Knits for Babies Using Worsted Weight Yarn

I know people typically think of lighter weight yarns when they think of knitting for babies. One of the terms used for light weight yarn is even “baby yarn.” But I think there are a lot of valid reasons to use thicker yarn when you’re knitting for little ones (so much so I wrote a book about it).

For one thing, projects made with heavier yarn are faster to knit. That’s a good thing because babies grow really fast so you won’t have spent a lot of time on a project that won’t get a lot of use. Also, there are babies in winter, and they might like to have warm sweaters and hats.

So let’s explore some baby knitting projects that use worsted weight yarn.

This simple garter stitch cardigan from BDD Patterns on Etsy would be a great first sweater knitting pattern. It’s worked flat in one piece, including the sleeves, which makes this one easy to knit and doesn’t require all that much finishing. The pattern comes in four sizes up to a 1-year-old, and uses one button to close it at the top.

The Baby Vertabre pattern from Kelly van Niekerk is just so clever I had to share it. This one includes options for working it in different weights of yarn, including worsted, but it’s basically a cardigan with no fronts. This is awesome for giving baby a little warmth but keeping their sweater clean (ideal for droolers and messy eaters as baby gets older). The pattern is sized from newborn through two years and offers three different yarn weight options. You can buy it on Ravelry.

I don’t know a new parent who doesn’t harbor a secret desire to dress their baby like an animal. You can realize that dream for a baby you know with this adorable bear suit knitting pattern from Pernille Larsen. The hood has bear ears, and the rest of the romper is plain and pretty easy to knit. It includes buttons down the front for easy access for diaper changes, and has feet to keep baby warm and cozy. This pattern is sized for newborns up to 24 months, and you can find it on Ravelry.

How about hats? The Sunshine Bonnet from Katarina Linnhagen is a simple garter stitch bonnet sized for newborns up to 2-3 year olds. It’s worked in one piece and includes I-cord edging and ties to complete the sleek look. Get it on Ravelry.

Or try Michele Sabatier’s berry hat, which is a free pattern on Ravelry. This pattern can be all sorts of produce depending on the colors you choose, from strawberries to pumpkins. It was designed for infants but has modifications in the pattern for bigger kids.

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I’ve shared a lot of Christmas stocking knitting patterns over the years (see posts 1, 2, 3 for example) but what if you want to knit a stocking for a non-human member of your family. If you’re looking for Christmas stocking knitting patterns for your cats or dogs, this is the post for you.

These large paw print stockings are perfect for either dogs or cats, so they’re great to knit if you have both. They are worked in the round using DK weight yarn, and the stocking measures about 17 inches/43 cm from the top to the heel. You can get the pattern from nicolaluke.

The K4 Project has a super cute Kitty Christmas stocking pattern, which is worked in worsted weight yarn. They also have a dog version, or you can buy both and get a discount if you have both dogs and cats to knit for. Both projects have two patterns, showing how to work the stockings flat or in the round.

Put your dog into a Christmas scene with this stocking pattern from ifanhourChild. It shows a dog in a dog house in the snow, and has room for the dog’s name at the top. It’s worked flat using worsted weight yarn and the pattern includes charts for many small and medium dog breeds (there’s a separate listing for bigger dogs) so you can stitch a dog that looks like yours.

Annie’s Woolens has both dog and cat stocking knitting patterns that are worked in worsted weight yarn in the round. You can change up the colors to suit your pet if you want, and they come with an alphabet chart for personalization. Or you can stick with holiday colors and buy a kit to make the dog or cat stocking.

Waiting for Santa Paws is a pattern from Kate Agner on Ravelry that would be cute for a dog or a cat. It looks like a leg with a paw print on the bottom part of the foot and more paw prints running around the top of the leg. This is a great option if you don’t want to mess with a heel turn because it doesn’t have a heel, because dogs and cats don’t have heels so why would their stockings?

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