Choosing a knitting or crocheting project for babies can be an exciting and overwhelming struggle. What baby gift should you make? There are thousands of patterns aimed at babies and new parents. Some are quick and easy, others are all intensive projects, and all are labors of love.

I recently learned that a friend from college is expecting their first child. My first thought was, of course, what baby gift to make! Baby blankets, sweaters, softies, hats; there are so many choices! How do you choose what project to cast on for new babies?

Tick Tock Time Constraints

The first obstacle to tackle is time. How long do you have until the baby will arrive? Do you want the gift to be ready for a newborn, or wait until the child is a few months old? Crafting takes time, and it is stressful when done under a time crunch. Knitting and crocheting should be enjoyable! If time is not on your side, choose a smaller project like a softie or an easy sweater.

By far the most time intensive project I have ever done was this baby blanket for an animal loving friend. It was double knit and had different animal patterns. There seemed to be miles of yarn involved, and many, many months of knitting!

I have also made several baby sweaters for various little ones in my life. You can read more about the sweaters I have done in my blog post Goldilocks and the Many Sweaters and see how I tried blocking baby sweaters in Lessons in Sweater Blocking.

Practicality, Please!

The next question to answer is how practical do you want your present to be for new parents? A gorgeous cabled sweater is a lovely item, but if the baby is born in June a warm sweater will not be very useful. Babies grow like weeds! A sweater that fits today will be too small in a few months. Softies and stuffed animals are always adorable, but most babies don’t interact with them until they are at least a few months old. This doesn’t mean that cute crochet bunnies aren’t a great gift! Emma the Bunny from Edward’s Menagerie is one of my favorite softies and would make a great gift! Just keep in mind the intended recipient and think about how the parents might receive different types of gifts.

If you are interested in reading more about Edward’s Menagerie you can read my book review. I just did another character out of the book, Angharad the Donkey, for a friend whose school mascot was a donkey.

Baby Yarn for Baby Gifts

Once you have a pattern picked out, the next step is choosing the right yarn. Babies can have sensitive skin, so choosing a yarn that is soft and intended for a young audience is a great idea. I enjoy using Bernal Baby Yarn and Baby Bee. Texture of the yarn is important, make sure to choose the right type for your project! That fluffy cloud like yarn makes cozy winter baby blankets, but is not ideal for light Lacey sweaters. When choosing a knitting or crocheting project for a baby, try to pick a yarn that is machine washable. New parents will appreciate this! Yarn that requires special care and blocking does not meet the busy schedule requirements of new parents.

You should be ready to create the perfect gift for the new baby in your life! choosing a knitting or crocheting project for a baby can be difficult, but some forethought can save a lot of headache down the road. Baby gifts are so much fun to make! Do you have a favorite project for new babies?