Buried in Books Monday: Vintage Crochet

I haven't done one of these in a while as, quite frankly, I've not pulled anything much more exciting of the shelf recently than The Very Hungry Caterpillar, a selection of Thomas books or the odd dip into some reference book to check something.

However Father Earthly discovered these whilst clearing out our storage unit in Northumberland and once I'd had a quick browse to re-familiarise myself with them, I just knew these were for sharing! Inherited from my mum, they are all late 1970s publications so as you can imagine, the fashion is really rather special.

James Walters was obviously something of a fashionista in the 70s, particularly in the crochet stakes. His book Crochet Patterns, also introducing patterns by Sylvia Cosh, contains some rather stupendous designs along with a vast wealth of crochet knowledge and techniques - the likes of which are just not found in modern crochet books. And while many (ok, perhaps all) of the designs may only be worn today by Xenophilius Lovegood, they are nevertheless very adaptable, and a wonderful source of inspiration. Absolutely the best bit about this book though (other than the beautiful, beautiful pictures) is the designers' use of so many crochet techniques now forgotten - like cables. Yes, crochet cables! And not just one type but many. Other techniques include freeform crochet, diagonal rows, spikes, loops, and all manner of ways to make up garments.

As an additional bonus, he includes some just wonderful stitch patterns (below). Now a rarity in crochet books, I love stitch patterns because they are both a visual aid and a geometric artform all of their own.

His other book pictured above, Crochet Workshop, not only sports a quite spiffing image of the artist himself on the front cover, but is a veritable goldmine of absolutely everything crochet, from basic stitches and making the fabric, shaping and troubleshooting to how to sketch stitch patterns, stitch proportions, freeworking and finger crochet, incorporating darts, holes and three dimensional shaping, adding edgings, belts and buttonholes, and even further to woven, tunisian and hairpin crochet, hand-spinning and dyeing, making up, finishing and after care of garments. In fact, I think you'd be hard pressed to find a more comprehensive crochet manual! As is obviously his style, he has also included diagrams and instructions for things I doubt anybody would actually need or want, but that all adds to the charm.

The last book above, by Pam Dawson, is very much more on the conservative and traditional side of crochet! A basic technique and starter book with a lovely vintage feel, including lots of pictures of fine crochet lace. My favourite bit in the whole book however, is the illustration of two ends of yarn being spliced together with the associated paragraph: "Where a new ball is required in the middle of the fabric... the end of the old and new balls should be spliced together." Blimey! Well aren't I just a slacker! I can't even begin to imagine how I'd find the patience to splice a bit of standard DK yarn, can you?

Buried in Books Monday

Well it's that time again! Littlest Earthly is 5 months old and rapidly going through the associated changes. So to my trusty bookshelf I turn and pick off the following (with the slightest of sighs):


First up: The No-Cry Sleep Solution. After being the most miraculous of baby sleepers from day one, a couple of months ago baby Earthly no. 2 turned into the sleeper from hell. At the time I blamed a growth spurt and teething; now I'm just cross (and sleep deprived). Pantley's suggestions did nothing for our first, but then (as we know now) he was exceptional. We had higher hopes for no. 2 and I feel disappointed that I've been forced to leaf through this again. Having said all that, I'm still not convinced this is the solution for us. While Pantley's tenets are great in theory, and obviously for all of the test cases she talks of, they just don't seem to work that well on our kids. From the start we've been able to put littlest Earthly down at night, straight into her hammock whilst sleepy but not sleeping. Now she will have none of it. Every night is torture, and for no apparent reason. She just refuses, point blank, and the only way she will go is if we (painfully, finally) have her fully asleep first before depositing her to beddy-byes. She has a routine (and always has), she's well fed (believe me!) during the day, she has a comfy and cosy bed, an early bedtime (when she goes), she naps (though erratically - like her brother she won't go down at any kind of routine time for a nap) and she is used to self-comforting and falling asleep in different ways. I've tried a 'lovey' but to no avail. She's too young to be weaned off night feeds altogether, but I could certainly do with the frequency being diminished!


For now I'm happy to keep trying with the Pantley techniques, as they make sense and baby's current clinginess may pass naturally enough to make things easier. Fingers crossed...



Baby Earthly no. 2 is (as I write) sitting in her brother's high chair and happily grabbing at anything within reach to shove greedily into her mouth. So, it's almost time for solids then... Step in Baby-led Weaning. This book was super helpful in weaning boy Earthly and contains all you need to know and more about the philosophy behind BLW and why it makes sense, how you know when your baby is 'ready', how BLW works, getting started, what to offer them and when... plus so much more. In essence, like many natural parenting books, it's about observing your baby, following their lead, and adapting to what they want when they show the sign. It worked wonders with our first and we hope the the transition will be just as smooth with no. 2: watch this space!

The 3rd book this week is more for baby no. 1's benefit for the moment, as he has just got over a nasty chest and ear infection. Knowing that the doctor would only offer antibiotics for this, I turned instead to my herbal remedy chest and my homeopathic emergency kit. Being naturally more confident with herbal remedies, I find myself at a bit of a loss when it comes to homeopathy, despite many of the underlying remedies being very similar - i.e. calendula for burns, cuts and grazes; urtica for bites, stings and allergic reactions etc. However, Homeopathy for Children is one of the best I have found as an easy reference guide - and useful not only for children, though it specialises in typical childhood complaints and illnesses. With a full background on homeopathy and how it works alongside case studies and an in-depth look at treatments for everything from first-aid to childhood diseases, this is a fantastic introduction to homeopathy for the whole family. Teamed with my Helios Remedy Kit, I refer to this book time and time again.

Buried in Books Monday

Father Earthly and I have always had a great weakness for books and it is no less so now, though there is precious litttle space aboard for them (but we do have a plan to fix that hopefully!) In the meantime we have boxes and boxes of books in storage with a select few currently shelved on the boat with us - and to which we cannot help but continue to add more by and more.

Recently I have added a fair few on all manner of subjects, from dressmaking to parenting. But the ones to which I keep turning most at the moment are my new-found volumes on Raw Food. I think I was most drawn to the idea of Raw Food over the last few months because my body has been through the mill somewhat of late - the last 2 years I've spent being pregnant, breastfeeding, pregnant again whilst looking after a 1 year old, breastfeeding again (as above) and getting no sleep (again). It's taken its toll and my body has craved nutrients like they're going out of fashion.

Kate Wood's Raw Living has been a nice introduction to the ins and outs and possibilities of raw food - particularly where it helpfully explains that one need not be 100% raw to reap the benefits, although (she says), once started on a raw adventure, you're unlikely to want to stray far from it! I like this perspective, and I think it's important to note, for I have found in the past when trying out veganism that the whole vegan movement and community can be a bit military-minded; you're either a 'proper' vegan or you're not, and if you're not then be prepared to have animal welfare leaflets shoved down your throat. [Mini-rant: apologies]. Not so with raw food it seems, and that immediately makes it all the more appealing as a lifestyle choice.



So far so good, and I have to say that on the whole I am very taken with her recipes, and certainly the explanation of some of the typical raw foodstuffs is really helpful, though as many of the staples are so foreign to a 'normal' diet, do think that some in-depth tasting notes would have been a real bonus. After all, you're going to have to go and source these expensive items and then put them all together, so it would be useful to know if you're likely to enjoy the end result!

One thing that is both boon and curse (in my mind) is the naming of the recipes. Many of them are quite descriptively ordinary (e.g. "Hemp Seed Hummus, "Curried Parsnips" or even "Crunchy Quinoa Crackers") but many also follow the veteran vegan tradition of fake similitude - from "Parsnip Rice" (a rice substitute in the form of parsnip 'bits') and "Tricolore Pasta" (spiral-sliced vegetables covered in sauce) to "Egg Mayonnaise" (actually cauliflower and avocado with flavourings) and "Tomato Quiche" (actually nothing like a quiche but more like a vegetable flan). The boon to this naming method is of course that you have more of an idea (supposedly) what it's supposed to emulate. The curse is that I don't think it helps - it just gives you a false impression of what it should be like when in fact it should really stand on its own merit. For example, the pasta could be much more appetizingly (and realistically) named as "Tricolore vegetable spirals in a tangy sweet and sour tomato sauce". I daresay it's a personal preference, but I just loathe my food to sound like a poor copy of something with meat/dairy/cooked food in it if it blatantly doesn't.
That all aside, it's a good introduction to raw food and the kinds of possibilities on offer. Personally I think a few too many of the recipes have 'added ingredients' - seaweed in one form or another being a particular favourite. But on the whole, a good staple for our cooking shelf I think!

What appeals to most newbies to raw food is of course, raw chocolate. I've only recently experienced this phenomenon and I enjoyed it so much I'm now reluctant to eat boring old normal cooked chocolate - even the excellent stuff like Montezuma's (though I can't see myself abandoning it completely, not yet...). In a bid to save some money and have some real fun experimenting, I bought myself the newly published Jessica's Raw Chocolate Recipes. I've not yet got my chocolate tools out (one benefit of course of raw chocolate making is you don't have to worry about the faff of tempering) but I can't wait to start. Almost everything sounds utterly mouthwatering and suitable for both traditional tastes (Raw Cacao Fudge to Peppermint Creams) and the more adventurous (Raw Chocolate Cheesecake, Raw Hemp and Chocolate Spread, Guarana and Goji Nutty Loaf). It is also filled with luscious pictures of the recipes which is so rare with a vegan cookbook (as this essentially is). Only one real downside that I can see to this book is that the author uses an awful lot of nuts, particularly cashews. My bad for being allergic to (some) nuts, but it does rather make a lot of the recipes a bit inaccessible if you're unwilling to eat pounds of the things for whatever reason. And like the Kate Wood book, I would say that more tasting notes are needed for both ingredients and recipes.

My last book off the shelf today was bought because I have long wanted a really good herbal guide and the other day a copy of Neal's Yard Remedies literally jumped into my hands at a local bookshop. I couldn't leave it on the shelf; I simply had to have it there and then. Not only is it a beautifully illustrated guide to all the common herbs used in this country for minor and major ailments and everyday vitality, it also boasts a series of superb recipes (for inside and outside use!) at the back. At first glance these simply look like delicious concoctions, but on closer inspection you can see the nutritional benefits and in fact that many of them are, again, raw e.g. Courgette Spaghetti with Coriander and Pine Nut Pesto; Nasturtium and Sprouted Seed Salad; Onion Squash and Ginger Soup.This I find particularly appealing - a book that simply gives you the food as it is without shouting "Hey, I'm raw, I'm vegan, I'm REALLY GOOD for you!" because when all you want is a really tasty snack or meal, you don't need to feel nagged at the same time!

Let the raw adventure begin!