Kerry Lord - How to Crochet Animals: Wild: 25 mini menagerie patterns

I hope this book will be a brilliant introduction to crochet for anyone picking up a hook for the first time, but also give a lot of enjoyment to anyone already familiar with the double crochet stitch. I believe learning to crochet is something that should be done with the clear motivation of a pattern to master and the resulting feeling of accomplishment when that project is complete. These quick and easy crochet animals are a great way to start to learn a range of basic and more advanced crochet techniques, and the variety of projects and progression of difficulty across the twenty-five patterns should keep even a seasoned maker entertained and challenged. I learned to crochet from a video that taught me the British double crochet stitch (US single crochet). Like with anything new, to begin with holding a hook and yarn felt awkward and unfamiliar, but even after just a few hours of perseverance I found my way of holding the hook and working the stitches and discovered how much fun you could have with just one simple technique. This book is a gathering together of all of my experience learning to crochet and teaching people to crochet over the last eight years.

I am completely humbled by the idea that through the Edwards Menagerie pattern series I have been able to teach not only thousands of people face to face to crochet through workshops and events, but have also inspired millions of people worldwide with all my books and TOFT video tutorials. Learning to crochet completely changed my life, and I hope I can share out the happiness mastering this hobby has brought me as far and wide as possible. TOFT is a company I started fourteen years ago with no idea what it would grow to become. Our vision is to enrich the lives of as many people as possible with our shared love of craft, and our mission is to be as creative and original as possible making products to inspire that in others. We specialise in luxury natural yarns and quality long-lasting tools that come together in your hands to give you pleasure as you savour the feeling of making the stitches, and spread happiness with the results of your time. Within these pages some of the planets most popular animals such as the elephant and bear sit alongside some lesser-known species such as the oryx and sugar glider.

I hope you enjoy a little journey around the world and discover some new favourites as you hook your way through the collection. This book of mini patterns forms part of a series also including OCEAN, FARM and PETS, so once youve enjoyed crocheting a sloth or hippo a few times you might want to turn your hands to a turtle or maybe a sheep or two. For me crochet is bit of a counterpoint to the busy rhythm and routine of my life. It allows me to feel creative after a long day that might have otherwise felt very mundane, and these mini animals make brilliant gifts for friends and family without being too much of a materials or time investment. Although it may be slower when you are starting out, once youve got a couple under your belt, these mini patterns are the perfect size to make in an evening.

The projects in this book are arranged in order of difficulty, with their corresponding techniques and progressive skills detailed when they are introduced. The projects in this book are arranged in order of difficulty, with their corresponding techniques and progressive skills detailed when they are introduced.

If you are learning to crochet, then start at the beginning and turn each page, reading all the tips and trying a few of the exercises to get you used to holding your hook and yarn before you dive into working your first project. If you are already a confident crocheter, then start with whatever takes your fancy and dip in and out of the projects. If you hit an abbreviation or instruction you are unsure of and would like to refresh your understanding, then use the technique index on to find the full step-by-step breakdown. All the standard stuffing and sewing up details can be found on . I have used British English crochet terms throughout. Double crochet (dc) is the same as the American English single crochet (sc).

For clarification of which stitch this refers to, please see the basic instruction for the dc stitch on .

All the projects in this book are created using TOFT pure wool double knitting yarn on a 3mm aluminium hook with a pure wool stuffing. I have had the pleasure of selecting, designing and manufacturing luxury yarns for the past fourteen years as the founder of the TOFT brand, and Edwards Menagerie has been inspired by this range of yarns. TOFT yarns are luxury, quality, natural fibres manufactured to my distinctive specifications here in the UK. When crocheted in TOFT yarns, the projects in this book are supple and soft but with a closed fabric to hide the stuffing inside. Using natural fibres is not only better for the environment, but also ensures a beautiful finish, assures you that these animals will only get better over time, and guarantees each stitch is a pleasure to make.

TOFT is here to help if you are new to crochet and not sure where to begin, and the brand is based in a real place called Toft in Warwickshire, England. In addition to our yarns, TOFT now designs and manufactures a whole range of tools and accessories to accompany the Edwards Menagerie crochet range. Video help is on-hand if you are struggling at any point with the techniques in this book. All materials, kits and videos for these projects are available at www.toftuk.com.

Choose the right sized hook to match your yarn and create the correct tension (see ).