Spotting Crochet Fashions and Budding Designers, Part II

Seven months.  Has it really been nearly seven months since I first wrote about Spotting Crochet Fashions and Budding Designers?  ... more specifically, has it been that long since I've mentioned crochet designer Doris Chan?  Has it been that long since I placed my order with anticipation, great anticipation at that, for her new book: Amazing Crochet Lace?  It has! 

And here I sit tonight with a hot-off-the-press copy beside me -- a few weeks prior to it's official release date!  But it's not from my order!  So readers, just how did I manage to get my hot little hands on it?  If you guessed Doris arranged for it then you'd be right!  She emailed me a few weeks back and asked if I'd like to do a preview --  to be one of the first to see it; I replied, "Sure!" 

Earlier this afternoon a package was waiting for me at the bottom of the hill.  (When you live in the country, mailboxes are nowhere near your house.  You need to walk, or in some cases drive, to get to your mailbox.  I opted to drive since I was headed out anyway.)

When I saw the package from the publisher, did I wait? -- no, no!  I did not!  I had to rip it open right there, right then!  Anticipation you see, gets the best of me at times, much like a kid experiences when visiting a candy shore prior to having a nutritional meal.  I was like the Tasmanian Devil ... ripping through the packaging like a tornado to get to the prize inside.  I'm sure it was a sight to seen!

Seven months of waiting was over!  There I was, in front of my mailbox, with my vehicle's engine idling, soft rain sputtering on the windshield, with Doris' new book in my hands!  As I flipped through the first few pages I was instantly stopped by a most lovely picture of Doris' mother, surrounded by the story of how Doris eventually came to embrace her crochet roots.  I don't recall how long I sat there reading her story, but I do recall looking up and finding my neighbor waiting to get to her mailbox.  Slightly embarrassed I was so enchanted with the story images of Doris all "girly-girled" as her mother crocheted that I forgot I was blocking the mailboxes, I decided to close the book, give a friendly wave and move along.  Getting to the conclusion of the story, and viewing deeper contents of the book, would have to wait.

Later, when I returned home, my daughter joined me in  eagerness in flipping through the pages of the new book.  We found page after page filled with beautiful creations that I, rather WE, want to work up -- my first project would be the "farpoint topper" featured on page 90.  Its a pentagram motif with a spiral center worked in Lion Brand's "Incredible" nylon ribbon! Or maybe my first project from the book should be the "plum blossom capelet" featured on page 34; or the "sambuca jacket" ... Hmmm, it looks like I have some deciding to do.  Perhaps some yarn shopping too.

So, was seven months of anticipation worth it?  Absolutely!  It is an amazing book filled with tantalizing patterns for all crochet levels and I do recommed it!  Even the photography is outstanding! (The projects are in color and the models are in black & white -- you can see they really put a lot of thought into the creation of this book!)   If you ever looked at older fine crochet lace patterns and thought they would look fantastic worked up in modern fibers -- and larger -- then this is the book to check out!  Doris' designs are lovely & fun ... and I can't wait to to get started on one!  :)