Crochet For Baby - All Year

Do you have a Baby Presents Closet? If you're like me, you find a cute crochet pattern for a baby, decide you want to make it - after all, you have the yarn already, and you need to use it so you can buy more yarn. (I didn't say that, did I?)

So what do you do? You crochet the blanket, or hat, or whatever, and when you're all done with it, you don't have a baby to give it to. (Maybe the baby you were crocheting if for outgrew it before you finished it. Or maybe you just crocheted it to crochet!) That's when you put it in your Baby Presents Closet (and yes, it needs to be a BIG closet) so you can find it when someone you know has that baby – or someone you know has a grandchild, or niece or nephew, – or you want to gift it to someone just because.

Well, if you're tired of the same old same old patterns, designer extraordinaire, Tammy Hildebrand, just had her "go to" book for baby crochet patterns (3 months to 12 months) published by Stackpole books – Crochet for Baby All Year. Easy-to-Make Outfits for Every Month. And the patterns aren't the "same old same old" patterns.

And they're not just for little girls. Each month has a little boy pattern as well as a little girl pattern. And OH, they are so cute! (I'm talking here about the patterns, but the models are cute, too!) On the front cover, you can see a Cheerleader outfit, a 4th of July outfit, and a Santa outfit (they call it a "Little Miss Snowball Dress").  Inside, you'll find a Lady Bug or Scarlet Beetle tank top for both a boy and a girl, a football jersey for a boy. (The girl has the Cheerleader outfit, remember?)

Okay - I'll post another picture of the cheerleader outfit (and the cutie pie modeling it).

A bikini for the baby girl and bathing trunks for the boy. 

All of these outfits are adorable, and so are the models – as I mentioned before! (One of the girl models is Tammy's granddaughter – a cutie pie if I ever saw one!)  The models all look like they were enjoying themselves, and loved wearing the clothes.

What else is in there? 

February - the garments are adorable.

December - look at the Santa Claus dress! And the suspenders on the Santa pants for the boy! And the bow tie!

There is a Stegosaurus (that's like a dinosaur) costume for both a boy and a girl, a couple of dresses for a girl, a few sweaters for a boy, hats galore, booties, sandals, and even christening gowns for both. Something for every month – for both a girl and a boy. This is a book that you should not miss. And, to make it even easier to acquire a copy for yourself, I'm having a drawing on Friday, July 11. Comment on this blog about what YOU want to make for your Baby Presents Closet, and why, and you might win a copy of this book. Do this by midnight (Eastern time) on Thursday, July 10, and on Friday, July 11, I will have a drawing for the winner, using a random number generator. Make sure you let me know your contact information, so I can let you know that you've won!

Good luck, and I can't wait to hear what you're going to crochet!

If you want to see the "look book" that Stackpole has, click here: Crochet For Baby

But wait - there's more!

I asked Tammy some questions – not about her designs, but about her models. (They are so cute, the grandma in me couldn't help but wonder about them.) 

Questions for Tammy:
You have 4 adorable children as models – one is your granddaughter – how did you find the other three?

Abbi is the daughter of a young lady I used to watch in the nursery at our church! That young lady is all grown up now with a beautiful family of her own.

Caleb is the cutie pie son of one of my daughter's friends.

Joseph we discovered by placing an ad on Craigslist.

Did they get along with each other?

Willow absolutely loves little boys. She wouldn't keep her hands off of them. The first shoot they kind of just stared at her and let her get away with it but the second shoot, Joseph wanted no part of Willow and would scream when we put them together. It was quite an experience doing a photo shoot with 4 babies all under the age of 10 months.

Did they enjoy modeling the clothes?

Certain ones they did. Joseph loved the July design because he was given a little flag to hold. He just sat there waving his flag back and forth and smiling. Caleb is so laid back and easy going. He would pretty much just stay wherever we put him. Abbi wasn't sure what to make of any of it but she was a sweet girl. Willow is not known for her "keeping still" skills so it was a challenge, but lots of fun!

How did you get the ideas for the garments? I know where your inspiration came from – Willow – but the designs are adorable – how did you think of them?

I don't have an answer for you on this one Marty. My ideas just pop into my head and happen. I don't really know how.

When you get the book, look at the designs, of course. But also, look at the expressions on the babies' faces in the different pictures. You'll just want to pinch their cheeks, and give them big hugs. And, of course, make the adorable designs!