Customer Reviews

Baby Knits: 32 Original Designs for 0-3 Year Olds

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

 

 

Any knitter knows how hard it is to find good patterns for toddler sizes. Debbie Bliss fills this gap with 32 original patterns, ranging from the tradition of arans and fair isles to the trendiness of western and Chanel-inspired designs. The difficulty levels range from basics even a beginner could complete, to expert, which would challenge the most experienced knitter. Since the patterns will not go out of style, and since the difficulty levels will allow the knitter to "grow" with the book, I would advise even knitters with no small children to knit for right now to get this book for their libraries

I own this book and have used it to make baby gifts. Be warned that the sizing is quite generous....my average sized daughter was still wearing a sweater from this book supposedly meant for a 12 month old baby when she fit into a 3T!

The pictures are beautiful and the patterns are creative. The jacket on this book implies that the patterns in the book are "easy" patterns. I am afraid they are far from easy! This book is geared toward the more advanced knitter. If you are comfortable with more complicated knitting techniques you will find this book a great source for knitting ideas.

The patterns in this book are clear, accurate, and well laid out. The designs -- sweaters, hats, jackets, and playsuits -- are varied and beautiful, classic without being dull. They are written in the traditional way, without charts or diagrams, but there is a glossary of abbreviations. There are no basic knitting instructions.
I have made several things from this book and, while some are challenging, all the projects can be made by a competent knitter without difficulty. I have never had to go back and read over the directions several times to make sense of them, as one has to do with some books. The photographs of the garments are attractive and clearly show how the finished piece will look.
Projects include a bunny suit with matching hat and slippers (use bobbins for this one!), a really quick and easy fisherman's rib set, a rose-patterned cardigan, a whimsical cowboy shirt sweater, and a number of traditional European styles. None looks the least bit old-fashioned, even though the book is nearly 30 years old. I expect my grandchildren, if I ever have any, to be just as cute in the bunny suit as my children were!
Some knitters hesitate to knit for little children because they grow out of their clothes so quickly. This book could make them reconsider. Knitting for babies and little children is such a pleasure! And sometimes it is nice to try out new methods on a small project. Then, if Baby outgrows the sweater before it wears out, set it aside for the next child, or the next generation!

Found a couple really cute patterns here, but when I tried to make one of them I was totally frustrated. The pattern says to "continue in pattern" without allowing for any decreases. After 3 days of test swatches, I determined it is nearly impossible to knit the pattern as written in the size I wanted. I ended up substituting a different stitch pattern in order to make it work. Not how a good pattern book should be written.

I am a relatively new knitter, and I bought this book because I had heard good things about this designer. I did think that several items in the book were cute, but for the most part, the designs seemed overly complicated and hard to follow. I would probably not make sweaters as complex as the ones shown for myself, let alone for a small child that would only wear a sweater a handful of times.

This is an early Debbie Bliss pattern book. I didn't like many of the patterns. They are too chunky for my taste. They have a "dated" look. I prefer her newer books that use thinner yarns with classic designs that look timeless.