Hello, micro makers! Today I am highlighting one of my very favorite micro makers: Steffi Glaves. When she announced a few months ago that she was publishing a book that was microcrochet and only microcrochet, my head nearly exploded — in a good way! I preordered it from Bookshop.org and tried to wait patiently for it to arrive, and when it got here, I was working in my greenhouse when the package containing the book got delivered and I couldn’t even wait to go in the house to open it. Actual footage of the day my copy of the book arrived:
The book itself is a visual delight, feeling just a bit vintage yet still fresh and light; fun prop choices and interesting textures are utilized throughout the layout pages, and clear photos of each piece of microcrochet are on the pattern/chart pages, showing off Steffi’s delicate work very nicely. It’s sometimes tricky to accurately convey the actual size of micro work in a photo without showing your hands constantly or putting a coin next to the piece, but Steffi’s book manages to show scale quite nicely by placing the crocheted pieces next to known objects like spools of thread, crochet hooks, jewelry-making tools, postage stamps, and plant leaves that make sense in context while giving the viewer an idea of just how micro everything showcased in this book is.
I am also a huge fan of the way the book is organized. There are 100 patterns total, grouped into categories of ten patterns each (flowers, leaves, celestial, food, blanket squares, sea life, occasions, mandalas, bunting, and animals). Each category also has instructions for a featured project using one of the patterns from the category, in case readers need ideas about how to use their new tiny makes. My favorite project is the Floral Envelope Square Necklace - watch my Instagram feed for the finished project coming up soon! I do plan to work my way through all 100 patterns, but for this review I only made up seven of them, each from a different category.
I made the Poppy, Four Leaf Clover, Floral Envelope Square, Danish Heart, Caroline Mandala, Layered Leaf, and Butterfly. And no, I haven’t sewn in the ends yet! I wanted you to see this blog post sooner rather than later, so getting the ends sewn in got skipped.
The patterns range in difficulty from beginner-level microcrocheter to more advanced and complicated, or as I like to say regarding microcrochet, “a bit fiddly.” I think this book would be a satisfying purchase for anyone who is interested in doing microcrochet work even if they haven’t gotten much experience with micro just yet. And as Steffi points out in her welcome at the beginning of the book, all the patterns can be sized up to larger hooks and thicker thread or yarn and worked in the scale you prefer. There is also a section going into detail about threads and hooks used for micro work, and another section outlining techniques highlighting the stitches used in the book, how to read a chart, and stitch terminology (including equivalent UK to US terms). This book might not be best suited for a very beginning crocheter, but adventurous beginners on up can get a lot out of this book.
If you’re familiar with Steffi’s work through her Instagram or Facebook account, you will have seen some of the flowers and a few others of the 100 patterns on her social media or in her Etsy store, but there are dozens of entirely new patterns as well. The book was a steal at the $23 US price tag. With just this book, a 0.5 mm hook and an assortment of sewing thread, you could make 100 different pieces of microcrochet! As a microcrocheter and pattern writer myself, I have a healthy respect for the amount of work that went into creating the patterns for this book, not to mention all of the non-crocheting work I imagine is involved in getting a book of any kind published. Kudos to Steffi for creating a beautiful and useful book that is a truly unique entry in the world of crochet books!
You can get your own copy via Amazon US, Bookshop.org US or UK, and even from Steffi’s Etsy shop, where she will sign the book and add a personalized message to you upon request (worldwide shipping is available, shipping costs will vary).
Is this book going on your “to read” list? Let me know in the comments!