This is a book review of Classic Christmas Crochet: Traditional Danish Holiday Decorations and Gifts
What You Need to Know About This Crochet Pattern Book:
Authors: Heidi B Johannesen and Pia H. H. Johannesen
Photographer: David Bering / Montgomery
Publisher: Trafalgar Square Books
Copyright Date: I’m reviewing the English-language translation of this book, which has a copyright date of 2022. It was originally published in the Danish language in 2021.
ISBN 13: 978-1646011667
ISBN 10: 164601166X
Book Format: This book is available as a
Softcover With Perfect Binding.
Number of Pages: 168
Crochet Skill Level: This book includes patterns in a range of difficulty levels. Some of these patterns are suitable for beginners to crochet who have learned their crochet stitches and are ready to try working beginner-friendly crochet projects. Others are better suited for intermediate and experienced crochet enthusiasts.
The Focus of This Book:
This book aims to give you 13 crochet patterns you can use for making traditional Danish style Christmas ornaments. Tips, international symbol crochet charts, and video guides are also included to ensure you will maximize your chances for success with working each of these projects. Instructions are included in the book for how to access the video guides.
Crochet Projects Included in This Book:
1. Woven Hearts Crochet Christmas Ornament Pattern
You use both crochet and weaving techniques to create this intriguing two-color Chrismas ornament. You can crochet the ornament in two different sizes.
2. Christmas Bell Ornament
Components of this design include a clapper, cord and bow.
3. Christmas Ball Ornament Patterns
You get instructions for crocheting round Christmas balls and drop-shaped Christmas balls, plus instructions for crocheting variations that include stripes and dots.
4. Kringle Christmas Ornament Pattern
To my American eyes, this looks just like a pretzel. However, according to the book, it isn’t a pretzel; it’s a Danish pastry that’s often baked at Christmastime. But, I’m thinking many of you will use it as a pretzel-shaped ornament. Why not?
5. Drum Christmas Ornament Pattern
If you’re familiar with “The Little Drummer Boy” Christmas song, that might be what comes to mind when you see this cute Christmas ornament design. You can make 3 different drum variations using the charts and instructions in this book.
6. Hunting Horn Christmas Ornament Pattern
This cute ornament looks a lot like a less-complex trumpet or similar horn instrument.
7. Tin Soldier Christmas Ornament
This ornament is really cute and also quite festive looking.
8. Snowflake Christmas Ornament Patterns
You get 3 different variations of one basic design for crocheting different sizes of snowflakes: a mini snowflake, a large snowflake and an extended snowflake.
See Also: Snowflake Crafts
9. Cornets
A cornet is a Christmas ornament that hangs on the Christmas tree but is designed to hold edible treats, like small cookies, candies or pastries.
10. Edgings
The book includes multiple edging patterns.
11. Christmas Candy Cane Ornaments
Don’t you just love festive peppermint candy canes? It’s possible to use real candy canes on your Christmas tree, but it’s also possible for them to attract ants and make a sticky, gooey mess. I’m thinking it’s better to make crocheted candy canes to decorate your tree with. This book gives you a lovely crochet candy cane pattern you can use for that purpose.
See Also: Candy Cane Crafts
12. Christmas Stockings
These are full-sized Christmas stockings measuring about 19 ¼” / 49 cm tall. There are a couple of different designs – one striped, and one Nordic-style design, plus the book shows different color placements for both designs, so you get multiple ideas for variations of these stocking designs.
13. Elves
These cute elf dolls would delight any young children who would enjoy having toys as Christmas gifts.
14. Christmas Miscellany
This section of the book gives you 5 different suggestions for using up the bits and pieces of scrap yarn that are usually left over when you’re finished making other projects. These include instructions for making a small Christmas tree ornament, a flat mini Christmas ball ornament, a small heart-shaped ornament, a gift ribbon, and a two-color cord.
The lead photograph for this section shows some beautifully giftwrapped presents featuring baker’s twine and ribbon bows plus crocheted ornaments dangling from the aforementioned bows. These gifts are really pretty, and as far as crochet projects go, the ornaments would be fairly quick ones to make. I love these ideas!
The Best Things About This Book
These ornaments are all really cute, festive and appealing. If you celebrate Christmas, or you are interested in crocheting gifts for other people who celebrate Christmas, you are likely to really love these lovely projects.
I believe the majority of these projects are gift-worthy ones. The one exception: I’m not really sure about the pretzel-looking ornament; I wouldn’t be inclined to give that one as a gift to anyone unless it was revealed to me that they’re either Danish or a pretzel fanatic. But otherwise, the other ornaments you get in this book would all make lovely small gifts for co-workers, neighbors, friends, or relatives that you’re likely to run into during the Christmas holiday season.
Some of these patterns include both international symbol crochet charts and written-out instructions. Some of them have written-out instructions plus grid color charts to use for crocheting the colorwork patterns. Plus, as I mentioned above, the publisher also provides some helpful supplemental video guides, too. You’ll need internet access to view the video guides. The rest of the information you need is contained within the book’s pages.
Included along with each Christmas ornament pattern, you get some interesting historical and background information about that particular ornament design and why it is significant in Denmark.
13 test crocheters are credited in the acknowledgements section of the book. This means these patterns have been tested, which gives you some assurance that you’ll actually be able to sit down with this book and actually turn out usable ornaments if you invest the effort in doing so.
I sincerely appreciate it that the editorial team made an effort to use some organic and sustainably produced yarns to create these ornaments.
Other Observations About This Book
The projects in the book are made with Krea Deluxe yarns. The book provides a brief list of places where you can buy these yarns.
Skill level ratings are included for each Christmas ornament pattern in this book. The publisher did not use the Craft Yarn Council’s standard skill level rating system, but rather has devised their own rating system. There are 3 levels of difficulty on the rating system, with 1 being the easiest level, suitable for complete beginners to crochet, and 3 being the most challenging level.
Both the English-language publisher and the original Danish-language publisher have both opted to donate a portion of this book’s proceeds to the Christmas Seal Foundation.
In addition to the patterns, the book includes information on checking your gauge and blocking your projects.
Conclusion
Classic Christmas Crochet is a lovely, festive book. I’m delighted to recommend this book to other crochet enthusiasts who celebrate Christmas and are interested in crocheting their own Christmas ornaments and Christmas decorations.
Where to Buy This Book:
If you found this page helpful, I invite you to return to this site often for more crochet book reviews, patterns, craft tutorials, project ideas and inspiration! You can make sure you keep this site on your radar by signing up for my newsletter and community at Substack. .
Basic subscriptions are free; I send out regular newsletters to let my subscribers know about new craft articles and tutorials as they are posted. I also share details about the craft projects I’m working on, and invite my readers to share their projects, too. So there is no need to feel like it’s just you, crafting all alone at home. I’d love to have you join us! You’re invited!!
By Amy Solovay
Please Visit My Ko-Fi Shop HERE to Find My Sample Sale, Destash Sale and Digital PDF Pattern Downloads for Sale.
Please Visit My Ravelry Store HERE to Find Digital PDF Pattern Downloads for Sale.
About the Author:
Amy Solovay is a real, live, human content creator and educator who holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in mathematics from Sweet Briar College; she has also earned a separate Associate of Arts degree in textile design from FIDM LA (The Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising, Los Angeles). She is NOT a robot and does not use artificial intelligence (AI) to write book reviews or articles for this website.
Amy learned to crochet as a small child, and she still enjoys crocheting all these years later.
As an educator, Amy Solovay used to teach in-person college courses in trend forecasting, marketing and surface design at California Design College in Los Angeles.
If you’re interested in reading Amy’s personal blog, she invites you to visit her official website, AmySolovay.com; and, if you’re interested in earning income while spending time crafting, she encourages you to check out Crafterprise.com.
More Christmas Craft Pattern Books You Might Enjoy
This book is included on our list of best Christmas craft pattern books.
Check out more lovely Christmas craft pattern books:
- Jorid Linvik’s Big Book of Christmas Knits: Knitting Patterns for the Holidays
- Big Book of Christmas Crochet Patterns: Make Blankets, DIY Gift Boxes, +++
- A Merry Crochet Christmas Book
Find More Outstanding Craft Books:
This page was last updated on 10-22-2024.