Dora Ohrenstein - The New Tunisian Crochet: Contemporary Designs from Time-Honored Traditions

In memory of my husbands grandmother, the late Mrs. Mae Bost. On earth she was an amazing crocheter who loved her God, family, and even me. I cant wait to sit down in glory with you, hooks in hand, so you can teach me some heavenly stitches!

As you already know, I am hopelessly in love with cables. Being able to crochet them with my beloved crochet hook has been a passion of mine for many years, and I lack the words to sufficiently express my gratitude for the opportunity to publish my very own cabled designs! After the release of my first book, Contemporary Celtic Crochet, I began hearing from many of you who share this passion for crocheted cabled motifs. Your encouragement has been so overwhelming to me and has fueled my desire to continue to explore the possibilities in this arena. I honestly think we have barely scratched the surface, hence this book of more of what we all crave!

In this book you will notice I have redesigned the larger crocheted cables, making them more elegant and appealing to the eye than some of the (forgive me for saying) clumsier versions of previous decades. By making some subtle adjustments to how the cables are crocheted and combined with the vast choices of lighter-weight yarns, larger, bolder cables are now more viable. To borrow a 1970s phrase from the Carpenters on this new approach, Weve only just begun!

The designs in this book continue where the last book left off. I hope you find many of the things you enjoyed in the first book, as well as some refreshing new approaches to what can be accomplished using the most fundamental crochet stitches and basic crochet hook. It is my hope any crocheterfrom the confident beginner to the seasoned will be able to accomplish any of the patterns within this book. Some of the designs are more simply stated and would be very helpful learning projects, while others have more complex cabling to keep advanced crocheters challenged and growing in their skill. You may also recognize these designs have a classic, stylish look, yet are functionally practical.

You will also notice I used a variety of different yarns, from fingering weight, to DK, worsted, and even bulky. I love to be able to finish a design quickly. But I also love the beautiful fabric that can be created with the finer yarns that require more time.

So grab your yarn and crochet hooks and come along with me for more cabled crochet!

I want to share some fundamental information about yarn choices Ive learned over the years. A great deal of thought has gone into yarn selection for each of these designs, and I encourage you to try the yarns listed in order to get similar results. Of course you are free to crochet using the fiber of your choice. When it comes to yarn substitution, please remember yarns vary, even yarns that are in the same size category. Just like all four-year-old children dont look and behave the same, neither do all yarns labeled 4 (worsted weight) look or behave in the same way. Oh, if only life were as simple as that! Some yarns will have more drape, some will be stiffer; some scratchier, some softer; some will hold up to numerous washings, and others will not.

When choosing yarn for one of these projects, you will want to consider the needs of the person for whom you are making it. Will this be a gift for a child or active teen? Will it be a very special gift for someone? Does this person have allergies to wool or other fibers? Will this be for everyday wear or for special occasions? Do you want to be able to machine wash this item? Do you (or the recipient) have the time to follow special care instructions? I promise Im not trying to make your life more complicated by asking these questions. But they are important to consider so you make the most of your time and the money you spend on yarn.

Being a teacher at heart, I have tried to do everything I can think of to help you be successful with the patterns in this book. Like many, I love to just grab some yarn and jump into a pattern! If that is you too, please take some time to work a gauge sample for each design before starting a project. I promise it will save the anguish and frustration of having to rip out a project after investing hours of your time. This will also give you a little bit of practice to work out some of the newer stitches. Should you need to go up to a larger hook or down to a smaller hook in order to make proper gauge, by all means change the hook! There is absolutely nothing sacred about the size or type of crochet hook you use, as long as you can make the proper gauge.

Should you ever need extra help beyond the stitch dictionary located at the back of this book, feel free to check out my Bonnie Bay Crochet Channel on YouTube. It is available here: www.youtube.com/user/BonnieBayCrochet. (You will need Internet access to view these videos.)

All stitch videos are intended to be a supplementary help. The pattern directions are always primary! The purpose of the videos is to demonstrate a stitch, not to teach a pattern. If you find any differences in a video from the pattern, always follow the pattern!

If you are a seasoned crocheter, you may have noticed I dont use standard turning sizes. Generally, I chain 2 for half double crochet and double crochet and chain 3 for treble crochet. The main reason for this is to avoid having gaping holes along the sides in the designs. Consider this use of my artistic license! Once you complete a pattern or two, youll understand my rationale.

This is a fun and easy project for the confident beginner who has learned the basic crochet stitches and is ready to learn a simple, yet beautiful, crocheted cable.