Book Review: Knits for Little Ones

If you have a little one in your life, Knits for Little Ones by Lotte Rahbek is full of sweet patterns for kids ages 0-2 inspired by nature and the sea.

Rahbek is a designer of Nordic inspired knits and these projects include lots of simple but nice details like stripes, cables, ruffles and eyelets.

There are no knitting instructions in the book and one page that includes descriptions of a few techniques like raglan shaping, picking up stitches and German short rows, so it’s good if you have some knitting knowledge under your belt before you pick up this book. There is a little chart that shows some of the skills required in different projects such as I-cord, picking up stitches or cable and lace patterns.

The skill levels are described as beginner, somewhat experienced and experienced. Of the 22 patterns, 6 are rated for beginners, 7 for somewhat experienced and 9 for experienced knitters. I’m not entirely sure I agree with her ratings, which put anything with cables or lace in the experienced section, including a baby blanket that’s worked flat and mostly garter stitch with easy cabled stripes.

The patterns for beginners include socks worked on double pointed needles, which I wouldn’t consider a beginner skill. Others are a bottom up raglan worked in garter stitch with stripes, a colorblocked raglan worked from the bottom up, a pair of shorts with stripes and a drawstring waistband, top down leggings with an elastic waistband and a little knit collar with a ruffle.

Other projects include that pointed bonnet featured on the cover, a twirly dress, bloomers, a romper, cardigans and a ruffled vest, to name a few.

She leans heavily on ruffles and little cables and embellishments, which feels a little repetitive but does make the collection feel cohesive. I’d have loved to see more colorwork, but that’s clearly not what she was going for.

The photographs of kids of various ages on the beach are darling and will make you wish you had a baby and a beach to re-create some of these scenes.

If you like simple designs with a few fun details and have a kiddo under 2 to knit for, this collection is lovely and will result in pieces you are sure to treasure.

About the book: 176 pages, 22 patterns. Published 2025 by Penguin UK. Suggested retail price $16.99.

There is something especially lovely about a handmade baby beanie, but when it is made for a premature baby, it becomes more than just a knitting project — it becomes a tiny act of kindness.

This free premature baby beanie knitting pattern from CraftBits is designed for charity knitting and hospital donations. It uses 4 ply wool and 4 mm needles, making it a quick little project for knitters who like to keep something meaningful on their needles. The finished hat measures approximately 5 inches across by 3.5 inches deep, so it is properly tiny — the sort of project that reminds you just how precious these little arrivals are.

What I like about this pattern is that it is simple and practical. There are no fussy embellishments, no awkward extras, and nothing that would make it uncomfortable for a delicate newborn. It is worked with a ribbed edge, stocking stitch body, and a shaped crown, then sewn up neatly at the side. If you are knitting for charity, I would definitely recommend using a soft, machine-washable baby yarn and checking your local hospital or donation group’s current requirements before making a big batch.

This is a good stash-busting project too, especially if you have small amounts of baby yarn left over from blankets, cardigans, or those “I’ll just buy one extra ball to be safe” moments we all know too well. You can also pick up soft baby yarn from places like Mary Maxim or Amazon if you are planning to knit several for donation.

A sweet, simple, and thoughtful project for charity knitters who want to make something small that still carries a lot of love.

You can find the free premature baby beanie knitting pattern over on CraftBits.

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