Customer Reviews

The Baby Knits Book: The Ultimate Collection of Knitwear Designs for Newborns to 3-Year-Olds

5 star:		(8)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(5)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I loved looking at the projects in this book. However, my first attempt, was very frustrating - cable & seed stitch jacket. There is an error in the beginning, and one of the cable stitches is wrong on the back. See row 17, pag 64 - make sure you do the cable on the K4. I thought it odd when I first started the row (since it's a repeat row for 7 more inches) but kept going -- but I had to rip it out at 5 inches when it looked very, very bad.

If you are not experienced, you won't know how to finish the pockets either. The top of the outside appears in pictures to be seed-stitched, but no directions for finishing the pocket appears, EVER!!

I see all the rave reviews, but while I love the pictures, I am amazed that there were such major errors or ommissions on the first one I tried. I am hopeful because the projects are beautiful. I consider myself an experienced knitter, knitting for over 20 years; and this sweater should have been a snap. Instead, I was almost in tears with frustration. I am not sure if no one in previous reviews noticed this missing cable, or no one who reviewed tried this sweater.

Make sure you do a gauge with your needle and yarn, because this one was off - suggested an 8..I used a 6.

I'm trying to make the cable and moss stitch jacket on page 67. The back calls for casting on 72 stitches for a 6-12 mos. If knit to gauge that is 16" across the back. The fronts call for casting on 36 stitches for each side. This is a pattern for one HUGE baby. Its big enough around for an average-sized woman!

Also, the errata sheet on Debbie's website forgets to include the missed cable on the back of the sweater.

This is not what I would expect from UK's so-called top knitting designer, especially when there are 4 other patterns with errors as well. Very frustrating.

She does beautiful baby clothes, traditional and delicate. But the pictures are more enchanting than the garments themselves. They are recycled, a habit with her. I love the pictures, but maybe I should frame and hang them instead of try to make them. It seems to me she should stop putting out books with overly similar patterns and fix the issues she's having with her instructions.

This book is just filled with absolutely gorgeous patterns. I have recently made the "alphabet block" baby blanket as a gift for a friend's new baby, and though it took quite a long time to make, the results were well worth the effort. I

The pros of this book include some very original, colorful, and beautiful projects that everyone will "ooooh" and "aaaah" over. Elaborately embroidered sweaters, a beaded fair-isle cardigan with matching mary-jane style shoes, textured sweaters, striped jackets, and so forth.

However, I will say that this level of beauty and complexity does not come without some price. Rather than just relaxing with clicking needles in front of the television, I found myself closely following pattern charts with great attention. Most I read over several times before beginning the project, and made certain to read through again while doing any given step.

But I fully agree with previous knitters that the projects are lovely, and can definitely be adapted (particularly the blankets) with less expensive yarns.

I would whole-heartedly recommend this book for those looking to make baby clothing and gifts with a little more "flair", rather than some of the boxier, more simplistic baby things featured in "beginner" books. And while I don't think that any of the patterns are necessarily overly difficult per se, I would not get this as a first knitting book by any means. If you've made a few projects before, and are looking for a greater challenge, and/or to make something really special, then this book is for you.

I am slowly working my way through the patterns in this book and can't recommend it enough. The yarns are lovely and very soft for baby's skin. The patterns range from simple sweaters to more involved projects--but the book has something for every level knitter. One piece of advice--check the eratta page on Bliss's website before beginning a project as two or three in the book have typos that will result in hours of frustration. Overall, a great book to purchase!

Debbie Bliss is the queen of baby knits and this book is her latest and best. The book is separated into 3 chapters: "Simple", "Cozy", and "Special" with projects including a raglan sweater, a fair isle yoked sweater, several unique booties, leggings, jackets, hats, etc. The detailing is fun and very up-to-date. You're sure to find several patterns you *have* to make, ranging in time required from a couple hours to a couple weeks where complexity varies. Though sizes included are from 0 - 3 years, most of the patterns are seem to be written at sizes for the 6 to 24 month old. The photography is beautiful and so are the children - it is a great coffee table book for a knitter as well!

This is absolutely my favorite knitting pattern book for babies. I have made five or six of the projects in this book and they turn out adorable. I've looked at every knitting book for babies that are out there and this one is my favorite.

hint: try your local library to select a book you love and THEN buy it if you really love more than just a couple of patterns.

This is the first book of patterns I ever bought. I disagree with the other reviewer that these are not beginner patterns - they get progressively harder as you go through the book, yes, but compared to almost any other book they are incredibly simple! I have since bought many more books and pamphlets and this is still my favorite. I'm slowly making all of the patterns as I find an excuse (my baby is growing too fast!!). One of my favorite things about it is that it gives detailed instructions on how to do each of the techniques required for a pattern. Each piece highlights a specific technique and I have gotten to be a MUCH better knitter because of it. Granted, the yarn they want you to use is very expensive, but I've had good luck using other, less expensive yarns with the same gauge or using yarns with other gauges (I know, very bad) when it isn't meant to be an heirloom or doesn't really matter what the size is exactly - I figure, baby clothes sizing is so random (my 1 year old wears everything from 0-3 months to 24 months depending on the item and brand) that, especially if it is a gift for a newborn, it doesn't matter much if it is a little snug or a little larger than it is supposed to be for the size - at some point it will fit. This allows me to make a piece with $5 or $6 dollars worth of yarn instead of $50 or $60. In return, this makes the book much cheaper as you make more and more of the items. I LOVE this book!!

I consider myself a fairly skilled knitter, but the patterns I have done so far have their limits. First, the photos don't show much--though they are dang cute kids. Second, the patterns have (rare) charts, and are usually only written instructions. Couple that with many errors in the patterns, and it is difficult at times. Because you have no picture to go by with some of the design details, if the directions are not clear, you have to wing it or give up. Her web site does list error corrections, which helps, but should I have to do that? These are, in the words of Elizabeth Zimmerman, "blind follower" directions, that tell you down to every stitch what to do. It is not much for that rhythmic, meditative knitting--but it has its own appeal, and I come back to her instructions often. The trade-up for these inconvienences are stylish, extremely well -tailored knits. These finished sweaters are the ones that I use most for my own children. Her yarn is very nice and wears well. She only gives gauge over stockinette stitch, not over pattern, a confusing point another reviewer noted--the cable and moss stitch sweater is appropriate to size, because the cables eat up the extra width. I would recommend this book, but with the reservation that you need to spend some time plotting out the knit beforehand, and you need to buy her yarn to get the best end result.

Well use of yarn (Debbie Bliss) to make the final sweater look high quality and attractive on the babies in the photos.
One small weakness -Hard for reader to see the complete sweater pattern without a drawing of the front and back of the sweater pattern in the book. Phots not showing all areas of the sweater.
Other than that, sweaters look great and not hard to knit!