Sweet & Simple Baby Crochet by Kristi Simpson- REVIEW

Everyone was excited when the book came in! 

This is my first book review on here so I am going to try and keep it fun and less like a book report.  As promised this is my first of many blogs regarding crochet.  This book is very near and dear to my heart so it had to be the first crochet blog I posted.  (Shameless plug?  Not quite.  Keep reading.)  Sweet & Simple Baby Crochet by Kristi Simpson hit shelves in the Fall of 2013.  It was published by Stackpole Books and can be found on their website for sale here.  There is also a great preview of the book there was well.  Not a big online shopper?  No problem!  Michaels now carries the book as well as many major retailers!

My Crochet Experience
I think at this point I should cover my experience with crochet.  I am a VERY new crocheter!!  I know a lot of people have stories about learning when they were six from a dear loved one.  While my Grandma could crochet I never had the patience to learn when I was younger or the courage to ask her to teach me.  I was easily frustrated and after trying to learn twice as a teen I gave it up.  Then while living in NC I wanted crocheted items for my photography business.  I started buying props and was soon referred to RAKJpatterns.  I learned to crochet through YouTube and I started buying patterns.  Soon enough I made a hat, then two, then I was blazing through all of the new patterns!  I've been crocheting just over two years now so no matter where you are in your crochet journey don't feel intimidated.  For those advanced crocheters I believe you will love the sweet and creative patterns and their ease of use!

Breakdown of the Book
Back to the book!  Ease of use is a big deal for me.  I've read many, many patterns and just looked back at the photo and thought to myself "there is just no way".  I never had that problem with this book.  Or any pattern from RAKJpatterns by Kristi Simpson for that matter.  I have always been hesitant to buy crochet books because of a beginner book I bought as a teen that was far from beginner.  In this book it clearly explains each stitch and there are clear and concise directions on how to work up each pattern.  The book is set up really well and there is no confusion in finding the patterns you are looking for.  The photos are clear and there are full page photos which make it easy to see detail.  I know actually seeing the item is important to me and the multiple photos of each item makes it so much easier to work up correctly without second guessing myself.

My Projects From the Book
I've worked up many of the items from the book.  I think seeing someone else's work is often really helpful and makes me confidant that if someone else could use the pattern then I can too.  

I absolutely love this pattern.  This is the James Sporty Sweater.  I switched it up a bit and changed the colors and used cupcake buttons for my daughter. I was so afraid of trying to tackle this pattern but I wanted it so bad.  It didn't take very long at all and half of the sweater was completed!  It worked up so fast!

This is my daughter again a few months later in her Ruffle Skirt.  This is another pattern I could not live without!  The yarn was a new experience for me but it worked up easily and the end result is absolutely adorable!  I bought five more colors to add a bunch more of these sassy skirts to her wardrobe!

This is my son wearing the Happy Hippo Bib!  (Before his first haircut.)  He loves to try out new hats and play with all of the stuff I am working on.  He was as excited as I was about this bib and stayed up past his bed time to see it finished.  He still thinks it is his despite the fact he doesn't even wear a bib anymore!

Elephants are very revered in our family and aside from her wiggling out of her hat I had to get one baby photo in her wearing the Elephant Ears Beanie.  I added the little flower sitting on top just to show she is a little girl.  This worked up super easy.  Because the ears were so simple they are really easy to make duplicates that match which was something I was worried about.

I've made nearly all of the items in the book now.  I have to say it is the easiest crochet book I have seen.  The way the patterns are written is just like how you would tell a person verbally how to make an item.  There is little confusion and the use of complicated verbage is at a minimum and use of technical abbreviations are limited as well.  Reading from patterns in the more technical style is easier now that I understand more but it still makes it a lot easier especially when I typically crochet in the car or with my kids playing around me.  It is easy to follow without the need to highlight or mark my book as I go.  Another really awesome perk is if you buy a book you can send it to Kristi Simpson and she will autograph it for you.  (Get your autographs ladies and gentlemen!  She is up and coming and she may just be really famous one day!)  I really enjoy having authors autograph my books.  It was a huge perk that she offered to do this for her customers and fans!  Very awesome if you ask me!  

So?  About That Near and Dear Part:

I was very fortunate to be a pattern tester for this book.  That is part one.  Part two is I worked with the author during the making of this book and two other really awesome ladies who tested as well.  It was a really great experience.  I had the least crochet experience out of the bunch and I easily followed these patterns.  Part three is the best part.  The author, Kristi Simpson, is really amazing.  She has built her business from the ground up and has gone from learning crochet to designing her own patterns that she sold online to being published.  Her patterns are honestly very relevant and she has classic style and there is no lack of creativity.  I've always valued the fact that she, and her brand, are original and innovative.  The fact she can combine simplicity and creativity in design never ceases to amaze me.  I am all for elegant, cool, creative, chic and EASY!  I really love supporting small businesses and while RAKJpatterns is growing in size it is still fully operated by a wife and husband team who are tentative to their customers and they connect well and communicate effectively with not only their customers but their growing fan base!

So all in all am I biased?  Not one bit!  If I had no experience with the company I would become a frequent customer and fan after buying this book.  I am after all a long time customer because the patterns I bought from RAKJpatterns were easy to use and always worked up correctly without a hassle.  I also utilized the RAKJpatterns Facebook page and their amazing customer service if I ever had a question.  Good service and good products will forever be good service and good products.  (You can find RAKJpatterns on Facebook here.