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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A few years ago I wrote a post that was full of patterns for knit mushrooms, but I don’t think I ever did a post that was knitting patterns with mushrooms on them, so today’s the day.

I love the Fungi Beanie from Jacki Bean, which calls for worsted weight yarn and uses duplicate stitch to add the mushrooms and other details. I think the colors she used for the design are tonal/multicolor so it doesn’t use as many colors as it looks like, but you can use whatever red, green, brown and white yarn you have in your stash for those details.

How about some mushroom socks? The Magic Toadstool sock form Stone Knits includes a ring of mushrooms around the leg, contrasting heel and toe and a little more colorwork at the toe for extra cuteness. As shown it uses four colors and comes in three sizes.

Or there’s the Fairy Ring Socks from Katie Green, which have mushrooms of two sizes on the legs, plus a bit of wavy grass. They have a contrasting cuff, heel and toe and some colorwork flecks in the body of the sock as well. This one is available in eight sizes to fit everyone from a baby to an XL adult.

This trippy cowl from Hunt Hand Knits looks like a lot of fun to knit. The Fungus Among Us Cowl is shown using four colors of DK weight yarn, though you can do it with as few as two if you’d rather.

Stitch some mushroom mittens with this cute pattern from Holly C Watson. This design uses three colors, and it’s shown with a self-striping yarn on the mushroom caps, which makes the colors change without you having to do any work. The pattern is charted but it’s a pretty easy repeat. The mittens are one size.

If you don’t feel like knitting mushrooms but still want to give your project a touch of the forest, the Toadstools Cardigan from Julie Taylor may be what you’re looking for. It’s stitched as a plain cardigan worked in DK weight yarn and sized for newborns up to 4 years old. The mushrooms are added with embroidery and the pattern includes the design, which you can trace onto water soluble stabilizer to stitch the mushrooms onto your sweater. Or anything else you want. You can find this pattern on Ravelry.

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