Knitting

Patterns, projects and techniques

Knitting Projects fit for a Princess

by 6 Comments

I think every knitter who saw the first pictures of Princess Charlotte thought the same things: ooh, pretty blanket, and I could totally knit that hat.

Looking for more Baby knits? Check out these Baby Knitting pattern books we found on Amazon.

I was thinking about trying to figure out the pattern for the little mostly Garter Stitch bonnet the new little bundle was wearing, but Rian Anderson beat me to it with her Princess Bonnet, now available as a free Ravelry download. It’s super cute and would be great for any baby’s (or doll’s) head.

Linda Castle also has A Bonnet for Every Little Princess, and Jacqueline Wilcox has another variation called Royal Princess Charlotte Baby Bonnet. They’re all a little different, so check them all out and see which one you like.

Pat Olski’s Crown Square knitting pattern is another fun project inspired by royals. This one is a dishcloth or washcloth that features a bobble-studded crown and a sweet little pink ribbon to mark the royal birth. This one costs $2.50.

I know someone will ask, so I’m not seeing a replica of the baby blanket, yet. It’s similar in style to Babysvøbet by Marianne Knorborg, which is available for free and in English (and Danish). It’s a version of the baby blanket given to the Crown Princess Mary of Denmark, who used it when her children were born. It’s a similar Shetland style with a Stockinette square in the center surrounded by deep lace borders.

You might also want to check out the Royal Lace Baby Shawl by Russian Lily or Spotlight Australia’s The Royal Look blanket. Here’s another cute one that’s similar.

What did you think of Princess Charlotte’s knits?

Next Pattern:

Comments

  3. The baby blanket pattern does not appear available in English unless you order a kit. Am I missing a different link somewhere?

  4. Hi- I have a little baby I would love to knit a close copy of Charlotte’s blanket for. Will you be updating this post if you come across a good replica? Thanks! 🙂

  5. I looked this bonnet up on the Irulea.com website and it is different than the oatterns I have seen. May be an experienced pattern designer can copy the pattern from that website

Have you read?

Book Review: Brooklyn Tweed’s Knit & Crochet Blankets

Blankets are a great blank slate project that you can change up in a million different ways. From color to stitch pattern to size, the possibilities are almost endless.

Jared Flood, the designer behind Brooklyn Tweed, was inspired by a log cabin quilt his mother made in 1995 to re-create that design in knitting, which led to more blankets and ultimate Brooklyn Tweed’s Knit and Crochet Blankets, which includes 25 patterns from an array of designers using different skills and techniques to make cozy, pretty blankets.

The patterns are divided into three aesthetic themes: traditions, minimalism and colorplay. The patterns are rated on a scale of one to five, with one being the easiest, and there aren’t any pieces rated five. Two blankets are rated one, 14 are two, eight are three and one is four. 

In addition, three of the 25 patterns are crocheted, but they either use single crochet or granny stitch, so they are pretty easy even if you don’t do a lot of crochet. You can see all the patterns on Ravelry.

Some of my favorites include Rattan by Rastus Hsu, a chunky blanket worked in knits and purls with simple crossing stitches to make a raised woven look; Homewood by Seth Richardson, covers in dramatic, loopy cables; Ainur Berkimbayeva’s Tessellate, one of the beginner projects that doesn’t really look beginner but is totally worked in knit and purl stitches; Warp + Weft by Aist? Butkevi?ien?, which is mostly knits and purls but makes a fun woven look fabric that blew my mind a little bit; and the same designer’s Canyonland, a multicolored blanket with wavy stripes.

The patterns tell you how to resize them for different dimensions and include information on pattern repeats where it is possible to make a totally custom size.

Many different techniques are included here such as cables, lace, shadow knitting, intarsia and other colorwork techniques, as well as modular knitting and lots of sewing pieces together. The patterns are all presented with charts, but there are line by line written instructions available on the Brooklyn Tweed website if you need them.

The book ends with a deep dive into log cabin knitting, telling the story of the quilt Jared’s mom made and how he made it in knitting, as well as the multitude of variations you can make if you want your own log cabin style design.

The back of the book includes a little written information about some of the special techniques needed, but there are no photos.

This is a lovely book full of inspiration for knitting and crochet blankets for any skill level. If you like to make blankets as gifts or aspire to have a handmade blanket in every room of the house, these designs would be a great place to start.

About the book: 192 pages, paperback, 25 patterns. Published 2024 by Abrams Books, suggested retail price $24.99.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *