Dorm Decor: Remake Your Space with More than 35 Projects book review

Dorm Decor: Remake Your Space with More than 35 Projects
by Theresa Gonzalez and Nicole Smith

I received a copy of the fabulous Dorm Decor from Chronicle Books recently and was instantly excited by the fantastic projects inside. Chronicle Books is well known for excellent designs and clear layouts of its books and Dorm Decor does not disappoint! The fun, colorful projects are a great antidote to boring dorm rooms!

Dorm Decor is divided into five sections: Where you sleep; Where you dress; Where you study; Where you hang out; and Where you wash. Each section has anywhere from five to eleven projects. Some sample projects include a reversible duvet cover, monogram shams, hanging closet organizer, embroidery hoop photo mobile, fleece robe, and embellished towels. Several of the projects have little to no sewing required for those not handy with a sewing machine. The projects are cleverly divided into skill levels that are reminiscent of college courses, like 101 for Freshman and the easiest in skill level.

The book also gives suggestions on room arrangements, sewing basics, choosing fabrics and a fabric care guide, which is perfect for those new to being on their own and perhaps doing the laundry on their own for the first time. There are also tips on ironing and a glossary on sewing terms for beginners.

Although the book is clearly geared toward college students living in a dorm room setting, some of the projects would also be great for those with a youthful, modern decor and skilled crafters who can adapt the projects to their own tastes and personal style. The silhouette message board and tufted seat cushion are just two examples of projects that anyone can adapt for suit their own style.

Pick up this book on Chronicle Books’ own website, your favorite local bookstore, or Amazon.

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You probably know by now if you’re a regular reader (and if you’re not, welcome!) that I love a knitting pattern that’s a little silly or a little different from the usual. Classic patterns are great, too, but sometimes you just want to make something with a bit of whimsy. And when it’s super functional, too, that’s even better.

That’s the case with the Bananen-Socken pattern from Susanne Shahin. These banana socks are one of those patterns no one seems to be totally sure where it came from, and this free pattern on Ravelry explains how she makes them based on how she learned it.

It’s a sock that’s curved and when not on a foot it looks rather like a banana. There’s no heel, and you can use whatever number of stitches you need to make it fit your foot. If you’ve knit enough socks to know how many stitches you like you can just use that number, or the pattern notes include sizing charts to help. (It needs to be multiples of 2 for the ribbing.)

After working a traditional cuff, the body is made with ribbing on the back and welts (or what the pattern calls horizontal ribbing) on the front, which is what gives it the curved shape. There’s no heel, but there is toe shaping, but for the leg and the foot you just keep working the same pattern as long as you like.

I’m a little skeptical about how these socks will feel with ribbing on the bottom of the foot, but I’m definitely intrigued and will probably give them a try.

The pattern notes are available on Ravelry in English, German, French, Italian and Spanish. If you head to the pattern page you can see a photo of what it looks like on a foot, and it just looks like a normal sock.

Have you ever knit banana socks or do you want to now? I’d love to hear your thoughts!

[Photo: Susanne Shahin]

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