More Gift Ideas: What to Knit for Baby

Elizabeth Zimmerman's "Baby Surprise" jacket with or without hood adding stripes or really cute buttons!

It would be great if you could tag the knitting daily patterns for babies!  

I just bought Zimmerman's pattern last week. I just have to find the perfect yarn...

Is there a population explosion?  I have made eight baby cardigans in the past year!  All but one for boys!  My very favorite pattern is the Sheep Yoke Baby Cardigan designed by Jennifer Little of Looking Glass Knits - it's adorable!  It makes a very impressive gift.  Other patterns I have used include the Baby Cardigan, Hat and Socks from Plymouth Design Studio done with Sockotta (a great way to get colorwork without the work), Lion Brand Heirloom Cables Baby Sweater (60647AD),  and the v-neck cardigan from Little Sweet Peas by Sirdar.  I can't think of a more wonderful way to welcome a new little one into the world than giving them a handknit gift filled with love!

Some suggestions for premature babies would be great - I knit for my local neonatal unit.

Sandi, I just finished the Harvey Kiimono (girl's version) in lavender Debbie Bliss Cashmerino DK.  It's adorable and easy.  Actually, next time I'm going to pick up stitches for the sleeves and knit them on -- less seaming!  I have also made the boy's vesion in a light denim blue Bernat Softee Baby (DK) which is very sweet.

I like to improvise blankets in soft superwash wool or cotton yarns (here's one: knitmensch.blogspot.com/.../fos-shining-violet-sweater-menschkin.html). I also really liked knitting the Baby Yoda Sweater (mine's at knitmensch.blogspot.com/.../fos-baby-yoda-sweater-handspun-getting.html, or you can find the pattern on ravelry at www.ravelry.com/.../baby-yoda-sweater). Hats are always fun -- I like, but haven't yet knitted, the umbilical cord hat from the first Stitch 'n'  book. I usually improvise hats with the help of "The Knitter's Handy Book of Patterns," my personal favorite Interweave book. I always forget to design for negative ease, though.  :(  Good thing they grow into 'em.

I have enjoyed knitting the Baby Bear Poncho designed by Jennifer Carpenter. This was first published, I believe, in IK but I do not have that info as I am writing this comment. I found it again in Interweave Knits Holiday Gifts, 2006. And the Fat Baby Booties by Beverly Galeskas in Interweave Felt, Special Issue 2007 are really fun to knit. I am not in touch with the babies and parents for whom these were knitted, but as the knitter I enjoyed the process and from my perspective, that is most essential. .

I love the "Better than booties" infant socks.  They knit up quick and you can make at least two, sometimes three, pairs out of a skein of the recommended yarn...you can make them larger just by switching to a larger needle (I just went up from 1 to 2, that's when you start getting less socks out of a skein...but still two pairs of socks from an $11 skein of yarn isn't something to sneeze at!).  

I love making my own designs - the mitred U baby jacket and the seamless bootees.  They are not 'simple' knits but they are fun!  The bootees come in top-to-sole and sole-to-top versions and you can adapt them however you like.

Anyone who is interested can find them here, for free:

http://megan.cc/BabyJacket/

megan.cc/SeamlessBootee

I also found a lovely pattern called Baby Moc-a-Soc by Bekah Knits.  They are not free but the pattern is emailed to you so you get it almost immediately.  These are not a simple knit either but they are utterly adorable and fun, fun, fun.  (No, I don't know the designer at all, I just love her pattern ;-)

That is a great list of ideas.  Don't forget to think about the BSJ, by Elizabeth Zimmerman.  She also made a matching hat.  The BSJ is addictive, and once you make up one, you will make more!  They get a great response from the people you give them to.  

One other that I really like is: www.bevscountrycottage.com/kp3.html

Has matching cap and booties, with links to a more "boy" version and larger size jacket.  

For blankets:

www.knitlist.com/.../round-baby-blanket.htm

Simple, yet nice looking.  

Remember when knitting for those who have babies, wash and wear yarn.  UNLESS the person is accustomed to having real wool about, all your hard work may end up fitting a barbie doll after the first wash.

I make cute little socks for newborn babies, so their feet get stay warm covered in love!

such an impressive list, i will make a toy for my godson to be so he will be able to keep it longer than clothe (i hope so), i'm waiting for the yarn,

I knit a christening dress for my great-nephew in lace-weight linen. It took eight months, but I think the results speak for themselves-- shameless self-promotion--you can see it here: www.handknitting.com/SearchResults.asp

I love some of the Debbie Bliss designs-- I've knit the hat in Cashmerino baby (stripy one) for lots of friends. When they're tiny you can just roll up the edge until it fits and unroll as they get older.

Shelley

Loads of gorgeous things there but here's a huge please when you're deciding which yarn to use.  Go against all your instincts for utterly gorgeous yarns and find something that is as gorgeous as possible but is easily washable AND can be tumble dried.  Not super eco-friendly, I know but small babies = mountains of washing and everything you can do to make a new mum's life easier will be so much more aprreciated than something that has to be handwashed and reblocked every time - and above all you want the baby to actually wear your gift, not have it sit in a drawer!  

Fliss

Could I just add a word about knitting in linen. It is extremely eco-friendly, requiring far less in the way of pesticides etc. and you can happily throw it into a hot wash--it doesn't shrink or stretch, it just gets softer as more and more of the naturally occuring pectin is released. For babies, it is incredibly comfortable and naturally thermo-regulating. You might have to get used to the inelastic quality, but if it turs out that you've knit a 12-month instead of a 6 month size-- well, babies do grow!

Shelley

For the next generation of babies in the family I've been making superwash handspun blankets. The first one copied a baby blanket that had been in the family for a couple of generations, and others used stitches from various stitch dictionaries. The superwash roving takes dye fast and hard, so the colors are really striking. For others, I often make the Baby Surprise in saturated colors, with a pixie hood.  

Robin

My favorites are knitted car seat covers - with hearts - and crocheted baby buntings with matching hat - after that, just about any pattern I can find!

Carole, Marietta, Georgia

I HIGHLY recommend the Diamond Seed baby sweater!!!  I made one for my new nephew and another for my soon-to-be-born granddaughter and it is DARLING.  Not too bulky and works up quickly.

Claudia

I have this really simple bootie pattern that I use, as well as knitting simple hats, and some "no-shaping" socks. They always turn out so cute! With school, I don't have a ton of time to knit, but I'm hoping to be able to make sweaters and such soon! :)

With a new grandbaby less than a month away, I'm wanting to knit a lightweight, hooded, zip-up-the-back sweater for him.Can anyone point me to a good pattern??? Thanks! G'ma Jane

Sandi:  I bought the pattern for the Dragon SKin wrap because I loved it so and thought it was for an ADULT.  I am not skilled enough, with a pattern this complicated to enlarge it.  Is there any thought on making this pattern available in an adult size?  Thanks.

I like booties/socks for babies - quick and mostly easy.   If I get really inspired, there is a matching hat and other items.  Washable yarn is a must!      I also crochet a multi-colored toy worm that is just darling.   The last ones I did, I color coded to Mom's color preferences and they were a  HUGE hit.

All these babies are very blessed to have needle folks who do for them.  ;~)))

My favorite baby sweater pattern is "Babies and Bears" by Cottage Creations, which I know is not an Interweave pattern.  I love it, though, because you only have two pieces (starting at the bottom of the sleeve and gradually increasing to make the right/left front and right/left back), which you Kitchner together, and then pick up the hood.  Voila!  No tiny little pieces to shape and seam together.  

I tend to fall in love with one pattern and it becomes the official baby gift of any given year. Last year it was Sheldon. All Sheldon, all the time! I think I made twelve or more. This year, it is definitely Elizabeth Zimmerman's Baby Surprise Jacket with no hoods. I've found that I can get a sweet little sweater, a simple baby hat, and even a pair of tiny socks out of two skeins of Knit Picks Essential. It's soft, superwash, and the Multis colors are always such a pleasing surprise to work up. It's a good thing I have nine more to make this year to experiment with all those colors.

Cat Bordhi Life Rings Socks are fun to make. Made with Cascade Fixation or Heirloom Breeze they have enough stretch to last a while on growing little feet.

Baby can wait--I want the Dragon Skin Wrap resized for me!

Angela Hahn did resize the Dragon Skin Wrap for us!  Look for Wyvern Wrap on Ravelry or find it on her blog.  Lovely!

The heck with the wee ones, I want that Dragon Skin Wrap for me!

I haven't tried the BSJ jacket yet, but the one in Mason-Dixon Knitting is very easy and fast! I made 2 of them as last-minute shower gifts.

I love to knit baby blankets and baby booties.  This summer I finished a baby blanket for a friend that I designed myself, three colors: since they're naming the baby Jasmine, it's the three colors that the jasmine flower blooms in. Not a very complicated stitch pattern.  The mom to be loved it, as did all her relatives, who each requested one.  Even her husband says it's his favorite.   And who can resist those cute baby booties!!

Hey Sandi!  I'm so with you...i LOVE the Harvey Kimono for girls...having 3 little babies myself (acutally 7,5&2 now)...i do love the cardigans OR the Jo Jo Crew for boys (both are acutally on Ravelry I'm Regnig) as they have BUTTONS which are great for any mom trying to dress a squirming baby...and their heads are always way bigger than any neck even loosley cast off...i do love ann budd's better than booties as they are so intricate and fun to knit...made them for my son's christening out of a creamy soft alpaca and Love knitting them so much!!! that is what got me interested in socks...and the petal bib is nice for a girl but don't forget Melanie Falick's flower washcloth AND Melanie & Kristin Nicholas's Baby's first ball!!!! my boys still play with theirs...hope this helps...i do love knitting for the babies!!! oh and yankee knitter's classic roll neck sweater too!!! Good Luck!

For premies:

A quick little striped beanie.

It is not my pattern, I found it somewhere online for free, but cannot remember where or find it anywhere. Feel free to claim it or name it if it's yours or know who's it is.

Also can be worked in 1 color, saves on weaving in!

(Also, if you have a baby pattern that is not small enough for a premie, go down 1 needle size and knit the smallest size, or size you deem appropriate, and it will inevitably be a premie item.)

Beanie

CO 64 STS on sz5 DPN's or circs

Join and work 8 rows 2x2 rib

Switch to CC and K8 rounds

Switch back to MC and K4 rounds

Switch to CC and K4 rounds, begin decreases

R1: *K7, K2tog* (I prefer SSK)

R2: Knit

R3*K6, Dec*

R4: Knit

R5: *K5, Dec*

R6: *K4, Dec*

R7: *K3, Dec*

R8: *K2, Dec*

R9: *K1, Dec*

R10:*Dec 2 Sts* all the way around

(on decrease rows, you may find that there are some extra sts on needle and feel tempted to dec those also, just knit them and continue to next round)

Cut yarn and thread through STS remaining 2X.

Weave in ends.

Here in Europe, babies seem to dress in brighter colours than in English-speaking countries, where I see a lot of white and pastels i.e. more traditional. But I loved knitting for the arrival of my little grandson in July - a forest green aran cardigan with hedgehog buttons, a manly little grey sweater in a simple stitch that I gifted with a red T- and red/grey pants and my best friend, who in the last 25 years has knitted uncounted colourful sweaters etc. for all three of my daughters (and her 3 nieces!) knitted such a sweet denim blue cardigan with seed stitch collar, which was great the first time we were out with baby and it was a bit windy! She planned on embroidering some daisies on it if it was a girl and would have used different buttons, but this way, it stayed as it was and just cute buttons in the same denim blue.

Now I have made a yellow jester hat (long point) that only needs a bell on the end to be complete...

Aren't babies cute and fun?!!! My grandson is now 2 mths and adorable...

I usually make baby blankets because they get so much more use than a sweater or hat.  My own babies were so hot-blooded that they would sweat in sweaters and hats, and a blanket can more easily be put on and off as needed.  The ones I made for my twin nephews became their "blankies" and were dragged around (and repaired) for years!  I also second the motion for machine washable and dryable - it is so easy in the chaos of new babies to forget and throw a special knitted something in the washer and have it ruined.  If you can't resist making a sweater (I know, they are so cute and fun to make), the surplice version of the EZ baby surprise jacket is adorable, easy, and gives baby a little more neck/chin room (important since they don't have much of a neck yet!).

I always knit a blanket for the new baby.  I try to match it with the season--heavy for fall & winter,etc.  Then after the baby is born, I make sweaters and hats--especially if it is for a Grandbaby!!  We just had our 4th grandchild on 9-16-08 and I am busy making a pink & purple hoody out of 'fur' yarn.

A bunting with opening at the crotch for the harness (safety seat) is something I've made, and it was well received.  I also like to design blankies.  A baby blankie is a good was to try out a pattern, and as long as it's washable it's a good thing.  New babies can never have too many blankies!  When choosing colors, remember that new babies see contrast, so stimulate developing vision with stripes or squares or ripples or borders of light and dark colors.  A colorful hat, sweater, booties, whatever, will make the little one stand out in the sea of pastel!

I like the idea of this list. However, would it be possible to include pictures of each item (or a link to a picture) so that we know whether it's worth looking for the books or magazines which contain the specific patterns? Thanks.

Hi RobinA,

I included the link to my own designs (because they are free) but wasn't sure about posting one for a commercial pattern that isn't one of Interweave's.

I guess Sandi can always remove it if she doesn't think it should be here so...  Here is the link for those adorable Moc-a-Socs I was waxing lyrical about.

www.etsy.com/view_listing.php

Regs...  Megs

I've had to knit for 5 babies in the past 2 weeks. Four of them boys. I used the old world booties for one and they are adorable!

Am I crazy or was Kate Gilbert's Pea Pod Baby Set left off of the list?