Cute Knits for Kiddos

There are so many cute knitting patterns out there for kids, it makes me wish I could spend all my days just knitting for my girl (she thinks all I do all day is sit around and knit and sew; I wish that were true!).

Here are a few adorable projects for little ones that have caught my eye lately if you’re in the market for some knitting for wee humans.

Need to knit a baby blanket? This simple bias garter stitch blanket from Ewe Ewe Yarns (PDF; designed by Heather Walpole) is really pretty and easy even for a new knitter.

I love Lion Brand’s Colorful Cardigan and Hat. This project uses a solid color and a bag of Vanna’s Palettes, which is a great way to add a little color to a project without having to buy big balls of each color. You could also make this a stash-busting project and use a different little odd ball for each color, if you’d rather.

The Imperial Yarn Baby Cardigan and Cascade Cardigan are two free patterns offered by Love Knitting (free registration required). They both have a bit of lace and are just darling for little ones.

Know a little one who needs a hat? Jamie from Everyday Art took a pattern she found online for a baby and little kid sized earflap hat (the original is from Hey Julie), made it bigger for her daughter, added stripes and developed her own darling ear flap hat. If my daughter didn’t already have a striped hat I would totally knit her this one. So cute!

Anything here catch your eye? Are you working on any pint-sized projects? I’d love to hear about it!

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I’m trying to include more knits for kids in my posts because I know a lot of people do a lot of their knitting for the little ones in their lives.

This child’s striped vest from Lion Brand Yarn is not only cute and great for kids who might find a full sweater too hot, it’s also an easy project if you’ve never knit a garment before.

Lion Brand rates it as level 2 easy/beginner +, probably just because there’s a little shaping and seaming invovled, but it’s nothing you can’t handle.

The pattern comes in three sizes that are meant to be for ages 6, 8 and 10. The finished chest measurement is 30, 31.5 or 33 inches, which is 76, 80 and 84 cm respectively. This makes the vest a little roomy and makes it easy to slip on over a T-shirt or other top.

It’s worked in two pieces from the bottom up, with the neckband and armhole bands worked in the round after the body pieces are sewn together. One benefit of knitting stripes on a project like this is that it’s easier to make sure your pieces are the same length because you can just count the stripes (it’s also a little easier to seam because you’re always lining up the stripes).

If you’re knitting the smallest size, you only need one skein each of the two colors you choose, and for the larger sizes you will only need two, making this project a pretty good value. The suggested yarn is Color Theory, a worsted weight acrylic yarn that comes in 18 relatively muted colors. Of course you can use any worsted weight yarn you like. Keep it acrylic for easy washing or use wool to make this a warmer garment for kids who live in cooler climates.

You can grab the pattern for free from the Lion Brand website, or get a kit that includes the yarn you need (and needles if you don’t have them already). I think this would be a great basic to knit a kid for back to school in their school colors, or make it holiday with red and green, or whatever colors the child likes.

[Photo: Lion Brand Yarn]

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