cover image Too Cute Crochet for Babies & Toddlers: A Whimsical Collection of Hats, Scarves, Mittens & Booties

Too Cute Crochet for Babies & Toddlers: A Whimsical Collection of Hats, Scarves, Mittens & Booties

Cynthia Preston. Lark Books (NC), $14.95 (111pp) ISBN 978-1-57990-581-1

Preston presents an adorable collection of baby hats and accessories in this well-designed book for parents who love to crochet. She begins with an overview of the fundamentals, like yarn selection and how to make a slip knot, but the instructions are not in-depth, making this book suitable for intermediate or advanced stitchers only. Despite the subtitle, the real emphasis here is on hats, from the ""Single Scoop Hat,"" which makes one's baby look like an ice-cream cone, to the charming ""Swiss Miss,"" which turns baby into Heidi of the Alps, complete with long blonde braids made out of yarn. Other creative designs include animals, clowns, elves and flowers, and the instructions are well illustrated, with photos of adorable smiling babies on every page. Preston writes that ""each hat has its own unique energy and personality, just like the child who wears it,"" and advises matching the right hat to the right child. The hats are generally more cute than practical, and readers wanting to learn how to crochet basic winter accessories may be turned off by the wacky, theme-based designs. However, this whimsical selection of patterns is perfect for anyone who wants their child to attract attention; for those readers, the only problem will be choosing which hat to make first. Photos.