What baby stuff are you knitting?

#1

Hello…

I have a baby arriving in June that I must knit for…Don’t know the sex yet, and I could do virtually anything for any size, as there is lots of time…

I have two large balls of bernat somethingerother (baby weight - one ball is yellow and green, the other is blue and pink)

What are you working on…? What is your favorite project babywise? And is it better to knit one project, or a whole bunch of little ones…like diaper covers and bibs??

I am no mom…I am not sure what things are best for new moms (she is a first time mother)

Let me know what you think!

#2

I’m working on a full layette, personally. I already have a cardigan, bonnet, and bib finished, still have booties and blanket to go.

I’m also working on diaper covers. But if she’s not planning on cloth diapering, they’re really not necessary.

I also have a sleep sack, another soaker and another sweater OTN.

#3

Sleep sack could be interesting…That can sort of be used anywhere right??

#4

I’ve got a snuggle (kind of an all in one) OTN, but am almost out of yarn for it, so need to hold until I go shopping. I just finished a pair of booties, and I have a bib that just needs the border around the outside before it’s done.

I also have a soaker that needs weaving in of ends and another soaker on hold (again ran out of yarn) on crochet hooks.

I have plans to make more soakers / diaper covers, as well as a full set of booties as soon as I get the pattern book I need from my storage unti (soon I hope). I’ve got just over 8 weeks to get this done…then knitting will take a back seat to diapering, nursing, and sleeping :stuck_out_tongue:

#5

Absolutely.

Out of wool, it can work as a night-time cover for cloth diapers, but it can also make blankets obsolete. For an area with cold winters, you can even add a hood and it can become an all-day sack as well.

You can make them like a really long sweater, or like a really long tank top. Just be sure to allow room for their legs to move around. You can close the bottom or not as you prefer, and you can even put a slit in it to allow a seat belt buckle between the legs. There are all sorts of options.

#6

Yeah…It is a summer baby…I suppose a light one would make a really great stroller bundle too…

#7

Something else to think about…a sleep sack makes it really easy for the parent to change the diaper at night without having to half strip the baby. If you’re going to go this route, I would suggest a pattern with a zipper or some type of drawstring closure at the bottom.

#8

okay the idea of the sleep sack kind of scares me but i would have to see one i think to get the horrible imagery out of my head… especially one with draw strings. :think: fret

[COLOR=silver](it’s odd that i fret like that and i have no kids of my own or any planned in the future…lol)[/COLOR]
aaaaaaaaanyway… right now i have a baby blanket on the needles. i really hate doing them because they are fairly boring but this one is okay for right now. I basically took the danica scarf pattern and widened it so that it is 90 stitches wide. so it will look cute when it is done i think. i have also done the pinwheel afghan and it is really a good thing that the baby is so cute because i would probably hate her after having done that pattern. that one reeeeeeeally made me want to poke my eyes out!

I have also done diaper covers for all my friends’ babies (since i have started knitting anyway) and baby hats, mittens, and socks. I hate making adult socks but baby socks are just so darn cute and quick how can you resist really?

#9

Imagery?

The one I’m making will look just like a tank dress that’s several inches too long. But I’m not going to bother closing the bottom, either.

#10

actually… i just bought a book of baby sock patterns using either ww yarn or baby yarn… i downloaded some hat patterns but i like to make socks to go with the hats and sometimes i’ll add a baby afghan (either knit or crochet… i have a friend that works with the Port Jervis project linus so i like to put sets together and then deliver them to her when i see her every other month).

#11

I just recently had the pleasure of knitting for TWO new grandbabies.
What the mom’s really liked best were those smallish baby blankets. They can be used to wrap the baby in, or now that the babies are a little older, put on the floor so the baby isn’t on the bare floor. They also used them to throw over the car seat because the winter’s here in Michigan are pretty cold.
My daughter especially liked one that wasn’t too fuzzy.
Sleepers are pretty good too, but be careful with any strings or I-cords or whatever to close them at the bottom. [B]Babies should never have cords in their clothing, especially when they’re sleeping.[/B]
Baby socks are so cute. Better than booties cause they dont fall off so easy.
Good luck with your baby knitting!

#12

Ok…so blankies and sleepers seem to be the best idea…

Any choice patterns for sleepers??

#13

Right now, I have a Teddy All-In-One on the needles. You can see it on my Ravelry page. If you want the pattern, let me know and I can photocopy it from the book. It’s a Debbie Bliss Pattern. It’s mostly garter stitch so it’s not a hard knit, just time consuming!

#14

Oh and I also have a “dishcloth” baby blanket on the needles. It is a really really easy pattern, but oh so boring! It’s a great blanket for the baby though, you can make it whatever size you want. You can fancy it up with a ribbon or leave it plain. You can make it from thick yarn or thin yarn. It is a very versatile pattern.

[B]CO 4 sts.
Knit across row.
Next row (and every row thereafter until it measures the sized square you require): K2, yo, k to end of row.
Once you have the blanket at the size you want your square blanket to be…
Next row (and every row thereafter until you are at 4 sts again): K1, K2tog, yo, K2tog, k to end of row.
Once you reach 4 sts on the needles again,
Next row: k across row.
Cast off. Weave in ends.
If desired, string a 1/4" satin ribbon in and out through the eyelets and tie a bow or knot at each corner of the blanket.[/B]

Good luck!

#15

I always have baby stuff working. (I knit for the local hospitals through BlueBonnet Babies.)

Right now I have a round blanket OTN for a friend. When (if ever) that is finished I will make a hat and 2 pairs of tube socks to match.

Why 2 pairs - one pair for the feet and one for the hands. My babies always seemed to scratch themselves with their tiny fingernails. I put socks on their hands at night.

I prefer socks to booties as they seem to stay on better. Tube socks fit for a longer time.

#16

I have two baby blankets on needles right now…my first two…and I’m winging it! I found a suggested pattern or idea online and thought I’d give it a try for two teachers I work with. However, I have read that these can be made on circular needles…is this true??? I’d love to learn how to do this but wasn’t sure I was doing it right…I taught myself to knit over Christmas by watching the videos on this site! Any suggestions are most welcome!

Happy Baby Knitting!

#17

yep, you just knit back and forth.

I prefer knitting on circs or dpn’s… the needle itself is always shorter and the cable (or the other 2-3 needles) support the weight evenly, makes it easier on my carpal tunnel

#18

You would use circs the exact same way you use knitting needles if you are knitting flat (which you are if you are making baby blankets). The difference between needles and circs is that the weight of the knitting rests in your lap with circs and not on your wrists (as with needles), the needle tips are shorter on circs and the “middle” piece on a circ (the part that holds most of the stitches) is a cord instead of a solid “stick”. I use nothing but circs now, unless I am using DPN’s.

Good luck!

#19

Judging from new mothers amongst my family and friends, if you are knitting baby clothes you need to go modern. Most young people really don’t appreciate the intricate lacy designs that used to be knitted for babies, and prefer simple modern styles, with less pattern stitches and more colour, in modern colours rather than pastel pinks, blues, lemons.

I do a lot of baby knitting and find that jackets in modern styles are well received, baby beanies (as opposed to bonnets with ribbons, which seem to be considered old fashioned), and sock style bootees or mary janes, rather than ribboned bootees.

Can’t see the point of a knitted bib - perhaps in the US its popular? But here, no. Blankets are nice if the climate is cold, but once again stick to less fancy stitches and more style and colour.

Knitted dresses? no.

June will be warm weather there, won’t it? So what about knitting something in cotton or a soft cotton/acrylic mix. There are some lovely soft ones suitable for baby knits. During the summer a new baby only needs a lightweight cardigan to use if the weather cools. But if you want to knit for when the baby is a bit older you have a lot of choice.

#20

I don’t have any children of my own, but I’ve knitted and crochet blankets for shower gifts, and I’ve also made beanies and socks for my nephew. One of my husband’s coworkers is expecting, and as soon as we find out what she’s having, I’m going to try to do a sweater for her…that is if I don’t find something else I’d rather do for her. :teehee: