Ruby and Custard's Crochet

June 15, 2016

Masterton specializes in charming crochet with British flair, and readers of her popular blog, Ruby & Custard, will find a familiar aesthetic here. The collection features accessories for children and adults, as well as a variety of home decor items. The children's accessories and the home decor items tend toward the whimsical--think fox mittens and an egg cozy resembling a member of the Queen's Guard--while the adult items have an air of sophistication and understatement, with lots of pastel colors and lacy or floral design. The instructions are easy to follow, with charts included for complex shaping. Most of the designs are suitable for beginning crocheters with a few projects under their belts. Masterton includes a basic tutorial with an overview of many stitches used in her designs. American crocheters, take note: Masterton uses the UK abbreviations and terminology, and they differ from U.S. stitch names--for example, Masterton's double crochet is American single crochet. There's a chart in the introduction, but readers will need to pay attention while following the patterns. VERDICT Crocheters interested in easy-to-make dress-up accessories for children will find plenty of ideas, and the accessories and home-decor projects are a solid fit for fans of Debbie Bliss or the projects in Mollie Makes magazine.

Copyright 2016 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.