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Crochet Ragdoll Friends: 36 New Dolls to Make
Crochet a new best friend! Sascha is back with this exciting collection of 36 new ragdolls, including adult and baby pairs of animals and fantasy creatures such as dragons and dinosaurs. She's also introducing friends from around the world, such as kokeshi dolls, Santa Claus and reindeer, kangaroos and koalas, giraffes, sloths, hedgehogs, flamingos and more. So many cute dolls—great for baby gifts and using up small bits of yarn—and they work up quickly for near-instant gratification. Favorites
- GenresNonfictionCrafts
192 pages, Paperback
Published April 1, 2023
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Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews
February 28, 2023
This is a fine book that will be a great addition to any crocheter’s library. The style of toys is immediately unique and recognizable, making it a stand-out from the abundance of lesser quality free patterns that are available. The designs in this one are diverse and very well patterned. They are easy to follow, and the illustrations are both helpful and inspiring.
February 24, 2023
Crochet Ragdoll Friends is an amazing pattern book of various sized ragdoll animals and creatures. The book gives basic information on fiber choices and stitch descriptions, which is helpful for beginners. The patterns themselves are very easy to read. My kids loved all of the animals that are in the book and have asked me to make them multiple items! I also really enjoy that there are patterns for two different sized creatures for each type. Overall a very great book for anyone who wants to make little lovies for the kiddos!
February 14, 2023
I am a big crocheter and this book is a great addition to my library. The pictures are clear and the directions are easy to follow. I love how the author has a good variety of characters to crochet. I think that even if you are a beginner, you will be able to understand the directions.
What shall I make first? Sloth! They are all so cute, it will be hard to decide.
Many thanks to the author and NetGalley for a complimentary copy of the book. The opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.
What shall I make first? Sloth! They are all so cute, it will be hard to decide.
Many thanks to the author and NetGalley for a complimentary copy of the book. The opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.
March 7, 2023
"Ragdoll" is a translation of the Dutch word "lappenpoppen" and this book is translated from Dutch, so there are moments when the phrasing sounds a little odd. The book uses US crochet terms, though, so it's not hard to follow. What makes these different from all the other small crocheted animals/dolls out there is that these have unstuffed bodies, with the head stuffed but the body able to lie flat on a pillow, or stretched out on a dresser or table . Also possibly easier for small hands to grasp! There's a wide variety of dolls here, including parent and baby versions of many animals. The finished sizes range from about 4 inches, to over 13 inches, if one uses the yarns suggested. A US reader might have to look online to find those yarns, though, as they are ones commonly for sale in Europe but not as commonly in the US. Alternatively, one could look up the suggested yarns and look at the fiber content and gauge on the label, then look for a US-available yarn with the same gauge. The book does suggest that you can use other weights of yarns, as long as you use a crochet hook that is smaller than the size recommended for that yarn, to get a tight stitch. The sizes will come out different if you use a different yarn, though.
One of the patterns I really liked was the dachshund, because it includes a picture tutorial for making crocheted and sewn on eyes, as an alternative to safety eyes. The leopard and baby leopard are particularly cute, and examples are shown of them in other-than-traditional colors: a leopard with turquoise spots!
I would say that although the book gives basic stitch instructions, it's not a beginner's book - there's a background level of familiarity with crochet that's assumed. One suggestion: have plenty of removable stitch markers on hand; the instructions for assembling the pieces include things like "Sew an arm to each side of the body between rounds 1 and 3." For that reason, read the entire pattern before you start, so that you'll know ahead of time which rows to place stitch markers on for eventually attaching arms, legs, head, tails, etc.
I appreciate NetGalley giving me the opportunity to read this book and try these unusual patterns; this is a creative addition to my crochet collection!
One of the patterns I really liked was the dachshund, because it includes a picture tutorial for making crocheted and sewn on eyes, as an alternative to safety eyes. The leopard and baby leopard are particularly cute, and examples are shown of them in other-than-traditional colors: a leopard with turquoise spots!
I would say that although the book gives basic stitch instructions, it's not a beginner's book - there's a background level of familiarity with crochet that's assumed. One suggestion: have plenty of removable stitch markers on hand; the instructions for assembling the pieces include things like "Sew an arm to each side of the body between rounds 1 and 3." For that reason, read the entire pattern before you start, so that you'll know ahead of time which rows to place stitch markers on for eventually attaching arms, legs, head, tails, etc.
I appreciate NetGalley giving me the opportunity to read this book and try these unusual patterns; this is a creative addition to my crochet collection!
February 13, 2023
I requested this book through Net galley for review. This is the sort of book right up my alley! I run a sit and stitch at our local library and love to make baby gifts.
Our library already has the first the book by this author, if they were not already ordering it, I would recommend that they do so. This one is even cuter than the first one. I had already seen the first book in this series so had an idea what to expect.
Immediately, I was struck with all the possibilities here. Many of the patterns are an adult version and baby version (parent/child). My favorites included the hedgehog , dragon, dinosaur and reindeer. And I’m interested in making the leopard, and cow just because they look even more challenging.
It was a toss up for me between the dragon and reindeer as which to start first. Based on what I had on hand I started the dragon. He’s worked up pretty fast I think he could be done in a weekend or couple evenings easily to make up a fast baby gift. (I may have held off making the wings until I bought some sparkly yarn!) Next I plan on making the reindeer pretty much for my own enjoyment, how cute would it be for a coaster on my desk?!
This book was everything I like in a crochet book. It was easy to follow (directions clear, pictures to clarify where things sewn together), for the most part I had all the supplies on hand or easy to get, it worked up fast to make that one of kind baby gift, and I could see myself using it for other things. Highly recommend!
Our library already has the first the book by this author, if they were not already ordering it, I would recommend that they do so. This one is even cuter than the first one. I had already seen the first book in this series so had an idea what to expect.
Immediately, I was struck with all the possibilities here. Many of the patterns are an adult version and baby version (parent/child). My favorites included the hedgehog , dragon, dinosaur and reindeer. And I’m interested in making the leopard, and cow just because they look even more challenging.
It was a toss up for me between the dragon and reindeer as which to start first. Based on what I had on hand I started the dragon. He’s worked up pretty fast I think he could be done in a weekend or couple evenings easily to make up a fast baby gift. (I may have held off making the wings until I bought some sparkly yarn!) Next I plan on making the reindeer pretty much for my own enjoyment, how cute would it be for a coaster on my desk?!
This book was everything I like in a crochet book. It was easy to follow (directions clear, pictures to clarify where things sewn together), for the most part I had all the supplies on hand or easy to get, it worked up fast to make that one of kind baby gift, and I could see myself using it for other things. Highly recommend!
March 11, 2023
Originally posted on my blog Nonstop Reader.
Crochet Ragdoll Friends is a tutorial guide with patterns for crocheted ragdolls by Sascha Blase-van Wagtendonk. Due out 1st April 2023 from Rowman & Littlefield on their Stackpole Books imprint, it's 192 pages and will be available in paperback and ebook formats.
The book is attractively and logically laid out, with clear and appealing graphics. It's lavishly illustrated and I really appreciated the closeness and detail of the photographs. It's really easy to see what the author is doing in the pictures.
The introduction covers the basics of stitch, materials choices, tools and supplies. Absolute beginners to crochet will almost certainly need additional help to learn the basics, but youtube or a crocheting friend should be sufficient. The tutorials are well written and the dolls are adorable and well made. They would make welcome gifts or donation items for local children's hospitals or shelters.
Very well done and a nice selection of patterns which are fundamentally different from one another, giving the reader a broad platform for creating alternative dolls.
Five stars. Well worth a read for crochet interested readers.
Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.
Crochet Ragdoll Friends is a tutorial guide with patterns for crocheted ragdolls by Sascha Blase-van Wagtendonk. Due out 1st April 2023 from Rowman & Littlefield on their Stackpole Books imprint, it's 192 pages and will be available in paperback and ebook formats.
The book is attractively and logically laid out, with clear and appealing graphics. It's lavishly illustrated and I really appreciated the closeness and detail of the photographs. It's really easy to see what the author is doing in the pictures.
The introduction covers the basics of stitch, materials choices, tools and supplies. Absolute beginners to crochet will almost certainly need additional help to learn the basics, but youtube or a crocheting friend should be sufficient. The tutorials are well written and the dolls are adorable and well made. They would make welcome gifts or donation items for local children's hospitals or shelters.
Very well done and a nice selection of patterns which are fundamentally different from one another, giving the reader a broad platform for creating alternative dolls.
Five stars. Well worth a read for crochet interested readers.
Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.
April 4, 2023
Crochet Ragdoll Friends: 36 New Dolls to Make by Sascha Blase-Van Wagtendonk is currently scheduled for release on April 1 2023. This is a new collection of 36 ragdolls, including adult and baby pairs of animals and fantasy creatures such as dragons and dinosaurs; friends from around the world, such as kokeshi dolls, Santa Claus and reindeer, kangaroos and koalas, giraffes, and flamingos. So many cute dolls—great for baby gifts and using up small bits of yarn—and they work up quickly for near-instant gratification.
Crochet Ragdoll Friends is cute collection of relatively quick and easy dolls to make. I liked the variety of eyes used in these dolls. I often opt for the safety eyes, because they are so easy and look great, but I like having a variety of options. I thought the patterns were well varied, and easy to follow. I also liked that there was a difficulty rating for each one, sometimes even the most practiced crocheter wants to do something quick and easy. While some of the patterns are something you could find elsewhere, I think this is a solid collection, and overall very cute. I think I might be stitching up some hedgehogs in the near future.
Crochet Ragdoll Friends is cute collection of relatively quick and easy dolls to make. I liked the variety of eyes used in these dolls. I often opt for the safety eyes, because they are so easy and look great, but I like having a variety of options. I thought the patterns were well varied, and easy to follow. I also liked that there was a difficulty rating for each one, sometimes even the most practiced crocheter wants to do something quick and easy. While some of the patterns are something you could find elsewhere, I think this is a solid collection, and overall very cute. I think I might be stitching up some hedgehogs in the near future.
April 18, 2023
First the good news . . .
There are a whopping 36 projects in this book! That's astounding. Also, I wish more pattern books were like this one in that the author just assumes you ALREADY KNOW HOW to crochet, and wastes only a precious few pages on the basics. I LOVED the cute, and unusual creatures you can make, and the creator's choice of "mottled," heathery-looking yarns.
What I didn't like . . .
The flat bodies! There's one photo of a trio of crocheted dogs laid out on the floor, and I swear they look just like roadkill. Granted, it's been decades since my kids were small, but if I had given either of them one of these critters, they would have called them pancake puppies, and asked me to stuff the bellies.
Just saying . . .
A big thanks to NetGalley and Stackpole Books for the preview.
There are a whopping 36 projects in this book! That's astounding. Also, I wish more pattern books were like this one in that the author just assumes you ALREADY KNOW HOW to crochet, and wastes only a precious few pages on the basics. I LOVED the cute, and unusual creatures you can make, and the creator's choice of "mottled," heathery-looking yarns.
What I didn't like . . .
The flat bodies! There's one photo of a trio of crocheted dogs laid out on the floor, and I swear they look just like roadkill. Granted, it's been decades since my kids were small, but if I had given either of them one of these critters, they would have called them pancake puppies, and asked me to stuff the bellies.
Just saying . . .
A big thanks to NetGalley and Stackpole Books for the preview.
February 16, 2023
Very interesting tutorial along with patterns for “rag dolls” that are crocheted.
I like that the author explains all of the stitches and illustrates them as well, very helpful if you are new to crocheting. Also she rates her own patterns on the degree of difficulty..
So if you are new to crochet…perhaps a one or two is the place to start, but if you are very experienced , you could try the five.
The only complaint I have is that the “rag dolls” bodies are mostly flat and I was kind of expecting something more like the old fashioned sock monkey , but with a bit of thinking you could stuff as you please here.
I liked this book and will recommend it to crocheters.
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for allowing me this ARC.
I like that the author explains all of the stitches and illustrates them as well, very helpful if you are new to crocheting. Also she rates her own patterns on the degree of difficulty..
So if you are new to crochet…perhaps a one or two is the place to start, but if you are very experienced , you could try the five.
The only complaint I have is that the “rag dolls” bodies are mostly flat and I was kind of expecting something more like the old fashioned sock monkey , but with a bit of thinking you could stuff as you please here.
I liked this book and will recommend it to crocheters.
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for allowing me this ARC.
March 25, 2023
As a novice crocheter, my review of this book is based solely on my limited experience in this craft. Initially, I found the book to be overwhelming due to unfamiliar terminology, but the detailed explanations provided within the book helped me gain confidence and put me at ease. While the book includes numerous helpful pictures, I would have appreciated a few more during the more complex sections. Nonetheless, the existing photos are quite impressive.
Overall, I found this book to be an enjoyable resource. While my inexperience and lack of skill led to some disappointing results, I attribute this to my own shortcomings rather than any flaw in the book. I was able to produce some silly friends and am excited to continue practicing my newfound hobby with the aid of this book.
Overall, I found this book to be an enjoyable resource. While my inexperience and lack of skill led to some disappointing results, I attribute this to my own shortcomings rather than any flaw in the book. I was able to produce some silly friends and am excited to continue practicing my newfound hobby with the aid of this book.
November 2, 2025
So what do you do when you have made almost all the ragdolls in the first volume of this delightfull book? Well, be really grateful there is a second one with lots of new animal friends to make!
There is a little variety here with the shapes of bodies and heads and different types of eyes to use, so it's a great addition to the collection! Otherwise, I can just cite myself from my review of Vol. 1, because it's all just true:
"The patterns are well written and should be easy to follow by any crocheter who has a couple projects under their belt. The basics section in this book is pretty rudamentary, so you should already be familiar with basic stitches and concepts like changing colour."
There is a little variety here with the shapes of bodies and heads and different types of eyes to use, so it's a great addition to the collection! Otherwise, I can just cite myself from my review of Vol. 1, because it's all just true:
"The patterns are well written and should be easy to follow by any crocheter who has a couple projects under their belt. The basics section in this book is pretty rudamentary, so you should already be familiar with basic stitches and concepts like changing colour."
March 23, 2023
Crochet Ragdoll Friends is a great book for making cute quick ragdoll friends.
Sascha Blase-Van Wagtendonk does a great job of presenting the basics of yarn, stitches, and pattern reading in an easy to understand method. The use the visuals helps a beginner follow along, or an intermediate crafter with refreshing their memory for these techniques.
I really love the cute and whimsical patterns that are included! As a bonus she also has a smaller version of each larger crochet pattern perfect for little toys.
This is a great book for whipping up a quick present, and the patterns are adorable!
Sascha Blase-Van Wagtendonk does a great job of presenting the basics of yarn, stitches, and pattern reading in an easy to understand method. The use the visuals helps a beginner follow along, or an intermediate crafter with refreshing their memory for these techniques.
I really love the cute and whimsical patterns that are included! As a bonus she also has a smaller version of each larger crochet pattern perfect for little toys.
This is a great book for whipping up a quick present, and the patterns are adorable!
February 8, 2023
Thank you so much for an arc of Crochet Ragdoll Friends!
What a lovely crochet book! The patterns are very clear and understandable. The explanation of stitches are easy to understand. Every single pattern in this book is adorable. My personal favorite is the set of pigs. Pigs are always adorable. The ragdolls in this book make perfect little cuddle buddies for the little humans in your life.
What a lovely crochet book! The patterns are very clear and understandable. The explanation of stitches are easy to understand. Every single pattern in this book is adorable. My personal favorite is the set of pigs. Pigs are always adorable. The ragdolls in this book make perfect little cuddle buddies for the little humans in your life.
February 18, 2023
Nice variety of arigami ragdoll patterns to choose from. Good choice for all skill levels. Easy to follow patterns, although some Illustrations for the pattern stitches are hard to view on the kindle because they were blackened out or fuzzy so if you are newer to crochet that could be harder for you. Overall a cute book. Crochet doesn't get noticed as much as it should. Thanks NetGalley and the publisher for the advance ecopy.
March 19, 2023
This book is really cute, full of great designs and well presented with clear and appealing images, which were really detailed and highlighted well what was happening in the pictures.The introduction covers the basics and beginners will need additional help I feel. The instructions are well written and using plain English. Gorgeous book
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
April 1, 2023
An in depth guide for all skill levels, guaranteed to boost your confidence and bring a smile to the new owner of your ragdoll. The crochet world has changed so much since I first learned more years ago than I care to admit but with easy to follow references and fantastic patterns, what looks hard is really easy. I've made several of the dolls already and have the next few on my hook right now. Treat yourself.....buy the book.
February 4, 2023
I want to thank Netgalley and the author for gifting me the ebook. I have recently seen these items getting more and more popular. They are really cute and kind of folk arty. The pictures are clear and the patterns are very clear and easy to understand and read. Highly recommend for crocheters out there.
February 9, 2023
Crochet Ragsoll Fruends is probably one of the most adorable books on the topic I’ve seen. The instructions are well Kaye’s out easy to follow and the pictures are great. Each little friend is adorable and I am in love with the hedgehog, dragon and flamingo. Such any Sky child would be so lucky to have such a lovingly hand made toy. I highly recommend this one it’s simply awesome!
February 14, 2023
This book has 36 patterns for rag dolls, including parent and baby animals, dragons, dinosaur, Santa Claus, reindeer, kangaroos, and more. The difficulty level for each pattern is shown on the beginning page of each pattern, and all materials are clearly listed. The patterns are well explained and the pictures are clear.
May 14, 2023
These rag dolls are so cute and turn out amazing. The patterns are super easy to follow along to. This is the second crochet pattern book I have from this author and I'm in love with her designs. I made some from family and a couple for some coworkers. My favorite of the 36 patterns was the dragon.
March 27, 2023
I've only been crocheting for a short time and truly appreciate books, like this one, that include a stitch guide.
The directions for each ragdoll pattern are simple and straightforward, and when I forget a stitch, I just flip back to the guide.
Depending upon the materials you choose, these are great from littles and furbabies.
The directions for each ragdoll pattern are simple and straightforward, and when I forget a stitch, I just flip back to the guide.
Depending upon the materials you choose, these are great from littles and furbabies.
February 4, 2023
Love the patterns in this book. Several I want to make. The patterns are well written. And come out too cute.
April 2, 2023
As a veteran at crochet, I found this book to contain many delightful patterns with great step-by-step instructions. The little creatures/animals will delight adults and children alike.
partially-read
January 27, 2024SO CUTE!!! This book contains detailed instructions with photographs and illustrations on how to make some of the most adorable crocheted dolls I've ever seen! What it teaches can be used to create any character one can think of, animal or alien. I look forward to making my own version of these, after getting a bit more crochet experience.
The author of this book is a super talented fiber artist from the Netherlands, and several of the ragdoll designs seen in this book can be found on her website, here: https://alasascha.com/patronen/lappen...
The publisher sent me a digital Advance Reader Copy (ARC) of this book via NetGalley, for which I'm really grateful, and these are my honest thoughts.
The author of this book is a super talented fiber artist from the Netherlands, and several of the ragdoll designs seen in this book can be found on her website, here: https://alasascha.com/patronen/lappen...
The publisher sent me a digital Advance Reader Copy (ARC) of this book via NetGalley, for which I'm really grateful, and these are my honest thoughts.
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