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Enter for a Chance to Win a Royal Baby Kit from Toft Alpaca

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royal baby collection toft alpacaBritish knitwear and fiber company Toft Alpaca has an adorable new line of knitting patterns celebrating the upcoming royal baby. The line includes knit and crocheted crowns and a jump suit, jumper and tank all featuring crowns on the front. They’re the perfect thing for any baby you’d like to treat like royalty.

Toft is celebrating the royal baby with us by giving away two of the jumper kits to Craft Gossip readers who subscribe to their newsletter.

You must click on that link and go subscribe to the newsletter to be entered, but I’d love it if you also commented here to let us know that you entered. Maybe you could share your favorite baby name that you never got to use on a person (mine’s Owen, but that doesn’t sound very royal, does it?). Edited to add: This is for UK residents only; sorry for any confusion!

The contest runs through the end of the month, and winners will be chosen July 1. Good luck!

[Photo via Toft Alpaca.]

Specific to knitters, you can join our Knitting Patterns Only group to get, well, knitting patterns, ask questions and gain inspiration for what to knit next.

Looking for more Baby Knitting patterns? Check these out on Etsy.

Comments

  1. I subscribed. My favorite has always been William with Liam as a nickname but BOTH have been in the top 10 boy names the last couple years. These days I’ve been leaning towards Arthur or Geoffrey.

  2. Hello,

    What lovely knitted baby items. I have subscribed to the newsletter. The name we never got to use was Andrew.

    Happy days.
    Bev.

  4. These are sooooo cute! I signed up for their newsletter. I wanted to name my son Ian, but it wasn’t my DH’s favorite name. We compromised on another name, Jesse, perhaps my second favorite. He did let me use Ian as his middle name, happily. Alas, my son doesn’t like his name. Sigh.

  7. Subscribed-I absolutely love what Toft do. As an alpaca lover, I hope to do what they do one day! Love the names Maisie (my daughter’s name), Penny and Toby

  8. Love all your patterns and wool. Have subscribed. My favourite name is William, maybe I’ll get to use it one day.

Have you read?

Vintage Bed Socks Knitting Pattern – A Cozy Little Gift Project With Old-Fashioned Charm

There is something wonderfully nostalgic about a pair of handmade bed socks, isn’t there? They are practical, pretty, and just the sort of project that feels like it belongs beside a cup of tea, a good film, and a basket of wool that is pretending not to be overflowing.

This vintage Bed Socks knitting pattern is one of those sweet little patterns that still feels useful today. Originally from the Jaeger Hand-Knit Series No. 44, the design features a simple garter-stitch foot, a ribbed cuff, eyelet holes, a crochet chain tie, and little tassel-style pom-poms at the front. The original pattern even describes them as “a very acceptable present,” and honestly, I don’t think much has changed there.

These would make a lovely handmade gift for someone who is always cold, someone recovering or resting, or anyone who appreciates a bit of old-fashioned comfort. They would also be beautiful as a Mother’s Day gift, a winter birthday present, a Christmas stocking filler, or a “just because you deserve cozy feet” project.

The pattern itself is delightfully simple in construction. The socks are knitted flat, beginning at the lower edge, with the foot worked in garter stitch before moving into the ribbed upper section. The decorative eyelet row allows for a crochet chain cord to be threaded through, and the finishing tassels give the socks that charming vintage look. The top edge is finished with a row of double crochet, which adds a neat handmade touch.

The original measurements list the socks as approximately 10½ inches from the top to the lower edge of the heel, with a 9¾ inch foot length, and the pattern notes that the size can be adapted. As with many vintage knitting patterns, modern knitters will want to check gauge carefully and choose a soft yarn that feels comfortable against the skin. A cozy wool blend, soft acrylic, or washable yarn would all work depending on whether you are making these for everyday use or as a special gift.

I especially love that this pattern has that “giftable” quality without being a massive project. It is small enough to feel achievable, but still special enough that the finished pair looks thoughtful. And let’s be honest, handmade socks with pom-poms are always going to beat a last-minute candle from the supermarket.

The PDF version has been cleaned up and formatted for easier reading while keeping the original vintage design intact. It also includes a modern pink mockup image and the original vintage scan, so you get both the historical charm and a fresh idea of how the finished socks could look today.

If you enjoy vintage knitting patterns, cozy handmade gifts, or quick projects that feel useful rather than just decorative, this sweet little bed socks pattern is a lovely one to add to your collection.

You can find the Vintage Bed Socks Knitting Pattern PDF in the CraftGossip Etsy store.

For supplies, this is also a nice stash-friendly project. A soft yarn from Mary Maxim or Amazon would work well, and if you make pom-poms regularly, a small pom-pom maker is one of those inexpensive tools that saves a surprising amount of fiddling.