Baby crochet books?

[espap]

Hi all,

 

I am pregnant with my third baby and I recently took up crochet and what can I say, I am hooked!

 

I would like to buy a book with baby/toddler patterns. My main consideration is the patterns to be error-free, because as a novice, I cannot even realise there is an error, let along rectify it. I was going to get a debbie bliss book, but I heard the patterns have errors.

 

Any recommendations for something easy to follow? I find begginers patterns boring, I don't mind intermediate patterns as long as the instructions are clear and not hard to decipher, if you know what I mean.

 

What about Candy babies by Candi Jensen?

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1931543542/qid=1133770797/sr=8-1/ref=pd_bbs_1/002-5159790-2652056?n=507846&s=books&v=glance

 

Thank you

 

Esther

[buggaboosmommy]

First, congratulations on your pregnancy. I have three children..there is a special place in Heaven for mother's of three kids, lol

 

Anyway, ANY of Candi Jensen's books are awesome! I have Candy babies, candy blankies, and her toddler one..can't remember the name. I have used Candy Babies MANY times and really enjoyed it. There are sweater patterns, dress patterns, pants, hats, boots, etc. It's really a nice book!!

 

Donna

[hudelei]

Simple Crochet for Cherished Babies by Jane Davis is one to avoid. The things in that book are so lovely! They really are. I can tell you for a fact, however, that the patterns themselves have problems and if you don't want to struggle, you should skip that particular book. It was one of the first crochet books I bought because it looked so good and seemed so well put together and boy, did I learn a lesson!

[CraftyShannon]

I saw Simple Crochet for Cherished Babies on sale at Hobby Lobby and almost bought it because I loved the pictures. My lack of funds got in the way. Later, I read the reader reviews at amazon.com and am glad I didn't get it. Everyone says the same thing about it being too hard to understand.

 

I recently bought another one called "Too Cute Crochet", which is mostly hats with some botties, mittens, and purses. I loved the pictures, but I haven't had time to try anything yet to know if the patterns are okay.

[Melissa]

I have adorable crochet for babies and toddlers, and I haven't made anything from it so far, but I'm totally in love with some of the designs. Congrats!

[winstongang]

Definetely go with anything from Candi Jensen..her stuff is awesome

 

Megan

[Sabra]

Ms Jensen's books are hardly without problems, though. I've made a handful of projects out of both Candy Babies and Candy Tots and there are several inconsistencies with her patterns. What leaps immediately to mind is the dress from the back cover of one of them (Candy Babies, I think, though without the books right in front of me I cannot be sure)...It was and HDC stitch used, and there were two different techniques for the starting chain used in the same pattern. One had you chaining something like 24 and then winding up with 22 HDC, the other had the same number of HDC as the end product, but only 23 chains.

 

She also fails to explain some things very well. Candy Tots has several patterns using the intarsia technique (more using that technique than any other, in fact), and yet this is the entire explanation of it in the book:

 

Intarsia

All the Argyle designs are worked with

separate bobbins of individual colors so

there are no long strands of yarn. When

changing color, pick up new color from

under dropped color to prevent holes.

 

Truly not much explanation for a fairly advanced technique.

 

I have to also note the frustration several people (including myself) have with the fact that, on so many of the patterns, there is armhole shaping only on the back, and none on the front. It doesn't make for the best look in the finished project.

 

All that said, though, they are among the simplest books for babies. Of course, if you're looking for clothes specifically newborn sized, don't bother. The smallest are 3 months, if memory serves.

[hudelei]

I thought of another book I've got other than the infernal Simple Crochet for Cherished Babies and that's Crochet for Tots: 20 Fresh and Fun Designs by Nancy Queen. I have only attempted one project from this book (a toddler sweater with 3/4-length sleeves trimmed in a contrasting color, all single crochet) and it was very quick and easy. I finished everything but the contrasting stitches around the edges and then was overtaken by a lot of Christmas projects that had to be finished and so it will be January before I finish it off.

 

The stitches are simple, and I found the patterns easy to follow, but I did find myself wishing there were more shaping. There isn't any armhole shaping on the little sweater I made (and on Craftster, someone posted pics of two sweaters by that same pattern, if you want to check that out: http://www.craftster.org/forum/index.php?topic=5056.0 or there are two more sweaters here: http://www.craftster.org/forum/index.php?topic=30723.0 ) but I won't really know if that makes any difference to how it looks on until I finish it, I suppose. Once you have it on the child, it may look perfectly fine (and the kids in the pictures in the book look cute in their outfits, except for one or two really ugly patterns I wouldn't have attempted anyway).

 

I would say flip through the book at a bookshop and see if there are patterns you'd like to try in it. I found the instructions easy and reliable, and that is a great start!