Posted on 30-10-2020 by Elianne van Steenis
Looking for a personal gift for a mom to be, a present for a baby shower or a fun knitting or crochet project for your own baby? In this blog, we’ve gathered all the most suitable materials for baby projects. From the most popular yarns and accessories to the cutest patterns for making baby toys, blankets and nursery items. Read on to discover all!
Suitable materials for baby projects – If you work at Yarnplaza, it’s inevitable that you’ll catch the crochet or knitting bug. All those lovely balls of yarn passing through your hands, seeing the most incredible projects on display in the Inspiration Center; it was bound to happen. And just as inspiring as the showroom are the baby showers colleagues throw for those going on maternity leave. The sweetest creations emerge from the gift bags and wrapping paper, drawing gasps of awe and delight (not to mention a touch of envy). There’s simply a lot of options when it comes to crocheting or knitting for babies. Clothing, blankets, toys, nursery decorations, accessories, the list goes on. And this is reflected in the huge range of yarns and even more notions and accessories specifically designed for baby projects. So, we thought we’d take you through what all is available to get you started on a wonderful, unique gift for someone special. The babies will love it, and so will their parents!
Materials for baby projects: Yarn options
The yarn you’re going to use for baby clothing, baby blankets, and baby toys must meet a list of criteria and requirements. Not only should the yarn be as soft as a baby’s skin, but you also want it to be gentle on sensitive skin, temperature-regulating and machine-washable. Some brands helpfully add ‘baby’ to the specific yarn’s name. This makes it much easier to identify which yarns are suitable for your little one’s sensitive skin.
Here are a few of our favorites:
- Rico Baby Dream DK: A lovely, soft yarn in a range of solid and self-striping colorways. You can find plenty of inspiration and patterns for making baby clothes with this yarn in Rico’s knitting pattern books as well as online.
- Katia Baby Jacquard: Wonderfully soft and easy to wash in the machine without losing color or shape. Super handy! All you need is 1 ball to knit a cute baby hat complete with ear flaps and pompon. Katia frequently release pattern booklets with all the latest styles and trends for the upcoming season. Find their latest releases here.
- Stylecraft Bambino DK: This super soft, glossy thread is made from 100% premium acrylic. Thanks to the generous yardage per ball, you only need 1 to 2 balls to knit a baby cardigan. The soft range of colors are perfect for creating really chic babywear or blankets.
- Yarn and Colors Favorite: This new unmercerized cotton yarn from Yarn and Colors is OEKO-TEX certified. That means that this yarn doesn’t contain any harmful chemicals, making it a great choice for sensitive baby skin.
- Budgetyarn Chunky Chenille: The sky’s the limit! We’ve seen the cute cuddly projects on Instagram that you’ve been making using this innovative yarn. The incredibly soft feel of the Chunky Chenille is perfect for comfort blankets, cuddly toys and baby blankets.
- Katia Merino Baby: A super soft yarn that doesn’t itch and is therefore ideal for making baby clothes. Added bonus: this yarn is superwash treated, so it can be machine-washed and tumble-dried.
- Go Handmade Soft: This blend of cotton, bamboo and acrylic feels light, airy and wonderfully soft. The ideal ingredients for making baby clothes!
- Lang Yarns Merino 200 Bebe: A supple yarn made from 100% merino wool. Do you want to make a deliciously warm, soft little cardigan for your little one’s first winter? Then we highly recommend this yarn!
Finishing touch for baby clothes
Are you making a cute baby cardigan or other item of clothing for your little one? Then finish it off in style with these sweet wooden buttons from Durable.
Crochet and knit baby toys
Pacifier clips, teething rings and stroller toys
The best baby and mom to be gifts to give and receive are handmade baby items. All the love and thought that goes into them makes them all the more special! Even something as simple as a pacifier clip. Use the beads, teething rings and clips from Durable to create unique pacifier clips to suit any taste.
Rattles and music boxes
Noisy toys are always a big hit with babies and toddlers. Transform any crocheted or knitted cuddly toy by popping a rattle bead or squeaker inside. A cute example is this cat rattle from our new Cat Collection. For an even more captivating item, why not crochet around a music box with a sweet melody? We love this Rainbow musical toy.
Cot mobiles and baby gyms
Other classic gifts that are still very popular are cot mobiles and baby gyms. Sure, making these takes a little more time, but us craft fans don’t mind that at all, right? In our shop you can find the wooden frames and arms for constructing your mobile or gym, as well as complete kits for making the most darling rainbow-themed versions.
Patterns and kits for baby items
Are you itching to get started on a special baby project? Then check out all our baby-friendly patterns on Yarnplaza. Find them here. Does gathering all these different materials for baby projects you want to make leave you feeling a bit overwhelmed? From yarn and beads to rattles and safety eyes, there's a lot to think about. A great way to make sure you have everything you need to complete your project is a complete kit. We have many great options in store. Go for one of our Yarnplaza Mom to Be Sets or this classic Popcorn Baby Blanket. This Funky Bird multi-sensory toy is a must-have for hours of (educational) play and comes in 2 fun colorways. To browse through all the kits we have available, follow this link!
Tip: Psst... Check out our complete Rainbow and Cat Collections (the latter is hot off the hook of our in-house designers, Annemarie Arts and Monique). The cutest toys, blankets and accessories to mix and match for you baby and their nursery!
Over to you!
Once you’ve finished making your baby project, please share it with us! We’d love to see it. Inspire us and others by sharing a photo of your handmade baby gift on Facebook or Instagram with #yarnplaza.
