Raffia Crochet by Wool and The Gang

Ten Basic Crochet Projects Using Raffia

In this book, designers for Wool and the Gang have gathered ten patterns that use their yarn Ra-ra-raffia. Most of the designs are for accessories and things for around the house, like a placemat, backpack, or shopping bag. The first pattern is for a hat that actually does look like it would be perfect for summer. I’ve been a crocheter and a knitter for a long time, but I had never heard of raffia being used like yarn to make projects. Other than the plant hanger, I actually liked the projects in this book; they seem very functional (although I wish the placemat was rectangular and not round). I could see how for specific items, especially the bags, raffia could be a good material from which to make them. The patterns are mostly simple and straightforward. For a few of them, there are instructions given how to jazz them up a little with some applique. If you’ve done much crocheting, there’s little here that’s beyond your reach. There is a section in the back that does give some description of technique, like how to do a magic loop. The book is limited with only ten projects. I also felt that there was some inconsistency in how the patterns were written. But if you are interested in some basic raffia crochet projects, you might enjoy this book.