Customer Reviews

Simple Crochet for Cherished Babies

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(7)
1 star:		(8)

 

 

The baby items in this book are absolutely gorgeous. I made the "Heirloom Blanket" featured at the end of the book and it is really beautiful, and it was very easy to make as well. I've made baby blankets before, but I think this will end up being my favorite pattern for them in the future.

The patterns do use mainly single and double crochet (which I thought would be great since that is just about all I can do with a crochet hook anyway), and while I make blankets, scarves, and hats pretty often, I hadn't tried booties and sweaters before. I'd be tempted to say the problems I had making the booties and sweaters in the book were my inexperience, but for a few things like missing words (I think her editor has let the author down in some places) and diagrams with measurements on some sides but not others. I was making a raglan sleeve for a really beautiful little sweater and the diagram shows the sleeve as equal widths on both ends, and wider in the middle. Well, if you've made a raglan sleeve before, which I hadn't, you know that it actually almost comes to a point on one end, the end that connects to the neck. A more experienced crocheter might have realized it was ok when the sleeve started shrinking dramatically on one end and the diagram showed something else, but I was thrown for a loop.

I do recommend this book because it has such beautiful things in it and the blankets at the end are so nice (and worked out perfectly for me), but it might be best for experienced crocheters or beginners who can tolerate some confusion. I haven't given up on it, not by a long shot.

I have crocheted for over 35 years, and have done every type of crochet possible, and NEVER ever had more than a tiny problem with directions. This book is a nightmare of non-information and incorrect directions. I can't believe it was sent out to the public like this. And now, from reading other reviews, newer crocheters worry that it is their inexperience that caused their frustrations. This was the biggest waste of money I have done in ages. I never even expected to NOT be able to understand it, since it IS suupposed to be SIMPLE CROCHET. Even if it were advanced crochet, it is a mess. I wish I could stop every single person who is reaching out for this book to PUT IT BACK. If you ARE more advanced, then you can figure out a lot of the pictures for yourself, and save your energy and......money. Terrible, Terrible.....TERRIBLE !!
Sincerely,
Deborah May
Oregon

I was so excited to find this book. The designs are gorgeous. The patterns, however, are useless. While I consider myself an advanced crochter, I have had to repeatedly re-do and modify all of the half dozen projects I've completed from this book. I am convinced that there was not a pattern tester involved in the publication of this book. At best, this book is useful for inspiration. At worst, it is frustrating to put a lot of work into something and not have it come out right. I would like to see this author and publisher clean these patterns up and issue a second edition. Until then, I wouldn't bother.

I have made the toy balls, the lamb and the the turtle from this book and would have to agree with all the comments made about this book - the designs are absolutely beautiful, it is excellent for ideas and inspiration, but I would only recommend it for experienced crocheter's who are able to work out increasing/decreasing themselves and don't need specific instructions. I found that two patterns (lamb and the toy balls) describe the same procedure (how to make a spherical object) in two completely different ways, both very confusing - I ending up just using the instructions as a "guide" and working out most of it myself.

That being said, the finished items are completely adorable and fantastic gifts.

So, if you are a confident crocheter I would recommend this book. The main rule to follow is to trust your instinct - if it doesn't look right, it probably isn't, so rip it out and redo it if you feel you need to.

For less experienced crocheter's I would suggest that you look at the pictures for inspiration and ideas and perhaps look for a book with more reliable instructions.

Its a shame as this book would sell like absolute hot-cakes if the instructions lived up to the promise of the pictures.

I have been an avid crocheter for almost 40 years. I have taught knit and crochet for 25. This book is FULL of beautiful things that are impossible to make from the patterns. I have had to rip out, redo, and rewrite all but the simplest afghan patterns in this book.

Jane Davis and her publisher should be personally taken to court and sued for the time wasted in frustration by every crocheter who has purchased this book! Maybe then they'll learn to proof and test before they unleash shlock like this on an unsuspecting public!

I love every piece in this book they all look gorgeous BUT the instructions for the patterns are very poor. Vague at best and I found myself trying to figure out how to finish items on my own. It was dissapointing since the pieces are so great looking. Most of the patterns are labled intermediate but I'm not too sure about that, if the instructions were worded better this book would be my favorite.

The patterns are really very beautiful, and I do not regret buying the book at all. However, I have yet to complete a project from the book.

I started on a dress for my younger daughter. Checked the gauge to make certain I was using the correct size hook & yarn. Everything checked out there. I followed the directions for the biggest size, since after measuring my daughter that's what she would apparently need. After finishing the bodice of the dress, I laid it on my daughter to check. Too small. I measured the piece and checked it agains the schematic in the book. Even though the piece was the right size according to the book, it was simply too small for my daughter. And she is not a huge infant, either. I'm loathe to try any of the other clothes for fear of the same thing happening again.

I admit, though, that there's a possibility still that the problem might be mine. The book is still well worth it for the help it gave me in designing my own garments and for the items (blankets, toys) where size isn't as important.

As most other reviewers have mentioned, this book has by far the cutest pictures and items for babies - I picked it up because it was the only one with patterns that I would actually make! Imagine my disappointment and discouragement when I start making a very simple and very small item - the little booty with foldover top - and the pattern so obviously does not work! Anyone making this little sock would realize immediately that the 14 rows in the ankle part are only enough to go halfway around the sock opening! Could someone have made this pattern with real yarn before publishing this book?!?? If I have to rip out all my stitches and redo the fit, I might as well throw the entire pattern away and write my own book. I have been crocheting for about 4 years, but I could certainly write a better pattern than this!

I took this book out from the library. I'm glad, because I won't buy it. On the plus side, the pictures are nice and some of the projects are really beautiful. But it's called "Simple Crochet" and EVERY pattern but ONE is labelled "intermediate." The one "beginner" pattern is for a crocheted ball, not a garment. I was hoping for some "simple" garments, but I see none. And I'm afraid to try the intermediate patterns because I really am a beginner. Maybe the title is inappropriate.

I was really excited when I got this book because many baby patterns in other books are pretty ugly and shapeless. This one has *adorable* pictures and very, very cute designs. There are mistakes in the patterns, however. I often found myself having to scrap the written pattern, look at the pictures, and make things up as I went along to try and approximate. This is not why I bought a pattern book! If I had wanted to make up my own patterns, I'd do so. When I buy a book, I expect to be able to follow it. I also expect the author and publisher to have tested the patterns for errors or confusing parts. I don't believe that was done here, which is pretty disappointing.