I’m so excited to be today’s stop on Linda Permann‘s blog tour for her darling new book, Little Crochet. Linda is a super-talented designer and a dear friend – we met forever ago by internet standards, through our mutual love of crafting, and I’ve been a huge fan of her work for years, from her quilts to her sewing and of course her magnificent crochet. This hat Linda made (sorry for the tiny photo but you get the idea!) is my favorite thing ever (you can also find a pattern for it here!). If you’ve seen me out and about any time in the last few years, on any chilly or rainy day, you have seen this hat – we’re inseparable about eight months of the year here in Portland.

I love Crochet Adorned, her first book, and on Linda’s book tour to Portland she taught me how to crochet a flower, patiently coaching me through the pattern stitch by stitch. I saved that sweet little flower for embellishing my Drawstring Bag – it just brings that simple piece to life.

When Potter Craft sent me a review copy of Little Crochet I was just entranced. It’s so cheerful and gorgeous. The designs are stellar, the patterns and instructions couldn’t be clearer, and the styling is just happy and inviting. Can I just start off by saying: this is the cutest table of contents I’ve ever seen! Wow!

My daughter Pearl, who will be three in May (!) and I had so much fun paging through the book together, and I’m happy to say that she chose her five favorite designs for this review. I loved seeing what she was drawn to and loved most, so here are Pearl’s picks from Little Crochet. (I enthusiastically second each one of them!)

1. The Swing Set Cardigan

Pearl wants me to make her one of these and it’s at the top of my crafty list. I love the style and how simple and gorgeous it is. As the mother of two very tall and very lanky children, ages almost-3 and almost-6 months, I love how flexible the sizing is on Linda’s designs – they size up to 4+ years. It’s so nice to have a favorite handmade treasure last longer than a single season, especially when your kids are off the charts for height!

2. The Tiny Tee Appliques

Pearl and I both LOVE this rocket ship applique! I’m new to the whole world of having a boy, and while it’s been so sweet to make or choose some fun things for Everett, the only drag is that a lot of the stuff for boys these days comes in pretty specific colors (navy, olive green, and khaki come to mind – I keep an eye out for bright orange, green and blue like you wouldn’t believe!) and many of them include 1) sports 2) trucks/cars/”manly” vehicles, or 3) silly captions. I do love sports, but Linda’s boy-friendly and gender-neutral designs just look awesome without those colors and themes I see so often… this rocket ship is a perfect way to make a plain shirt or ripped jean knee into something super cool.

3. Mix + Match Motif Blanket

Pearl and I both loved this one, and no wonder! The designs are so appealing and bright and I love how the mix of patterns draws the eye all around the simple grid of crocheted squares. This one would be equally great for cuddling a newborn or for playing with a lively 6-month-old like mine, who loves to reach out and grab bright, interesting things in different vibrant colors. And when that baby becomes a toddler and then preschooler, this would be the perfect nap or carseat blanket to bring along on trips. Just so nice all the way around.

4. Birdie Mobile

Pearl squealed when she saw this one! I love bird designs (as a Portlander, it’s required by city ordinance) and Linda’s mobile is such a fun way to spotlight a set of four of them. I can picture them in a different colorway to match a nursery or playroom (another great thing about Linda’s book is that each project is shown in different yarns or colorways… very cool). And as a beginning crocheter, too, I love making a simple instant-gratification project – finishing something the same day you start is a great feeling.

5. Soft Owl Pillow

Pearl picked this one immediately too. We both love owls and she has several owl toys I’ve made for her… but this one is special. It’s oversized (look at those great eyes!) and Linda added the genius step of a hidden zipper so you can launder it more easily. Great practical touch for a sure-to-be-favorite pillow to cuddle!

For a closer look at the designs in Little Crochet, check out Linda’s super awesome stop-motion animation book trailer, bringing her adorable projects to life. I so love this adorable extra peek at all of it!

Check out Linda’s lovely schedule of book tour posts on her site, and don’t miss tomorrow’s post over at Styled By Kristin!