February 2011 Newsletter - Rowan

Rowan designer Erika Knight has always been a
crochet champion and is responsible for some of
the nicest crochet titles around. Back in 2003 Erika
published ‘Simple Crochet’, which was followed by
‘Essential Crochet’ in 2005. Erika is a crochet
ambassador and has at least 6 crochet titles to her
name, recently re-inventing the Harmony stitch
guides to make them appeal to modern day
crocheters. Marie Wallin is also a lover of crochet
– in fact I think given the choice between knit and
crochet she would choose crochet as her favourite
craft. Marie has included her lovely crochet designs
in every Rowan magazine since she joined the team
back in 2005 and enjoys putting different colours
and stitch formations together .
Even though I am a relative newbie to the craft of
crochet, I have been lucky enough to author my
own crochet title in the shape of The Ultimate
Crochet Bible which was recently published by
Collins and Brown. Working on this title was a
massive undertaking for me, and the decision to
take on the book was not one that I took lightly. As
a relative new comer to the craft, I was concerned
that my depth of knowledge may not be adequate
to ensure that I was au fait with all that was needed
to complete such a massive project. After a few
weeks deliberation and research I was convinced
that I really wanted to write the book and that my
passion for the craft was enough to overcome the
hurdles of working on such a mammoth title.
Once mastered, crochet is quick and portable,
equipment is minimal and inexpensive and there
are really only a few basic hook movements to
master. Today’s crocheters are a new breed of
crafter compared to those of a bygone age. They
do not crochet to pass away their time, to make a
living or as a money saving exercise as in the day
of ‘make do and mend’, but rather they see crochet
as a lifestyle choice not merely a hobby, and are
prepared to spend many hours (and plenty of
money) on their projects. They are looking to
expand their knowledge of the craft and use it not
only as a hobby, but also as a therapeutic medium.
Indeed, it has been proven that crochet not only
helps you relax, but can induce a state similar to
meditation and can even lower blood pressure and
feelings of anxiety.
At a time when financial pressures are high on us
all and we all have little choice but to work full or
part time, it appears that the concept of domesticity
appears to be making a come back, with many
people deciding to spend more of their leisure time
at home carrying out domestic based hobbies such
as baking, card making, knitting and of course
crocheting. At a time when anything ‘vintage’ is the
epitome of fashion, both for the clothing and
interior trades, it is no surprise that this wonderful
craft has once again come to the forefront of
popularity.
Fantasy - Magazine 49
February 2011 Newsletter
9