Beastly Crochet

Beastly Crochet
Gifted by: Interweave
www.interweave.com
Reviewed by Jeanette Benoit, Editor, AllFreeCrochet

Make scary monsters look ridiculously cute with this crochet pattern book! Inside Beastly Crochet by Brenda K.B. Anderson, you will learn to crochet a variety of spooky, scary, and monstrously cute accessories and toys. Although there are some actual crochet monster patterns to choose from, like Monster Mark on pg. 9, the Bride of Mark on pg. 15, and Hubert and Cletus on pg. 117 (also shown on the cover), you will also discover a wide array of wearables and crocheted accessories for both kids and adults including crochet slippers, crochet hats, crochet sweaters, pillows, and more.

To help make it easier to find your preferred patterns, this 167-page book is conveniently broken down into the following categories: Classic Monsters, Welcome to the Jungle, Skulls Were People, Too, Myths (and Other True Stories), Silly Monsters, and My Own Personal Robot. Plus, the last chapter is called Special Topics, where Brenda will teach you helpful sewing and applique techniques that are needed for some of these cute creatures, and how to add a zipper to your crochet patterns. She'll also share her very own Principles of Cuteness, where she explains how to "maximize cuteness" though creating various facial expressions. It's amazing how sometimes even the tiniest detail can affect the overall look of your finished product!

Each one of these 23 different crochet patterns features multiple color photos and detailed crochet instructions, plus construction plans, templates, and assembly diagrams as needed. There are a few gender specific patterns such as the Sweet Skull Hairpins for girls (pg. 72) and the Little Monster Sweater for boys (pg. 122), but the majority of these crochet patterns are gender neutral. Some of my personal favorites are the Lil' Vampire Hat (pg. 21), Sasquatch Slippers and Mittens (pg. 83), and the Robo-blanky (pg. 139).

Another interesting tidbit about this book is that the author, Brenda K.B. Anderson actually makes monsters for a living! During the day, she helps design costumes for Sesame Street Live, and now she is sharing some of her professional monster-making tips with all of you!