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Inspired by the vibrant bags made by the Wayuu tribe, these tapestry crochet projects are bursting with colour! The book starts with Rianne's techniques for colourwork, carrying the yarn and creating the bases of the bags, illustrated with colourful step-by-step photographs. Then we're onto the ten projects, beginning with a simple hourglass pattern designed for people taking their first steps into tapestry crochet. After that you can move onto floral designs, geometric patterns, stripes and a fun flamingo bag. 

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Inside Crochet, Issue 113

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I adore the projects to crochet. I love the Wayuu bags, the projects have easy to follow patterns with step by step photographs to help you along the way. I recently started to crochet and would say this isn't a book for beginners, like me, however, I am going to aspire to make some of the projects when I have mastered the different stitches. A great book full of lovely projects. 

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Sally Mitton, Customer review

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The colourful, geometric-patterned bags of the Wayuu people, who are native to Colombia and Venezuela, provided the inspiration for the 10 projects in Rianne de Graaf's new book. Start your journey of mochilas (Spanish for "backpack") with the Small Hourglass Bag designed with beginners in mind. Full-colour photos guide you step-by-step through the basic tapestry-crochet technique. Learn how to finish your bag with a woven shoulder strap and kumihimo-bread drawstring. Rianne also provides troubleshooting tips and advice on selecting cotton yarn and the appropriate size of hook.

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Interweave Crochet

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I feel envious of Rianne! Imagine discovering an exotic form of crochet made by a tribe in South America - and which few people have heard of, let alone written about! She first saw Wayuu bags on Pinterest a few years ago, became enthused and wrote this book. The Wayuu tribe live in Venezuela and Colombia on the shores of the Caribbean. Their homes are basic huts, they sleep in hammocks, and they use mochila bags for storing their few possessions. Mochila is the general word for a shoulder bag made in tapestry crochet, and Wayuu is a sort of trademark for the bags made by this tribe - which can sell for £100! But it does take them 3 weeks to complete one.

These are sturdy duffle bags made in vibrant colours and striking geometrical patterns. They are worked in tapestry crochet, in dc over 4-6 strands of 4ply cotton. These carrying yarns lie along the top of the work, and colour changes are made by bringing a new one forward as the working yarn and letting the current one join the other strands.

The bags are finished off with a patterned shoulder strap and drawstring, and sometimes big tassels and pompoms. Traditionally the strap would be crocheted, or woven on a back-strap loom, but Rianne adds an international touch by using ply-split braiding, which originated in North West India, and was used as a neck decoration for camels! The drawstring is made from Kumihimo braid from Japan! Detailed instructions and several designs are given for both. But simple crochet can be used instead.

Rianne gives all the basic instructions for the tapestry crochet, including coloured charts for the designs, and step-by-step photos. She has lots of hints and explanations in her very readable style. There are 10 detailed patterns for bags, attractively photographed. This is quite a tricky technique; it must be said. The simple dc needs 'modelling', and patience is needed to handle the colour changes neatly, and not get all those balls in a tangle. The bag is worked in a spiral, so how to avoid a step at the beginning of a round? We are taught the art of 'staggering' to cope with this. I made a coaster for practice and am looking forward to making my own Wayuu mochila bag soon.

If you like a challenge and are intrigued by new crochet techniques, I would recommend Wayuu Bags to Crochet - as far as I know, it is currently the only book on the subject.

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Sally Magill, Slipknot, The Knitting & Crochet Guild Magazine