I love giving handmade baby gifts. Sure there are loads of adorable (and useful) gifts for purchase, but adding even one or two small handmade items is such a sweet addition. The tags that read “handmade with love by ____” can’t help but make a new mom/dad feel how special their little one is. Here’s a few of the items I recently shipped off for my soon-to-be-here nephew…
Tiny socks – my favorite handmade baby gift
Hand-knit socks, of course. Now, I admittedly love knitting socks of all sizes, but it’s so true that new babies need a lot of socks, and they always seem to get lost or fall off once the excited kicking begins! Hand-knit socks seem to stay on tiny feet better than store-bought cotton varieties, yet when made with a washable sock yarn, they are just as no-fuss to launder.
Check out my step-by-step tutorial and pattern for these here…
Fancy Socks / Booties
Disclaimer: I am not knocking crocheting, I clearly prefer knitting and knitted garments. There are lots of patterns and ideas for crocheted baby booties, but a ‘fancy’ knit sock can function just as well as a bootie, and even holds onto squishy little feet better. I direct your attention to these adorable little guys with their (faux) cable down the front and special ribbed backing. Knit in a lovely soft wool, these will be just as warm as a chunky bootie, and yet still be soft and comfy for baby.
The pattern for these will be available on my Ravelry page very soon! Yarn is a super-fine luxe merino blend (washable) hand-dyed by me in my Firewood colorway.
Snuggly Nap-time Overalls
I wish you could feel how soft and snuggly these overalls are! I knit them with West Yorkshire Spinners Bo-Peep yarn, color Teddy Bear (165). The shoulders have snaps for easy off/on and keep it soft for little necks. The legs have a long ribbed cuff to adjust to short or long little legs. Some extra room in the back provides a comfy fit for tiny snuggle buds. I just love these and could knit a whole bunch of them in many different colors. Pair them with fun short or long sleeved onesies underneath and they make for adorable picture-day outfits too.
Going Out Sweater Jacket
Even tiny babies have occasion to leave the house. This sweet sweater jacket provides necessary warmth while being super soft. I adapted the Puerperium pattern (available for free on Ravelry), adding stripes and modifying a few features (I’ll post more about this later). Knit with Drops Merino Extra-Fine DK in Medium Grey Mix (04) and Olive (41). For my new nephew, I wanted a woodsy feel and found adorable oblong wooden buttons at a local craft store. Had I not been down to the wire for time, there are some great button choices on Etsy that I’d recommend checking out!
I’ve knit the Puerperium a couple times before and it’s a fantastic pattern. For tiny little ones, the wrap style front makes it easy for dressing and keeps buttons from getting in the way of little hands, carseat/stroller fasteners and general snuggle-ability!
Thoughtful Wrapping
After knitting these sweet items up, I wrapped each individually in tissue (socks were bundled together as a 3-pack set), tied some burlap twine around each bundle and added a little notecard with information on the yarn and care instructions. They feel so soft and delicate, I want to make sure Mom/Dad know the yarn is definitely machine washable!
I had checked the baby gift registry to see what colors and styles they preferred before I selected my yarns and patterns, so I sure hope they are happy bundling up their special one in these handmade gifts stitched with love!
Let me know, what are your favorite handmade baby gift items? Share your ideas and creations!
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