I came across Stacey Trock’s book Modern Baby Crochet: Patterns for Decorating, Playing, and Snuggling right after Mira was born and I was immediately interested in checking it out. So I was thrilled when I had the opportunity to review it.
Stacey is the designer behind Fresh Stitches, so while I was familiar with her amigarumi animals, I was really excited to see her take on baby crochet items. I was looking for patterns for baby items for Mira and I felt like I kept coming across the same things, Stacey’s book offers a lot of fresh new alternatives. While the book is marketed towards baby projects, all of the patterns are also great for adults. The grey asymmetrical blanket is one of my favorites, it’s so simple yet unique.

Stacey is a crochet teacher, and that is really evident in this book. The instructions are so well written and the diagrams are extremely clear and easy to follow. It covers everything from choosing yarn to how to hold your crochet hook, it’s a really great guide for beginner crocheters.

The crochet projects are all items that could be used in a nursery and there are three different sections – bold and bright, pretty in pastel, and naturally neutral. Each section has a great selection of projects, the bold ones are so colorful and fun, the pastel ones are beautiful and subdued, and the neutral ones have a sense of sophistication. There’s a really great variety of projects – blankets, pillows, mobiles, stuffed animals, and even a pouf ottoman. I was extremely happy to see some of Stacey’s signature amigarumi stuffed animals in the book, I really want to make a whole flock of multicolor birds!

If you’re looking for ideas for a baby gift or even just a good introduction to crocheting, Modern Baby Crochet is a fantastic resource.

Modern Baby Crochet is published by Martingale and available on Amazon.

Photography by Martingale and photographer Brent Kane.