By Jo Black

There are some wonderful baby yarns on the market – Rowan, Debbie Bliss, and Lion Brand are some of my favorites and there are some gorgeous organic and bamboo ones coming onto the market too. Because they are all designed to be extra soft and snuggly, they tend to be quite stretchy – be aware of this when you are working as they can stretch out of shape pretty quickly if you’re not careful!

Because of this, you may also find that you have to knit at a tighter tension than you normally would. A tip I have found really helpful is to knit into the back of the stitch on collars and cuffs – that way you will get a nice tight finish.

If you are knitting as a gift why not put the ball band in with the garment when you give it to the new Mum – that way they will know the washing instructions.

Stockinette (stocking) stitch is my preferred stitch to use when knitting baby garments as it washes brilliantly forms a nice, tight fabric with no holes or loops for tiny fingers to get caught.

I am a big fan of using bamboo needles for much of my knitting, but I find that metal needles are best for baby knits – they are smoother and so help the yarn to slip off easily, creating an even tension.

It is absolutely vital that buttons and beads on garments for babies and children are sewn on securely – they can be choking hazards if they come off. In fact, I would limit the use of using any hard embellishments are baby garments – try felt flowers or animal shapes instead.

I always knit garments a size bigger than the baby needs now – they grow so fast that you want to make sure they can get the most wear out of it. For newborns I always knit a 3-6 months size. I find that most of my friends who have babies are given so many clothes in the newborn size that it is nice to have some things for when the baby is a few weeks old. Plus, so many babies are born around the 9 pounds plus size – sometimes the newborn clothes don’t even fit to begin with!

Have a favorite sweater that your baby is growing out of? Have no fear – babies tend to grow upwards (or lengthways!) at a much faster rate than they do outwards. This is great news because it means you can always add a couple of inches as the baby grows. Simply unravel it at the waist and cuffs and pick up the stitches to add a few inches.

Babies hate having anything pulled over their heads so make sure neck openings are large enough so that this can be done quickly and easily. Many designs have buttons on the neck edges to make this easier.

Got some yarn left over? Why not knit some booties? Believe me, there is NOTHING cuter and make perfect accompaniments to any knitted gift. When knitting booties, go for ones with ribbing ties – babies have very wriggly feed and anything too loose will just keep coming off!

Jo Black has a passion for knitting and craft and believes that everyone can find their bliss through knitting. She’s a working Mum living in England with her son, partner, and a rather large stash of knitting yarn! For more knitting tips and to read a longer version of this article, go to: http://www.blissedoutknitting.com/.

Article Source: Jo Black / Top Tips When Knitting for Babies

By Nancy Punter

If you are interested in knitting and crocheting you will find an enormous wealth of patterns and projects you can try. I have been doing both since I was quite young and I still enjoy this form of craft. If you have never tried either knitting or crocheting, it can be quite helpful if a friend or family member does! This is how I learned many years ago. If not, they do have step by step books, which are available at your local craft stores or libraries.

Some craft stores also offer classes which would be a good alternative if you have no one to help you learn and find books harder to follow. Once you learn learn the basic stitches and understand the meanings of the directions, you will be well on your way. Even though I have crocheted for years, I do have a book which I keep on hand that explains various stitches and how to do them.

One of the projects that I have enjoyed making are a miniature snowman and Santa Claus, which you can attach either an ornament hanger or a loop of yard to them and hang on the Christmas tree. Folks who come over during the holidays always ask where did I get them from and are pleasantly surprised when they find out I made them. These 2 items are crocheted and they also make excellent gifts.

There are also many books available in the craft stores which have patterns for each holiday throughout the year.

Many items that I have made I have glued magnets on the back and can be placed on the refrigerator.

When we were kids, we rarely wore store bought slippers. Our Mom always knit slippers for us and we still make them to wear today. They are very warm as you use 2 strands of yarn at once to make them. Using 2 stands of yarn also gives you endless possibilities when it comes to the color of the slippers. These slippers come in 3 sizes baby, children’s and adults. They are a sturdy slipper and easy to care for.

If you are interested in baby or children’s slippers please visit our web site at www.purehealthchoices.com

Written and Produced by Nancy Punter — If you are interested in knitting or crocheting you will find and enormous wealth of patterns and projects you can try at www.purehealthchoices.com. I have been doing both since I was quite young and still enjoy this craft today. If you have someone you know who already does knit or crochet, you can ask them for assistance in learning. Otherwise, there are many books that are available. Besides crocheting and knitting, I have also tried many new things over the years including sewing, macrame, and creating dried flower picture frames.

Article Source: Nancy Punter => The Joy of Knitting and Crocheting