Ep 171 - Knitting Patterns For New Babies

Knitting Patterns For New Babies I'm now an Auntie! And that means I actually need to produce some knitwear for the little fella. As such, it seemed a good idea to talk about good knitting patterns for new babies. I have already sent on some hand-me-down hand knits from Sanimal that were knitted by my Mother-in-Law. One was a really cute jumper with little intarsia (yay!) insects on. The other is a cardigan with fishes on the yoke and little orange buttons in the shape of a fish. That was a Tin Can Knits pattern, that was bought from Fluph in Dundee, and knitted in West Yorkshire Spinners Airedale in a petrol blue and a neon orange wool/acrylic blend. Knitting Yarn for Knitting For New Babies Before we get into the patterns, I think it's worth talking a little about yarns. I have a lot of new knitters who have just begun to listen to the podcast. As such, I'll share a few tips about choosing yarn for knitting for new babies. If the recipient's offspring is a knitter, you can be a bit more adventurous in your yarn choices. You're not going to be adding on a lot of extra work for them to look after the fibres when washing them, as they are already likely to be experienced in looking after fibre that can felt easily. Commercial sock yarn is my secret weapon when it comes to yarn for baby knits. It's very hard wearing, you can often machine wash it and it wears really well. They tend to be in bright colours and self-patterning, which can produce an impressive effect with very little effort. If they aren't a knitter, or are not that experienced, although you might be tempted to knit something in a beautiful delicate yarn, think about the recipient. They will be devastated if they ruin the yarn and felt or shrink the item. They also will have to spend time and effort on caring for it that they likely don't have, if they have a new baby. There is a space for acrylic. Sometimes that is all the budget will stretch to, and it's easy to look after and launder for people who are not used to looking after wool items. My go-to acrylic blend is Sirdar Snuggly. It's a polyester/nylon mix and comes in a range of colours and is affordable and widely available. Stylecraft also do a great range of brightly coloured acrylics that are affordable and easy to get hold of. If you definitely want a natural fibre, consider using something like Debbie Bliss Cashmerino, which again comes in a range of colours and is easy to get hold of. Patterns 1) Kaya Mei by Jamie Hoffman Published in Knitsophy designs, this is a free pattern for a worsted weight fair isle beanie. It is sized 6-12 months up to adult. This would work really well with a patterned yarn combined with a plain yarn. 2) Basic Baby Hat by Heather Tucker This is a free pattern for a DK weight basic baby beanie, with a ribbed bottom, stocking stitch body. I like to knit this in patterned yarn and add a ridiculously oversized pom pom on top. 3) In Threes: A Baby Cardigan by Kelly Herdrich This worsted weight cardigan is a super customisable pattern, with the resulting garment lasting quite a long time due to the design. It's also really easy to extend the length to get some more wear out of it. It's a paid pattern available for USD $6. The garter stitch yoke adds nice detail without being too complex. 4) Pilo Cardigan by Imke von Nathusius This is a classic unisex, staple, fingering weight cardigan with raglan sleeves and buttons. Sized from 0-3 months to 7-8 years, it's plain stocking stitch that could work in most yarns. It's available for €5. 5) Kashti by Liz Corke This is a square DK weight blanket that has a main colour and a border made up of 6 different coloured stripes. It's a great way to use up a set of minis or scraps. Blankets are always useful and popular, so it's a good choice. 6) Easiest and Fastest Baby Booties Ever by A La Sascha A super free patter for some worsted weight booties. Everyone loves a set of booties! 7) Little Dino by Susan B Anderson This knitted toy pattern is both cute and a super opportunity to try lots of techniques in one small project. If you're a new knitter, this could be a useful project to upskill quickly. It's available for $5 US. 8) Kicking Bag for Babies by Annika Sanimal was gifted one of these and it was a super useful item, especially when he was small. You can quickly pop the baby in the little bag and keep them snug and cosy. It's fingering weight, so ideal for using us scraps or a much-loved skein of hand dyed. And it's a free pattern. Winner. What are your favourite or go-to patterns for knitting for new babies? Let me know over in the Shinybees Podcast Community, @shinybees on social or via email. Full shownotes available at www.shinybees.com/171