Because I’ve been planning fiber arts classes for children, and I don’t have a whole lot of experience teaching kids to knit beyond the basics, I’ve been looking into some books specifically about knitting for kids lately.
A First Book of Knitting for Children by Bonnie Gosse and Jill Allerton is not a new book (the most recent edition came out in 2004), but it is a classic in the Waldorf tradition. If you don’t know about Waldorf schools, they present an educational style that incorporates intellectual, practical and artistic development and all students learn to knit.
The book is simple, presenting basic steps for knitting, large pictures and simple projects that are great for children learning to knit. The book uses rhymes to teach how to make a slip knot, cast on (using the knit cast on), knit and purl, though most of the projects are simple shapes made with Garter Stitch.
There’s a simple striped ball (the book actually teaches changing colors before purling), a lion, lamb, pig, elephant, doll and horse, all made of rectangles and square shaped mostly by casting on and binding off stitches. These simple toys are an important part of the Waldorf tradition as well.
Once students learn purling they can also make a cat, chicken, mom and baby sea otter and another doll variation.
These project might seem old fashioned because they are, but they’re also classic little things that kids will enjoy making and playing with or putting on display. They’re all quick projects worked flat that will help children build confidence and prepare them for more complex projects to come.
The book also has a lot of information on fixing mistakes, which is great for a beginner book because there are bound to be a lot of mistakes as children learn.
Have you ever made any little animals like these or do you know more about Waldorf knitting that you want to share? I’d love to hear about it!
About the Book: 96 pages, paperback, 11 patterns. Published in 2004 (second edition) by Wynstones Press. Suggested retail £9.99 (new on Amazon US for $19.95).
The 1973 book The Workshop Book of Knitting, by Ursula von Wartburg, is a book of projects for children to knit. There’s a very simple cat pattern that I’ve used many times. The book is still available on Amazon for 1 cent plus shipping. I’ve adapted the cat pattern to make Easter bunnies, too.
I’ve taught kids to knit for years. We always start with a square, that’s never square. I’ve found using 6mm short bamboo needles and chunky wool works best. Once they’ve knitted a bit, no matter the holes, increases or decreases, we cast off. (I might have to occasionally fix a row of stitches to get them back on track)
With some sewing, a little toy stuffing, googly eyes and maybe a scrap of felt and/or ribbon, we turn it into a pocket monster. Hey presto they’ve made something.
Once they’ve got the hang of it, we move onto make one of the trauma teddies, it’s a fantastic pattern that all kids seem to love. We’ve made them in dk, Aran and chunky, taking my lead from the children I’m teaching.
Usually once they’ve made the bear, they’re sorted and ready to make what takes their fancy.