Just yesterday, I decided to order some magazines from Duplet-Crochet (formerly The Lado Shop on Etsy). These are those beautiful, strange knit and crochet magazines published in Russian. It took me quite a while finding which ones to choose (there are so many issues of the Duplet Magazines!). Here are my initial choices.
Duplet 66 Crochet Magazine
Issue 66 Duplet Crochet Magazine may not have a fantastic cover as most of the Duplet magazines have but I decided on this one because of what seem to be to be something not too complicated to work with. A sample of the inside pages show a lace design that look similar to what I have been developing in the Transformations and Natural Tendencies series. I can also recognize the crochet symbols so I should be able to work with that.
From Duplet 66 Crochet Magazine
My second choice is this one, a beautiful swimsuit issue of the magazine. It’s a special issue, one of three, in a series of crocheted swimsuits and other swimwear. Apart from the swimsuits, I’m interested in using the patterns for designing crocheted lingerie as well as developing new designs for (more) jewelry. The little cover-up in the photo also looks like something that can be further developed into shawls, scarfs, and tops.
Duplet Special Release Swimsuits #3
Now, crochet swimwear and underwear have been quite a topic of discussion with girlfriends on Ravelry and I thought that maybe I should give it a try. Actually, I’ve done crocheted bras (for men) which was just a hack of a design I found in the book “100 Crochet Projects.” Well, this time, I’d like to design my own stuff.
My third choice is this magazine which probably has more complex patterns and ideas in it, Duplet Magazine Issue 112. The patterns involve the use of ribbons and laces which I have never done before. So I’m not sure if this will work out but I thought that I would get something that presents work that is beyond what I’ve been doing so far.
Duplet 112 Crochet Magazine
There are also some very interesting motifs in the books which seem to be worked in filet crochet such as this one.
Duplet 112 Crochet Magazine
My last selection is this one, Issue 76 Duplet Magazine, which has some children’s crocheted clothing in it as well. I selected this issue of the magazine because it looks so candy-sweet and looks easy enough to follow – or so I thought! But what the heck – there’s only one way to learn more and that’s moving forward with things not done before!
Duplet 76 Crochet Magazine
Okay, I know you’ve all probably seen these pages on the Google photos and you’ve probably collected them all. I tried that too but my Internet connection has the speed of snail on prozac. Also, I really prefer to work from the actual books, magazines and pages where I can make notes, do traces, draw ideas, etc – all over the pages. Like these motifs (below) were all joined ala Irish Crochet techniques. I have Dillmont’s book as well as a lot of PDFs from the Antique Pattern Library on crochet which includes this technique and I’ve not yet fully worked out how to do this. I am hoping that Duplet’s modern implementation of these techniques will inspire and help me out.
Duplet 76 Crochet Magazine
The magazines should arrive before the end of this month. In the meantime I am finishing the Derivatives series of beaded crochet jewelry. After that, I’ll be developing new projects through these Duplet magazines.
The Duplet-Crochet website says that “Duplet magazine actually is something like a crochet school. It is full of ideas, motifs and different elements, i.e. of assembling parts (or “bricks” if you want) you should use to create your own wear and be inspired by some exclusive designer’s models printed in the magazine.”
I have developed new designs using Japanese crochet magazines and I don’t read Japanese. The crochet symbols are very helpful and it’s from those that I get ideas and inspiration. The picture also help a lot. This is what I am expecting from these Russian magazines, and it is quite true that in this sense, the magazine is “like a crochet school.”
If you’re getting one of those magazines (please let Irene of Duplet-Crochet know that you got the info from Crochetology.net!), and especially if you’re getting the same ones that I got, then we can work together. I’ll be documenting my working process here on Crochetology.net.
Good luck!
