Crochet Girls: 10 Sweet & Simple Friends to Crochet & Applique

by Colleen Lynch

published by Schiffer Craft

At a glance:

Pros

• Clear, easy-to-follow instructions
• Step-by-step photos to help guide you
• Easy to complete an applique in a day

Cons

• Large applique size is great for totes and sweatshirts, but not for smaller items
• Embroidery instructions for the lips and eyes could use more detail

I was very excited to see Crochet Girls by Colleen Lynch pop up in my mail for a review. I have been so curious about flat-lay crochet and appliqués that this timing couldn’t have been better! If learning how to crochet something new is on your to-crochet list, this is a can’t miss.

For beginners this book may seem like it is for advanced crocheters, with a lot of shapes to connect and various techniques needed to create chic crochet girl portraits. But don’t worry - the author takes it slow and steady with step-by-step photos and easy to follow instructions on how to crochet. From slip knots to attaching your appliqué, she’s got you covered.

Tip for Beginners: use stitch markers when doing your increases! This makes it much easier to keep track of where you are in the pattern. If you don’t have a stitch marker, a safety pin or even a paperclip will work in a pinch!

I’ll be honest - one thing that keeps me from appliqués and amigurumi is all the finishing work - the tucking ends and sewing tiny little pieces together. I was worried about what these patterns had in store for me. Much to my relief, the author recommended using a hot glue gun to assemble my chic crochet girl! This is a big time saver. I suppose you could try to sew it all together, but if a hot glue gun works, why not?

Photo of Reviewer's Project

It is surprising how big my appliqué turned out - mine was around 6” x 10” (see photo above), almost exactly the dimensions given in the book. Although bigger than I originally thought, it was just perfect for my tote bag. It would be adorable on a little girl’s sweater! I’ve already had friends who would love a framed crochet girl for their daughters’ bedrooms - how sweet is that?

Not only are these patterns easy to follow, they are fun! You’ll be able to get an appliqué done in a day (it took me about 3 hours) and there aren’t a lot of crochet patterns you can say that about. Plus there are a lot of extras like flowers, butterflies, bows and ice cream cones that are included (and fun) to crochet, too.

The book offers patterns for nine different girls and you can easily choose the hairstyle, top and accessories to make a unique portrait all your own! I can’t even calculate the number of combinations that you could come up with, but let’s just say there are dozens.

Photos courtesy Schiffer Craft

Each girl begins with the body pattern - a base for the face and neck. You can choose a yarn to match the skin color you are going for in this step. Next you will make the shirt. Seven of the girls use a basic solid colored shirt - but there is a variation for stripes and a strapless dress. Now it’s on to the hair! You can choose from 2 basic designs: side bun or high bun. There is also a variation for a turban, which is just the hair without a bun. There are cute examples of a spa portrait in the book that use the towel turban look.

Finally you can add a variety of accessories like sunglasses (round or heart shaped), earrings, bows, scrunchies, flowers, earmuffs, party hat, regular glasses or even limes! And now that you’re crochet senses are on creative overload, there are also coordinating crochet pieces you can make to complement your piece, like ice cream cones, ice skates, party gifts, bouquets, potted plants and so much more!

One thing I wish there was a little more explanation on is how to embroider the lips and eyes. I found information buried deeper in the book - lips on page 37 and eyes on page 68. But it would be helpful to have a diagram or at least a count of how to place the features and then how to fill them in. I did my best, but I’m not totally happy with how the features turned out.

Luckily the supplies you need to create your crochet girl portrait are minimal: a size H-8 (5mm) crochet hook, size 4 yarn in colors required for your portrait, and some odds and ends like scissors, a tapestry needle and a hot glue gun. You won’t need great quantities of any particular color, so you may be able to utilize your stash! That’s all you need and you’re off on your next great crochet adventure!

Congratulations to Colleen Lynch for an awesome and creative first book! I’m already looking forward to her next one.

Book Reviewer: Jamie K.