Hooked on Shakespeare: Crochet Projects Inspired by The Bard

by Gurinder Kaur Hatchard

Overview

15 projects featuring more than 30 step-by-step amigurumi inspired by the works of William Shakespeare.

Published to coincide with the 400th anniversary of Shakespeare's First Folio being published, this fabulous collection of creations ranges from the iconic Romeo and Juliet to Hamlet and the Ghost, and from the Three Witches from Macbeth to Bottom and Titania from A Midsummer Night's Dream. Not forgetting the one and only Woolliam Shakespeare himself.

Each project features an introduction to the play and its characters, followed by colourful step-by-step instructions. The easy-to-make designs include fully illustrated stitch basics, perfect for beginning crocheters as well as advanced crochet enthusiasts.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781789941289
Publisher:	Bloomsbury USA
Publication date:	10/24/2023
Pages:	128
Sales rank:	442,095
Product dimensions:	7.50(w) x 9.90(h) x 0.60(d)

About the Author

Gurinder Kaur Hatchard is the crochet designer behind yayforcrochet.com, an online platform dedicated to inspiring and teaching others with her gorgeous patterns and brilliant beginner's 'Couch to Crochet' project. Gurinder's designs have been published in outlets such as Inside Crochet and Prima and she is the author of Head to Toe Crochet: Beanies and Booties for Infants to Toddlers. Gurinder lives in London with her family and was taught to crochet by her mum at a young age.

Table of Contents

Introduction
Getting Started
General Tips
Romeo and Juliet
- Romeo
- Juliet
Macbeth
- Macbeth
- Witches
- Cauldron
A Midsummer Night's Dream
- Titania
- Bottom
Antony and Cleopatra
- Antony
- Cleopatra
Hamlet
- Hamlet
- Yorick's Skull
- The Ghost
Henry VIII
- Henry VIII
- Cardinal Wolsey
- Anne Boleyn
Julius Caesar
- Julius Caesar
- Brutus
King Lear
- King Lear
- Lear's Fool
Much Ado about Nothing
- Benedick
- Beatrice
The Tempest
- Prospero
- Caliban
- Ariel
Othello
- Othello
- Iago
The Winter's Tale
- Antigonus
- Bear
The Merry Wives of Windsor
- Falstaff
- Mistress Page
- Mistress Ford
Twelfth Night
- Viola/Cesario
Woolliam Shakespeare
- The Bard
How to Crochet
How to Read a Pattern
Acknowledgements

Editorial Reviews

09/04/2023

In this adorable guide, Hatchard (Head to Toe Crochet) shows how to crochet small, amigurumi-style yarn figures from Shakespeare’s plays. Alongside helpful photos, Hatchard offers a novice-friendly overview of crochet basics, explaining two ways to hold a hook (pencil and knife positions) and how to make such stitches as the magic ring, slip knot, and double crochet. She also provides guidance on choosing materials, recommending readers use four ply cotton and a 2.5mm hook. The 30 projects detail how to create a miniature “Woolliam Shakespeare” and characters from his most famous works, including Romeo and Juliet, Julius Caesar and Brutus, and Hamlet and the ghost of his father (rendered in shades of gray). Hatchard adorns each character with charming details, embroidering menacingly arched eyebrows on Othello antagonist Iago and donning Macbeth in a colorful tartan. Especially enchanting are the nonhuman characters, including the bear from The Winter’s Tale and the Tempest’s Ariel, who’s depicted as a blue fairy-like creature. The step-by-step instructions are easy to follow, and Hatchard’s detailed explanation of how to read crochet patterns will be a boon to beginners. Crocheters with a literary bent will get a kick out of this. (Oct.)

Publishers Weekly

adorable…novice-friendly…enchanting… The step-by-step instructions are easy to follow, and Hatchard's detailed explanation of how to read crochet patterns will be a boon to beginners. Crocheters with a literary bent will get a kick out of this.” —Publishers Weekly

“[C]learly illustrated, well written, and easy enough to follow for advanced beginner crocheters. Included with the instructions are Hatchard's playful puns and intriguing choices that all bring the Bard's characters into cuddly existence… A perfect addition to the crafty reader's shelf. Will have Shakespeare readers and English teachers crocheting characters in no time.” —Emily Bowles, Library Journal

“This hilarious but entirely strait-laced arts-and-crafts book includes 15 crochet projects inspired by Woolliam Shakespeare's yarns […] It's more moving than you might expect when 100-percent-cotton Julius Caesar cries out, “Et tu, Crochet?”” —Ron Charles, Washington Post

“Gurinder Kaur Hatchard has created the most splendid book that blends crochet and literature in one, allowing you to create your own crochet scenes, straight from the stage...The possibilities are endless with this book, and it's perfect for crocheters of all abilities!” —Crochet Now

"Hooked on Shakespeare is a testament to the boundless creativity that arises when art and literature intertwine. Gurinder’s masterful designs offer a fresh perspective on timeless tales, inviting readers to immerse themselves in the magic of Shakespearean drama one stitch at a time." —Keep Calm and Crochet On UK

From the Publisher

10/01/2023

In Shakespeare's Othello, Desdemona's beautifully embroidered handkerchief may have led to tragedy, but Hatchard (Head to Toe Crochet) proves that crochet hooks, yarn, and needles can produce far happier endings. From Hatchard's playful renaming of the Bard as "Wooliam" in her introduction, to her fun summaries of each play, the book demonstrates equal parts levity and learning. Its patterns for characters from several of Shakespeare's plays (including A Midsummer Night's Dream and Hamlet) are clearly illustrated, well written, and easy enough to follow for advanced beginner crocheters. Included with the instructions are Hatchard's playful puns and intriguing choices that all bring the Bard's characters into cuddly existence. VERDICT A perfect addition to the crafty reader's shelf. Will have Shakespeare readers and English teachers crocheting characters in no time.—Emily Bowles

Library Journal