Book Review: Modern Baby

I’m pretty sure you can’t have enough baby knitting patterns (if you need more we’ve got a baby knitting ebook that’s on sale right now!!).

Modern Baby: 6 Outfits to Warm Your Favorite Crawler by Judy Lamb, adds a few must-knit items to your baby knitting list, with adorable rompers and matching hats.

Here’s a quick rundown of what you’ll find:

All of a Twist uses twisted stitches (sort of like making a one stitch cable without using a cable needle) running down the front of a long-sleeved onesie. The hat has two twists as well, and an adorable little I-cord topper.
B-A-B-Y Love uses textured stitches to spell baby down the front of this romper. The coordinating hat features a heart motif and a pom pom.
Diamond Brocade has a textured diamond pattern on the romper and the hat. This one also has long sleeves.
Framed Cable features a braided cable with textured zig zags on the sides, and a coordinating beret for baby.
Lace Accent has simple diagonal lines of lace running up the middle, paired with a simple, rolled brim stockinette stitch hat (faux fur pompom optional)
Mixed Berry is worked with a self-striping yarn; the hat has no decreases for the top of the head. Tassels embellish the edges of the hat.

If you click into the Amazon listing, linked above, you can see photos of all the patterns.

All the projects are rated for intermediate knitters and they all use worsted weight yarn, which is nice for baby things because it helps them to work up before the baby grows out of them.

Speaking of growing, each pattern is available in five sizes ranging from 0-3 months to 12-18 months.

The back of the book includes a little knitting instruction for things like increases, decreases and short rows.

This book is super cute and the patterns are both pretty and useful for new parents.

About the book: 64 pages, paperback, 6 patterns. Published 2019 by Leisure Arts. Suggested retail $14.99

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Bunny Knitting Patterns for Baby

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I feel like when it comes to things that people are afraid to knit, socks probably top the list. I’ve heard people say they would never knit socks because they look too hard, but really you just need to know a few basic things (and trust the pattern even though it sounds wrong the first time you do it) to master socks.

Denise DeSantis aims to take the worry out of knitting socks with No Fear Sock Knitting. Based on a class on her YouTube channel, it includes all the basic information you need to make sock knitting feel easier, along with eight patterns for both top down and toe up socks.

The book generally covers types of needles and yarn you might use to knit socks, as well as other supplies you will need. It looks at the parts of the sock, different knitting needle configurations used to knit socks, how to read a pattern (including abbreviations and terms you might find in sock patterns), discussion of ease, how to measure your foot and choosing the correct size to knit.

It includes two options each for casting on cuff down and toe up socks, as well as four options for cuff treatment. It explores the heel flap and turn method for top down and toe up socks, as well as short row heels using a shadow wrap (worked with a leg from the stitch below) and a square heel. There’s a discussion of avoiding holes and fixing other problems in heels.

Likewise with toes there are several options, including a wedge toe, round toe and anatomical toe (different on each foot) for both cuff down and toe up socks. There are also tutorials for grafting and Jeny’s surprisingly stretchy bind off, depending on which direction you’re going. There’s also a tips section that covers things like avoiding ladders, changing colors. matching stripes and more.

After all that preparation, there are eight patterns to choose from: short socks worked from the top down that are a perfect first-sock sock, a basic ankle-length toe-up sock, a DK weight sock worked from the top down with different length options, a “vanilla” sock with a short row heel worked top down, an ankle sock with a garter stitch cuff, one with a leg worked in alternating colors with a contrasting heel and toe, a sock worked in a helical stripe pattern and a striped sock with a garter stitch heel.

Three of the patterns are rated at skill level two on a scale of three, while the rest are level one. They’re all pretty straightforward, they just use different techniques you might not have tried before. Since only one is made to be toe up, there are also tips for converting the other patterns to toe up if you’d rather work that way. Each pattern includes three size options.

This book is a nice introduction to sock knitting, with lots of techniques to reference and simple patterns to take the fear out of the process. I’m not sure these are patterns you’ll come back to time and again but they are a good place to start if you’ve never knit socks before.

About the book: 128 pages, paperback, 8 patterns. Published 2025 by David & Charles. Suggested retail price $24.99.

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