[.ca] Simple Knits for Little Cherubs (ISBN 1843400189)

Great knitting book for kids' attire:
This book is great. I'm not sure that it's suited for beginners, but perhaps beginners-plus or intermediate. There is a wonderful retro pallet of colors/yarn and very nice, plain-but-lovely designs...just what's in style today. There is an adorable PJ bag for kids with an embroidered bunny pouch. Finally a pattern for simple slippers that are elegant and not too wild. This is a great investment for the price. Love the photography as well.

For Rowan fans:
These patterns are quite simple (as in "plain, minimal decoration") and linear. I thought it meant "simple" as in easy, which is up to the knitter to interpret with their own skills. I suppose it can be somewhat interpreted as "easy" because it doesn't have cabling, bobbles, etc. or a lot of advanced techniques (though it does use a little intarsia, fair isle and some shaping.) This book reminds me of Rowan books because the photos don't quite show all the details of the items on the kids and the pictures are "romantic hazy"; she also uses a fair number of Rowan-made yarns. The photos of the items off of the kids are shown in closeup to show details, or shown partially cropped, but it would have been nice to have seen just a clear, full shot of the items set down flat on a teble. It also uses many smaller yarns/gauge (7 stitches to the inch) and I personally prefer the items I make to be made out of at least worsted weight because they go faster. It would have been nice to have had the size ranges on each pattern instead of having to refer to a chart at the beginning of the book. The items do have a pretty construction, cute but subtle details, and the patterns are varied, but if you're looking for a Debbie Bliss or Jil Eaton-like book, this isn't it. It would be great for people who like Rowan books, straightforward with small touches of whimsy. Look before you buy.

Other References Needed:
I'm an advanced intermediate knitter, but I found myself consulting other books for clearer instructions. However, this is a book well-worth buying. The patterns are (mostly) easy to read, follow, and knit, and there's something for everyone: texture, colorwork, big projects and small projects.