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Original poster

Knitting patterns for babies/children

59 replies

miffy2 · 05/07/2004 19:22

Can anyone recommend good books of knitting patterns, for babies and small children?

I have Debbie Bliss' 'Baby Knits' book and the patterns are mainly for baby girls, plus by her referring to her own brand of wool, it makes it quite difficult to substitute.

I have a two-year old boy, a five-year-old girl and expecting (probably) DS2. Would love to get some cosy baby knits ready for October and I love knitting (cardies, sweaters etc, rather than booties).

So if any of you can point me in the direction of some good books or websites it would be great.

OP posts:
Piffleoffagus · 05/07/2004 19:35

I bought the Debbie Bliss wool! Made some superlative stuff for dd... made some gorgeous things for my BIL's son too...
TRy some NZ stuff, when I was living there with ds they had boys knits in abundance!
www.kangaroo.co.uk is a good knitting supplies site...

codswallop · 05/07/2004 19:42

ooh yes my mil made some super cute cotton ones

will think

tamum · 05/07/2004 19:48

Oooh, knitting and mumsnet, my two favourite things. There are some lovely Jaeger booklets for babies and toddlers, and some Sirdar ones (I just swap the wool for something nicer). Peachey Ethknits is a good place to browse, and so is Cnyttan , which has free posting for patterns. My favourite books are the Rowan ones like Pipsqueaks .

Anything else just ask- I have dozens of entries in my "Favorites" folder!

tamum · 05/07/2004 19:50

Incidentally, it's very easy to substitute Debbie Bliss yarns. There are loads of websites that tell you the expected tension for different wool makes/types.

Original poster
miffy2 · 06/07/2004 12:02

Thanks for all the tips, I had a quick look at some of the sites and the choice is great! Now I just need to sit and decide...

Cheers
miffy

OP posts:
bundle · 06/07/2004 14:01

miffy I love the Rowan books too, and have just rediscovered crochet!!! (made lovely 4 ply cotton sunhats for both dds) it's easy peasy

florenceuk · 06/07/2004 14:10

I really like that star sweater on the cover of Zoe Mellor's book in the Rowan collection. Tamum, do you know if the rest of the book is worth getting? I am a very basic knitter - nothing too complicated!

boudicca · 06/07/2004 14:15

Bundle,I'd love to make one of those for my Gs,where did you get the pattern from?

bundle · 06/07/2004 15:12

it's in a book called Adorable Crochet for Babies & Toddlers. i can send you a photocopy if you'd like. I think you could even miss off the brim to make a funky skullcap..

boudicca · 06/07/2004 15:18

Thanks Bundle I'd love that,could you send it E-mail?

bundle · 06/07/2004 16:03

photocopying & posting would be a bit easier, then you'd have the picture..I don't have a scanner atm. I'll contact you via email.

boudicca · 06/07/2004 16:21

how does that work Bundle?do you need my address to be put on this thread?,or is it through some other means?Sorry if they're daft Q's I'm new to all this!

bundle · 06/07/2004 16:28

I've emailed you through contact another talker - top of this page. so then you have my email and you can let me know your address

tamum · 06/07/2004 16:35

Hi florenceuk. I don't have the Zoe Mellor book because my children are no longer toddlers, but I have had a flick through it. I really like her patterns, and I don't think they're particularly complicated. I looked at the book because I saw a girl at a hotel wearing a jumper that my dd was coveting. I kept following her round the creche peering at the ribbing until I'd worked out how to make it. I then noticed the Zoe Mellor book and realised that the jumper on the cover was essentially the one this girl was wearing, only she had it bigger and with a heart on the front. So that's going to be one of my next projects!

Anyway.... to get back to your question, if you have a look here you can at least see what the other garments are. There's a lot of intarsia, but you could always knit a plain version first if you don't feel confident.

(can you tell I like talking about knitting

bundle · 06/07/2004 16:39

tamum

I'm a bit rubbish at intarsia but did do a Little Star jumper for dd1 (?pipsqueaks??) in pink and yellow.

florenceuk · 06/07/2004 16:51

Mmm they are a bit complicated. Love the jumper though and maybe I could justify it by doing the booties as well..

Marina · 06/07/2004 17:03

Another vote for Pipsqueaks and the other Rowan books, as well as Debbie Bliss. Am midway through a sugar pink "Lucky" cardy for dd and looking forward to knitting "Dumpling" in cream Big Wool for her over the summer...
Agree that Debbie Bliss is better for girls, miffy. I also have a Jaeger book (written by Db ironically) which has several nice boy's patterns...
Piffle, I love the Kangaroo ladies! Aren't they helpful!
Tamum, I'm not a very adventurous off-piste knitter (wool substitution). I might need to pick your brains at some point in the future...

bundle · 06/07/2004 17:05

marina, I think that dumpling is modelled by a friend's ds!!! (dark hair, dark eyes)
kangaroo?? wossat?

the red shoes at the bottom of that link are gorgeous!

Marina · 06/07/2004 17:16

Kangaroo!
They rock. Just a shame they closed their shop in Lewes as I used to bribe a colleague with chocolate to stake out their sales...

bundle · 06/07/2004 17:46

omg! my pils live in lewes and I was bliss (!) fully unaware!

bundle · 06/07/2004 17:48

so - do you go for metal pins? or bamboo. I'm bamboo myself but have had odd flirtations with circular needles (fit into bag)

Marina · 06/07/2004 17:52

Bamboo 100% from now on - don't set off metal detectors in courtrooms (just returned from "amusing" experience of waiting 1.5 days to give what I honestly felt to be marginal evidence in a lovely assault case).

bundle · 06/07/2004 18:08

I love how they 'mould' to your hands

Tinker · 06/07/2004 18:15

Oh wool substitution - any sites? Love that massive wool from Rowan but it's pricey. Just don't think there is a replacement though

bundle · 06/07/2004 18:16

never seen anything like bigwool