INSPIRING BOOKS

JAPANESE WONDER CROCHET NIHON VOGUE

(£9.35, Tuttle)

You’ll be familiar with the stitches (bullion, crocodile, waffle…), but not with the way they’re ingeniously put together to create delights for your wardrobe and your home. Translated from Japanese, this is Eastern style pure and simple. The 25 projects include beautiful bags and purses, a shawl, jewellery, potholders, coasters and a throw.

YARN TEA ROOM SCHEEPJES

(£7.95, Scheepjes) Scheepjes’ eagerly anticipated bi-annual pattern book contains 16 projects for yarnies (knit as well as crochet). The garments, accessories and soft furnishings have all been created by Scheepjes’ team of designers using Scheepjes’ yummy yarn. The theme is ‘tea’, so look out for some tasty, soothing treats.

NEEDLE FELTED ANIMALS MIA UNDERWOOD

(£9.35, CICO)

Mia’s book is filled with 35 of the cutest ever animals needle-felted into existence. Find woodland creatures, birds, pets and wild animals for you make and give as gifts, decorate your mantelpiece or string into bunting (the little birds are perfect for this). If you’re new to needle-felting there’s a techniques section to help you perfect your soft menagerie.

500+ CROCHET STITCHES ANNIE’S CROCHET

(£12.99,

Annie’s Crochet)

An encyclopedia is a handy tool to have to help you delve deeper into your hobbies, and this book of more than 500 crochet stitches will be invaluable on your bookshelf. It comes with a CD of instructions to show you how to do them all, plus there are two afghan patterns that utilise some of the stitches.