AROUND THE CROCHET NET

What crocheters will create is often simply remarkable. I was looking online for some examples of structural crochet. I’ve blogged about this before – the 3D stuff. Some of it is beautiful. Some items are cool. Many are useful. Most of them are just incredibly inventive. I’ve been going here and there, searching out more information on some crochet items that I’ve run across. Please join me for this tour.

First start is this blog. Did you know that George Washington Carver crocheted? These graceful figures remind me of the fashion models one sees on the runways of the haute couture:

housewife-crochet-blog-0509

http://housewife.splinder.com/post/19428059/crocheting+&+Geo+Washington+Ca

I’d love to have a necklace made like one of these:

http://dailyartmuse.com/2007/01/17/niobium-crochet/

And, since hanging things – glass balls, stars, lanterns – and dangly things – charms, beads, loose ends – are some of my favorite things, I’d couldn’t resist this. Might be a really good way to use up some of those balls of eyelash yarn. Wish I had an extra $350.00!

http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=7353516

As if Diwali weren’t colorful and fun enough, The Festival of Lights: A Lift-the-flap Diwali Celebration by Namita Moolani Mehra, illustrated by Darshika Varm, makes it even more fun to read about with flaps and things to lift and pull to see more information or details in the illustrations.

The book is a story about a family getting ready for Diwali and what happens on the different days of the five-day celebration. There’s cleaning, shopping, crafting, food preparation and getting the home altar ready for the big day.

It covers decorating the outside of the house with rangoli, diyas and lanterns, buying sweets to share with family and friends, the sights and scents of the mandir (home temple), getting dressed up in new fancy clothes, the story of Diwali and celebrations with relatives.

Flaps (there are more than 140 in all) give you vocabulary words for different foods and definitions, as well as fun things like what’s inside the shopping basket or where the cat is hanging out. They also help illuminate the story of Diwali, which is the triumph of good over evil as Lord Ram defeated the demon Ravana to save his wife, Sita.

This pretty and colorful book helps kids understand what Diwali is and how it is celebrated, regardless of whether they practice it at home. This would be a nice book to keep in a classroom (it’s rated for kids ages 3-7) or to have at home to teach kids about Diwali even if it’s not something you celebrate. Where I live there are a lot of people from India so we are probably exposed to Diwali more than some other regions of America, but it’s a nice holiday to know about wherever you live.

Combine with the book Diwali and check out some fun lantern crafts and printables for kids to round out your experience.

About the book: 24 pages, hardcover, published 2025 by Wide Eyed Editions. Suggested retail prices $22.99.

Have you read?