Breaking News!

We now interrupt our regularly scheduled blog posting to bring you this breaking news!

Robyn Chachula's first book is now available for Pre-Order. Yes you heard us right. It is now available for pre-order!*

Super Secret 2.0

I am so proud to finally get to announce:

Blueprint Crochet: Modern Designs for the Visual Crocheter

My book! My first full length book. Woohoo! Happy Dance!

All the beans to spill.... So hopefully you could tell from my sneak previews that I was writing a women's fashion crochet book. The big secret was HOW I was writing the book.

Here's the press release:

ABOUT THE BOOK
Blueprint Crochet: Modern Designs for the Visual Crocheter Robyn Chachula

Learn the universal symbol language of crochet and create gorgeous patterns with Blueprint Crochet, a graphical interpretation of contemporary designs made just for the visual crafter. Robyn Chachula, a structural engineer turned crochet designer who was influenced by the appeal of visual Japanese crochet patterns, designs using a graphic pattern treatment called symbol crochet. This graphic pattern treatment is for any crocheter that can understand maps better than verbal directions, illustrations better than narratives, and three-dimensional drawings better than step-by-step directions.

Robyn takes each crochet design and breaks it down stitch by stitch and increase by increase in a diagram format so the visual crocheter; can see, as well as read, each step. Each project is broken down into the Plan that shows the overall picture, the Details that show the crochet stitch pattern, and the Construction that shows the steps to assemble the project. With contemporary designs from trendy to classic, each project offers a fresh take on crochet.

Crocheters can choose from effortless motif patterns for purses, earrings, necklaces, and earrings, quick-stitch patterns that are perfect for tunics, wraps, belts or scarves, vogue granny squares that translate wonderfully into sweater coats, comfy tops, shawls, or boleros, and stitch-repeat patterns for jackets, dresses, vests, and tops. With Blueprint Crochet, anything is possible!

That's right.... I wrote it in SYMBOLS!

Can you tell I'm excited? Can you tell I have been bursting to tell you all and spill the beans for a year now?

Interweave was so awesome, I mean truly fantastic, that they took a chance on this crazy lady and let her "write" a book that has more pictures then words. Crazy! Basically, (and I'll spill more as my mind settles down) I wrote the patterns in the book from entirely written out instructions and full diagrams to only diagrams. The beauty of the set up is that it not only gets you to love symbols by the end, but you get so much more information. You will no longer fear the dreaded "reverse shaping", because I will have an entire diagram detailing all of the reverse shaping for you. And for those funny arm shaping that make no sense written out, I got diagrams of that. How to make granny squares, how to make half of a granny square, how to join granny squares, how to edge granny squares- diagram, diagram, diagram. Every little confusing bit is in a diagram, so all you have to do is look at your work and compare it to the diagram. If it's not exactly the same, then rip it out. No worrying involved, you will know way before you end the project if you got lost along the way somewhere.

Since this is a bit of a twist on a very old way of writing patterns, I am planning on traveling a lot this fall to come and teach my version of crochet symbols. If you think your area would like to have me come chat about my love of crochet, crafts, symbols, and fashion; please send me an email.

Well, I have to go die with joy now. I'll be back soon with more about exactly what is in the book, like all the projects and such. In a few, short weeks Interweave will have a sneak peek into the book up on their website, so you will be able to see even more of the beautiful photography and really get to see what I have been working on with a look at one of the patterns. Till then I leave you with the three adorable tops that adorn my cover.

*Well on Amazon at least, you will have to share the news with your local bookstore or yarn shop for now. But soon real soon, they will have it too- um, hopefully!