern will work out to size and the end result won’t be too dense. I recommend crocheting a trial square around 10cm × 10cm with the specific yarn and crochet hook size listed in the pattern instructions. Place the square on a flat surface and use a ruler to check your measurements.

STITCH HEIGHT

When you are crocheting in the back loop, the stitches will contract vertically quite a bit. How much depends on the type and elasticity of the yarn. Therefore, make sure to stretch your trial square a little before measuring. It’s often useful to go up a half size, from 3mm to 3.5mm or from 3.5mm to 4mm, for example, so that you get a larger loop. If you find in your sample that there are more rows in your 10cm, then your stitches are too tight. If the stitch width is correct, try a longer loop with the hook as described in the section below about Crochet Flow. You can also try a larger hook.

If there are fewer rows, your stitches are too loose and you should try a smaller hook. You can also experiment with more tension and making the loop smaller on the hook.

STITCH WIDTH

If there are too many stitches in your 10cm, your stitches are too tight and small and you should perhaps try going up a hook size. Likewise, you can try to loosen your stitches a bit by making the loop larger on the hook.

If there are too few stitches, the tension is too loose, the stitches are too large and a smaller hook is called for. You can also increase tension by making the loops smaller on the hook.

CROCHET FLOW

It’s important to try and cultivate a relaxed flow when crocheting. Crocheting is meant to be pleasurable. Find a cosy nook somewhere in your home. Seat yourself comfortably with a lamp that affords you a clear and bright light directly on your work. Personally, I find a light source from above and behind on my right side optimal. Good lighting is necessary when you are crocheting in the back loop using a dark yarn.

It’s annoying if the yarn splits or if you manage to only partially draw the yarn through the loop. In crocheting, if you spot a problem once you are on to the next row there is no recourse but to unravel all your work until you reach the error and crochet the stitch again.

If you feel you have the hang of it and are consistently achieving the correct tension, you can skip this section. Alternatively, you can read on in the hopes that something in these pages will help evolve and develop your technique. Often I find that it only takes a single word or sentence to further your skill. I am still learning new things even after 40 years of crocheting.

Try not to exert yourself. Relax and lower your shoulders, holding the crochet hook lightly and gently. You will quickly tire if you grip too tightly as you work, and you don’t want to end up with blisters on your fingers and a stiff neck and shoulders. You should be able to crochet for 12 hours with no issues. You’ll ensure a good flow by leaving the loop relatively loose and long on the hook – looser than you’d imagine initially. Draw at your work with your left hand and pull down for every stitch so that the loop is loose on the hook. This is something of a balancing act, as you don’t want everything too loose either.

However, the long, loose loops are important, as they affect the height of the stitch. I cannot emphasise this enough. In my experience, it’s relatively easy to get the width of the stitches to match the tension of the pattern. However, it’s often more difficult to get the stitch height right. If you end up on the short side, you’ll have to crochet more rounds or rows to achieve the correct measurements. This will also make your piece more dense and compact and you’ll have used up more yarn than necessary. Obviously it makes a huge difference to your garment if you can make do with 20 rows for 10cm instead of 25. Indeed, it’s this ‘density issue’ that makes it important to achieve ease and flow in your work. You cannot just choose a larger hook, as even though your stitch heights will increase so will the width of your stitches.

TURNING STITCHES

Notice that I don’t count turning stitches in the stitch totals for the patterns. This is the neatest and easiest method and will give you a more exact stitch count.

The chain stitches that you crochet at every row or round serve the purpose of raising you up to the same height as subsequent stitches. It creates a neat start to every row when the turning chains look something like a row of pearls on each side. When you crochet in rounds, the turning stitches act as filler, so the crochet looks tight and neat in the joins.

See the images opposite for the exact stitches that you’ll need to create straight joins in your work.

Typically you turn with one chain stitch before crocheting a double crochet, two chain stitches before a half treble crochet or three chain stitches before a treble crochet stitch.

HOW AND WHEN YOU CROCHET THE VARIOUS STITCHES

As mentioned earlier, you will create a rib effect when crocheting into the back loop. Many of the patterns call for you to turn and crochet in the opposite direction after every round/row. In other words, you’ll be crocheting from the right and the wrong side alternately as you go. This is done even if you are following the body of a blouse or a sleeve all the way around. It’s important that you are aware of exactly which stitch to crochet in at the first and last stitch. Otherwise you risk the joint under the sleeve or down the length of the body wobbling or pulling crooked as you inadvertently increase or decrease the number of stitches each turn.

Crocheting in both loops. This is the standard way of crocheting.

Crocheting in the front loop only (FLO).

Crocheting in the back loop only (BLO) of the first stitch of a row.

Crocheting in the back loop only (BLO) of the final stitch of a row.

Crocheting in the back loop only (BLO) of the first stitch when working back and forth in rounds.

Crocheting in the back loop only (BLO) of the final stitch of a round.

Closing a round. Slip stitch (sl st) both loops of the first stitch.

Placement of stitch markers – yarn can be carried forward along the line of increases to show the progression.

Decreasing in this book involves completing two stitches as one.

Increasing involves working two stitches into one stitch of the previous row.

Fan increase – a double increase that is crocheted from the right side with three stitches worked through both loops of the stitch of the previous row. It looks like a fan or a tulip.

Spike stitch is worked like double crochet but into a stitch two or three rows below for a two-colour pattern.

Tools and materials

The patterns in this book are crocheted in a selection of quality yarns that are fine, light and soft. Baby clothes should feel comfortable and soft against a baby’s delicate skin. Lean towards using natural materials, although you can choose to add a few synthetic fibres to help maintain the colour and shape of the garment. The yarn should be pleasant to crochet with and able to withstand laundering as well as ordinary wear and tear. For baby clothes it’s also important not to use yarn that sheds long fibres that can get into a baby’s eyes and mouth. Longer-haired varieties of yarn with a tendency to fluff and tangle, for example silk/mohair blends, should be avoided for the youngest ones. Eco and GOTS certified yarn is sustainable and good for both the child and the environment.

For maternity gifts, I highly recommend a cotton/wool blend. The mix of wool and cotton is suitable for both summer and winter, as long as the sizing is spot on and the clothes are neither too large nor too tight.

I would recommend shopping for yarn in a physical store, partly for the advice and expertise on hand, and partly because you get to see and feel the different types of yarn. Choose something you are drawn to, such as a beautiful colour or a particularly light and luxurious feel to the yarn, which will work for what you wish to crochet. Remember, it is often pleasure that motivates crochet, and while online stores are wonderful if you already know what you need, a physical shop offers more to the senses. Indeed, many of the garments in this book were inspired by yarn I’ve held in my hands.

YARN RECOMMENDATIONS

Gepard

Cotton Wool 3 Organic: 50% wool and 50% cotton. 230 metres/50g:

Alma’s tunic, Anton’s nappy pants, Freja’s skirt, Filippa’s dress, William’s vest, Karl Viggo’s trousers, Georg’s cap & mittens, Dagmar’s elephant rattle.

Linen Unika: 100% extra fine linen, 160 metres/50g:

Leo’s christening gown, Lulu’s christening bonnet, Holger’s pacifier cord, Aske’s bib.

My Fine Wool: 100% superfine merino. 233 metres/50g:

Alma’s tunic, Anton’s nappy pants, Karl Viggo’s trousers, Georg’s cap & mittens.

Isager

Merilin: 80% wool and 20% linen. 208 metres/50g:

Otto’s cardigan.

Alpaca 1: 100% alpaca. 400 metres/50g:

Olga’s sweater, Jens’ & Julie’s tops, Antony’s tunic

Önling

No 2: 100% superfine merino. 120 metres/25g:

Manna’s moccasins, Vidar’s baby blanket.

No 11: 90% superfine merino and 10% cashmere. 180 metres/25g:

Milla’s blouse, Anton’s nappy pants.

No 12: 55% wool, 45% cotton. 800 metres/115g:

Filippa’s dress, Freja’s skirt, Karl Viggo’s trousers.

No 14: 78% cotton and 22% linen. 125 metres/50g:

Erik’s jacket

Onion

Organic cotton: 100% organic cotton. 155 metres/50g:

Ester’s cardigan.

Sandnes

Alpaca Silk: 70% baby alpaca and 30% mulberry silk. 200 metres/50g:

Alexander’s bodysuit.

Sunday: 100% merino. 235 metres/50g:

Anton’s nappy pants, Anni’s T-shirt, Amanda’s dress.

Babyull Lanett: 100% merino wool, 175 metres/50g:

Jens’ & Julie’s tops.

Tynn Line: 53% cotton, 33% viscose and 14% linen. 220 metres/50g:

Anni’s T-shirt, Amanda’s dress, Peer Bo’s sunhat.

Sandnes Tynn Merinoull: 100% merino wool. 175 meters/50g:

Sandra’s baby blanket.

Rowan

Rowan Finest: 50% wool, 20% cashmere, 30% alpaca. 87 meters/25g:

Jens’ & Julie’s tops.

Cotton Glacé: 100% mercerized cotton. 115 meter/50g:

Philip’s basket, Jack’s cloth.

Krea Deluxe

Organic Cotton: 100% organic cotton. 165 meters/50g:

William’s vest, Ashe’s bib, Berthine & Helene’s collars, Dagmar’s elephant rattle, Holger’s pacifier cord, Jack’s cloth, Dagmar’s elephant rattle.

Organic Wool 1: 100% organic wool. 145 meters/50g:

Jens & Julie’s tops.

Fru Krogh

Cashmere blend hand dyed yarn: baby alpaca, cashmere, silk and merino. 400 meters/100g:

Emmy’s Dress.

Permin

Elise Cotton Cashmere: 90% cotton and 10% cashmere. 115 meters/25g:

Eva’s romper, Leo’s christening gown, Lulu’s christening bonnet.

Drops

Brushed Alpaca Silk: 23% silk, 77% alpaca. 140 meters/25g:

Lucia’s top.

Cotton Light: 50% cotton and 50% polyester. 105 meters/50g:

Bjørn’s cover for baby carrier

Askeladen

Lanolin yarn: 100% lanolin wool.

Nipple shield (included under ‘tip’ in the pattern for Jack’s burp cloth).

Cewec

Tibet Yak Merino: 24% yak, 55% merino wool and 21% polyamide. 190 metres/25g:

Thit’s sweater, Agnes Marie’s Christmas dress.

Hot Socks Pearl:

75% merino wool, 20% polyamide and 5% cashmere. 200 metres/50g:

Amanda’s dress (winter version).

Filcolana

Anina: 100% superwash merino. 210 metres/50g:

Freja’s skirt, Karl Viggo’s trousers, Filippa’s dress, Alma’s tunic.

Lang Yarns

Nova Merino Camel: 48% merino wool, 32% camel wool and 20% polyamide. 180 metres/25g:

Thit’s sweater, Agnes Marie’s Christmas dress.

You will find further information about colours as well as yarn quantities and tension in the specific patterns where the yarn is used. If you search for the different brands on the internet, you should be able to find nearby shops that stock what you need.

Make sure you check the colour specifications of the yarn and always use the same dye lot of yarn so your garment has a consistent colour from top to bottom.

If you are new to crochet, make sure you follow the yarn recommendations in the patterns to ensure a good result. If you are a more experienced crocheter it is easier to swap one type of yarn for another, but as yarn can behave quite differently it’s important to know what you are doing here. For many of the patterns I have included other recommendations for yarn to work with, although some are more specific than others. You’ll find these in the patterns themselves or under ‘Tip’. Jens’ and Julie’s tops, for example, can be crocheted with many different types of yarn with consistently good results. Likewise, for Anton’s nappy pants I have included three different yarn types to choose between. All the yarn types I’ve included here were available when the book was published.

CROCHET HOOKS

In my experience, the best crochet hooks are from Clover. They have a smooth hook with a satin-like finish that ensures the yarn doesn’t stick to the hook. Further, the hook is relatively small, which allows it to easily glide into each stitch. They will last you forever as long as you wield them softly and lightly while you crochet.