Recently, baby knits have been my favourite projects. They are fast, so cute, and incredibly fulfilling to make. Whether I'm knitting for my own baby (a toddler by now) or making a gift for a loved one, these little projects certainly give me that butterflies-in-the-stomach feeling of excitement every time.

In this blog post, I would like to share some of my favourite baby knits, including a little unexpected crochet gem for expecting parents. I’ve knitted most of these favourites myself, while a few others are high up on my wish list.

First, what yarn should you use for baby projects? A lot of people will tell you to use acrylic yarn. It is cheap, machine washable, and 'hypoallergenic', which is why many hospitals recommend acrylic yarn for charity knitting for premature babies. Even though acrylic garments are easy to wash, they can wear out quickly. They also need washing more often because acrylic yarn holds dirt more easily than wool, which is naturally dirt-resistant. Another option would, of course, be plant fibres such as cotton and bamboo. These are very soft against a baby's skin and also easy to wash.

When people choose wool for a baby knit, they often opt for superwash wool, which has been chemically treated so that it won't felt. You can easily throw superwash garments in the washing machine with your other clothes. Especially for a newborn gift knit, this might be the best option when you have all those spills and blowouts in mind. However, if you prefer 100% natural wool (and zero microplastics), 4-ply merino is an excellent choice for baby knits, as it is soft and breathable and offers natural UV protection.

There are also some lovely wool blends suitable for a baby's sensitive skin, such as this incredibly soft merino wool with cashmere and silk by Sirdar. And you can, in fact, often machine-wash your woollen hand knits too. Just make sure to use a low temperature, a delicate spin (wool programme) and a special wool wash. 

 

Then, on to my favourites!

Baby Bear Bonnet*

I think baby bonnets have the ultimate cuteness factor: the way they sit snugly around a baby’s round face, with i-cord strings tied in a sweet little bow. I have made quite a few over the past few years, and they are the perfect accessory to pass on or circulate within a family because they generally don’t get dirty or experience much wear.

The last one I made is Knitting for Olive’s extremely popular Baby Bear Bonnet. Who doesn't melt at the sight of bear ears on a baby? This is quite a straightforward pattern, which shouldn't take you too long to knit up. I really like the moss stitch edge and the shaping of the little ears. I am not a huge fan of the tapering back, which is created by German short rows combined with decreases: you pass a slipped stitch over a knitted double stitch. Separating the double stitch from the decrease might instead result in a neater edge.

I was surprised that the pattern calls for merino and mohair held together. For a baby knit, I wouldn’t use mohair, and, strangely, Knitting for Olive even writes on their website: “We advise that Mohair is not particularly suitable for children 1 year old and under, since the lightweight Mohair fibres, while perfectly safe, can cause mild irritation if babies get them in their mouths.” To be on the safe side, I used two strands of merino instead. The resulting bonnet turned out a little thicker, which I personally preferred.

The only other thing I would change next time is to use a slip stitch instead of k1 for the selvedge stitches. This would create a less obvious raised bump where stitches are picked up to create the i-cord strings—again, reducing the chance of irritation.

Overall, this is an adorable bonnet, and it will be my new go-to gift knit for pregnant friends.

Petiteknit

This next one is a bit of a no-brainer when it comes to baby knit favourites: everything from PetiteKnit. Her designs are contemporary classics with lovely details. The patterns are easy to follow, and she has tutorial videos on her website if you need some extra guidance.

When I was pregnant, I knitted the famous Sunday Suit. It is a wonderful buttoned onesie with PetiteKnit’s signature Anker yoke. It looked adorable, but I must admit that my daughter only wore it a handful of times. It wasn't the most practical for nappy changes, and I was just a little too precious about it. On a surprisingly cold summer’s day, when she was four months old, I put her in the newborn suit one last time, and we had a spontaneous photoshoot.

I don't regret knitting the Sunday Suit. It was a bonding project while my bump was growing, and I will forever cherish the tiny suit as a baby keepsake. However, in general, I would say the garments that got the most wear were Anna’s Summer Cardigan (I used heirloom buttons from my partner’s grandmother’s sewing box) and the Holger Baby Sweater.

A cardigan is perfect for a newborn. You can simply lay the baby on it before putting their arms in; there's no need to try to get a collar over a squirmy baby. Oversized jumpers—at least a year bigger than their actual size—are another hit. I decided to knit the Holger Sweater very oversized while keeping the length truer to my daughter’s actual size. For the past two years, I've been adding contrasting rows to the bottom whenever it became a little too short. Talk about sustainability!

Lucky Duck Hat

If you're after a more colourful and fun baby hat, this new (and free!) pattern really stands out: Lucky Duck Hat by Dagworthy Knitwear. Only recently released, this hat will undoubtedly bring a smile to your face. I came across it on Instagram, and it looks like it has going-viral-potential. It's a little crazy, in the best possible way. The duck's silliness is paired with carefully constructed details.

This isn't really a beginner-friendly pattern, but it can be worked at two skill levels, depending on the hem you choose: a tubular hem for advanced knitters, a 2×2 rib version for intermediate knitters.

Perfect Newborn Socks

This is another free pattern that I haven't knitted yet but wish I had. Every parent knows that store-bought newborn socks fall off all the time. If you can believe the comments on Ravelry for the Perfect Newborn Socks by Tabitha Gandee, these socks actually stay on! The ribbed legs (or cabled, if you prefer) ensure a snug fit while still providing plenty of stretch, so they should fit a baby’s feet for the first few months. Just make sure the cast-on edge isn't too tight (the designer recommends using only the German Twisted Cast On). Socks and booties make lovely, quick gift knits, and are the perfect projects for using up leftover yarn.

PS: Soon after finishing this blog post, I did, in fact, knit these socks for my nephew-to-be, using the Knitting for Olive yarn left over from the Baby Bear Bonnet. It is an easy-to-follow pattern, but I did spot a strange mistake in the heel-turn section. The pattern tells you to repeat the heel-turn rows until 8 stitches remain, but this leaves you on the wrong side of the work to pick up stitches along the side of the heel flap. To fix this, I simply knitted the 8 heel stitches for one more row, which brought me to the right place.

Now we'll have to wait and see if these cute little socks fit, and stay on.

 

 

Sophie the Tiger

I first learned about Louise Crowther’s knitted animals through knitting podcaster Well-loved Knits, who has some great YouTube videos about realistic knitting for babies. She talks about all the things she has made for her children, but also reflects on what she would have done differently in hindsight.

This was the first time I knitted a stuffed animal, and I loved it. There is something magical about slowly bringing flat knitted fragments to life by sewing them together and stuffing them, before giving them a personality with the final facial features.

For this tiger from Louise Crowther’s book Knitted Wild Animal Friends, I used the recommended Scheepjes Stone Washed, a blend of cotton and acrylic. I also chose polyester filling this time, instead of the wonderful wool stuffing I have used before for knitted Christmas baubles, just in case the tiger needs to go in the washing machine. I embroidered the eyes with some scrap yarn instead of using safety eyes—despite the name, these can be a potential choking hazard for children under three.

I knitted Sophie the Tiger for my niece and finished it the day before my sister’s due date. ‘She can come now', I messaged my friend, showing off the incredibly cute tiger with its dangly legs. The next morning, my niece was born. Tiger was renamed Tony and is still one of my niece’s favourite animal friends.

Mouche the Bear and Friends

More stuffed toys that I just had to include here: Cinthia Vallet’s animals from her knitting pattern book Mouche & Friends, seamless toys to knit and love.

I had already seen a few of these animals online, but when someone was knitting the little pig during our weekly Fibre Club, I was hooked. Mouche & Friends is, in fact, proof that stuffed animals are not just for babies and children. The handmade look of these little beings makes you instantly want to give one a home. Their relatively large bodies and small heads (compared with your average cuddly toy) have such a disarming effect. And it is not just the animals themselves—their garments and accessories look so fun and are a perfect way to learn new stitches and techniques.

Knitted Vegetables

If you want to make something a bit different, why not knit some vegetables? Older babies and toddlers are usually fascinated by everything in the kitchen. You could buy old-school plastic toy veggies or hard wooden ones, but wouldn't knitted versions be so much nicer, and more pleasing for parents to look at, too? I like all the beginner-friendly vegetable patterns by Amanda Berry, but I am especially drawn to the avocado and sweetcorn. Personally, I wouldn't add eyes to them; I'd keep them as ‘true’ vegetables for a little one to play with. You can build up a whole vegetable collection over time!

Puzzle Ball

A toy that will grow with your baby? An Amish, or Montessori, puzzle ball will entertain your baby for months or even years. Babies will play with this toy in stages as they develop their motor skills: initially with their feet, then by developing their grip and putting the ball in their mouths. Next, they will learn to pass it from one hand to the other and try to grasp it when it is placed just out of reach. Later, it can function as a ball, while toddlers will love taking it apart and using it as a fidget toy.

A puzzle ball consists of three segments that can be reassembled to form a ball. Essentially, you knit twelve wedges and three chains with lids. Four wedges (once stuffed) are attached to one chain with lids, three times over, and the three resulting segments interlock to create the ball. It may sound complicated, but once you get started, it quickly makes sense.

When I first searched for puzzle ball patterns, I found many crochet options. There are a lot of YouTube videos taking you through the process step by step. However, if you prefer needles to a hook, there is a knitted version of a very popular crochet design by Dedri Uys. This is a perfect scrap-yarn project that will far outlive the small amount of time it takes to make.

Olive’s Blanket

The most traditional of all baby knits must be the baby blanket. It can also be the most labour-intensive, depending on the design and yarn weight, of course. I haven’t managed to finish one yet, even though it has been three years since I was pregnant. I had this lovely idea: when my grandmother passed away, she left a bright pink piece of knitting on her needles. The rectangular shape had uneven edges, and I could spot some mistakes in what I now know was moss stitch, but still: quite remarkable for a woman in her nineties. At the time, I wasn't into knitting yet, but I couldn't bear the thought of discarding her last piece of work. I left it on the needles and safely stored it in a box.

When I was about to add new life to the family—and had now picked up knitting myself—I remembered the pink, scarf-like piece, waiting on the metal straight needles. Using scrap yarn from the baby garments I had already finished, I started continuing my grandmother’s work. Initially with her needles—the ones she had held in her elderly hands—before changing to my own circular needles. This was going to be a patchy, scrap-yarn, imperfectly perfect baby blanket.

But it is still unfinished… Other garments and accessories to be made screamed for my attention. The other day, I realised it would be a great simple project to work on with a toddler running around. I will pick it up soon!

This leads me to a blanket pattern suggestion: Olive’s Blanket, by Knitting for Olive. It looks like a very interesting design, with a beautiful lace leaf pattern. Olive’s Blanket is knitted in the round from the centre, following charts, which makes it grow organically. It also allows you to decide on its size as you go. An engaging and fulfilling project for sure.

Umbilical cord tie

My last one on this favourites list is, in fact, a little crochet project. This might not be for everyone, but when I heard about a crocheted umbilical cord tie, I instantly loved the idea. Not because there is anything wrong with cord clamps (though they do seem rather hard and plasticky), but because it can be a beautiful personal touch to your labour.

I found this tutorial for a simple heart-shaped umbilical cord tie on my due date. Calmly sitting on my bed, waiting for baby to arrive, I crocheted it with cotton embroidery thread from a charity shop. I then sterilised the tie by boiling it on the stove and thoroughly dried it before putting it in a plastic zip-lock bag. (If you’re considering making one yourself, please check the current safety recommendations first.) I wasn't sure whether the midwife would approve, but even though she had never used one before, she happily tied it once the cord was cut.

I loved that the little green heart was resting on my baby’s tummy during the postpartum period. What a shame that her umbilical cord fell off after only a few days!

Happy knitting, Rosa x 

*Have a look at Knitting for Olive’s amazing collection of baby patterns here. We stock a wide range of Knitting for Olive yarn. When you buy their yarn in our shop at St Saviour’s Yard, Norwich, you can choose one of their patterns for free.