Tips for Knitting for Babies
Here Are My Tips when You Want to Gift Your Knitting for Babies
Even before having Fynn, I did a fair amount of knitting for babies. It’s no surprise that I love handmade gifts of all types, but baby showers are like THE place for knitted or sewn gifts. There is just something about the amount of love and the level of cuteness in these projects. But sometimes picking the right project, yarn, or sizing can be tough so I’ve pulled together my tips for knitting for babies in this post.
If you aren’t looking to read a lengthy post and just want to jump right into a project, I have a few patterns for you:
Here is a full page of baby knitting patterns: Link
But arguably the two most popular are the simple:
Double Seed Stitch Baby blanket
and
So let’s get into the tips for knitting for babies, shall we?
Skip the “Babies” Yarn Section
Don’t hate on me here. Let’s think about babies and how they love on their blankets. I mean they LOVE on their blankets. From snuggling, to pulling, to literally chewing on them, baby blankets take a beating. You need to select a yarn that is soft enough for a baby, but that will also be durable enough. And, in my opinion it should not fuzz or shed.
My first major tip for knitting for babies, is to pick a soft anti-pilling yarn.
I love Premier Anti-pilling yarn. This is the yarn I find myself using most often when knitting for babies. I knitted a very simple baby blanket for one of my nieces using “baby safe” varigated yarn. She loved this blanket to bits. Somehow she named it “Nappy” (I think as in “I take my naps with this blanket”). Soon the blanket took on another meaning for its name. The thing was ragged. She loved to bite the fuzz off of the yarn.
Since finding Premier’s anti-pilling yarn, it’s become my go to. When the project starts to “fuzz”, you simply pop it into the washing machine and any loose fibers shed. Link Here.
Second Major tip for knitting for babies is to pick a machine washable yarn.
You don’t want to gift a new mom something that she is afraid to use. Your blanket, sweater, hat, etc. will be used for a photo or two and then live on the shelf. Trust me. I’m a new mom. If I can’t throw it into the washing machine, it doesn’t get used.
Paintbox Yarns – durable yet soft and the colors are amazing. Whether you know the gender of the baby or not, you will find some amazing colors here. The yarn weights make these blankets warm and they knit up quickly. It’s also a great choice for hats!
Caron Simply Soft – now sometimes you can find this in the babies yarn section of your craft store but often its in the main section or in both. The colors here also pop and the yarn holds up well over time. I’ve used this in the Double Seed Stitch Baby Blanket.
My Tip for picking the right project
Think of your intended recipient, they’re family, and their personalities. Then think about the amount of time you have available between now and when you need to give this gift. Do you have months, or just one month? Pick a project based on the time you have not the complexity you feel you need to put into the gift.
Especially when it comes to babies, the more simple a gift is, the sweeter it is. I have given so many pinwheel blankets made out of cotton yarn for a blanket that doubles as a towel. It’s a simple pattern, that is easy to knit, but it is always well received.
The right yarn makes the project. So if you are worried about the complexity of a project (or lack there of), pick a beautiful yarn and you don’t have to worry.
Next knitting tip is to store your yarn, and work on the project in a smoke free environment.
A simple wash or two will not take all of the smoke out of the yarn. When gifting a knitted project to an expectant mom or baby, it really is about them and their needs. New moms and new babies will be sensitive to these smells so take care to knit them in a safe environment.
These Next Tips for Knitting for Babies are on Gifting The Present
Prewash your gift
This seems kind of like a no-brainer, but washing your gift before you give it has meaning. After a shower or a party, mom will have loads of clothing, blankets, etc. to prewash for her baby. One less item that she needs to worry about it amazing.
If you are gifting this to a baby that has already arrived, you can actually give the gift to the child and mom doesn’t have to worry. Watch them snuggle and roll around in the blanket you made just for them and see their eyes light up.
Include Instructions
Whether you write them in the actual card, or include a tag or small card in the package/attached to the gift/in the card, it’s helpful to include the wash and care notes.
Yes, you can tell mom directly. But if you are at a party, or get lost in conversation mom is likely to forget what you told her. Writing it down will help remind her and then she’ll be more likely to remember. If you’ve followed my tips for a machine washable yarn, this is a great plus to remind mom about. If you are using a bit more expensive yarn that needs to be washed on gentle and air dried, remind her so your time and gift don’t go to waste.
This simple step takes a huge burden off of new parents.
