Harry Potter: The Official Book of Crochet Amigurumi

Crochet designer Anne debuts with a bewitching compilation of amigurumi projects inspired by the Harry Potter franchise. The designs are remarkably successful in recreating the characters’ look and spirit. For instance, Luna Lovegood wears her signature pink and blue Spectrespecs glasses, herbology professor Pomona Sprout sports a characteristically rumpled hat and earmuffs, and Hagrid’s unruly beard is achieved by stringing together numerous curling locks. While some of the easier projects are a bit bland (the Quidditch snitch looks like an orange with wings), they provide an entry point for beginners who might be overwhelmed by the high number of intermediate and advanced projects. (Anne estimates that even after all the pieces of Fluffy the three-headed dog have been crocheted, just sewing them together can take up to three hours.) However, the involved construction methods are worth the effort and reflect Anne’s eye for detail. For example, the troll’s warts are recreated with small knots on his feet; picot stitch detailing adorns the top of the chocolate frog’s box; and the Howler talking letter appears to be a standard red envelope until unfolded, when it resembles a mouth snarled in outrage. Anne succeeds in capturing the magic of the Wizarding World. (Sept.)