BIRTHSTONE TREASURE BOXES -- Reviewed by Joyce Black
designed by Jan Hatfield, a CP distinguished designer!
from The Needlecraft Shop

PROS

• An optional crocheted teddy bear pattern is included so you do not have to purchase a doll to make these.
• I completed 4 projects from the book and had no trouble with any of them.
• Easy Patterns

CONS

• My only complaint is that I disliked having flip to around within the pamphlet to complete a pattern.

Review Editor's Note: Our reviewer's criticism rests with the layout of the instructions, not the designs. Unfortunatley, designers have little say in the final layout of their pattern instructions.

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This book contains patterns for 12 treasure boxes made using small plastic cool whip or other plastic containers.. The top of the boxes are angels with halos. They are made with 5 3/4" animal or 51/2" girl air freshener dolls

There is an optional crocheted teddy bear pattern included so you do not have to purchase a doll to make these. I appreciated this since I had difficulty locating the air freshener dolls in my area.

I started out by making the bear which was straight forward, easy and cute. (Please see picture with review)

The projects for the dresses are for each month and decorated with "birthstones". You could mix and match colors and dresses. I stuck to the suggestions, substituting the type and shape of stones only when I couldn't find the actual kind in my area.

I completed 4 projects from the book and had no trouble with any of them. The bear is marked at the easy level in this book and everything else is marked as average. My own thoughts on this are that most of the projects are easy. The June and December dolls use a front post crochet, which I would classify average so if you don't wish to tackle that stitch you should avoid them.

**My only complaint is that I disliked having flip to around within the pamphlet to complete a pattern. Others may not mind having to do this, but I do.

Here is an example: In order to make Miss June, I needed to work the first 3 rows of Miss January.

Then back to Miss June for Row 4.

Rows 5-8 are back at Miss January,

Row 9 and several more I am back at Miss June until I need to make the sleeves.

Now I must go back to Miss January make the sleeves, wings, and lid cover.

Then I go to Miss February to make the container cover,

back to Miss January for the finishing details.

Every pattern starts with at least 3 rows from Miss January, so I needed to write myself a note there so I wouldn't just carry on with the directions which is easy to do if you're not really paying attention.

If your mind tends to wander make a note of which one you are making and another note at the end of Row 3 of Miss January especially if you have switched the colors.

In fairness, I will say that you are getting 12 dresses in the book as well as the optional bear pattern and once you have done a few of these you probably have a lot of it memorized anyway.

In closing, I will say that I was pleased with the way my 4 projects from this book turned out.

Reviewed by Joyce Black for Crochet Partners and the Doll Crochet Parlour. Posted here 8/96 jblack@uniserve.com