Knight - Simple Knits for Cherished Babies

simple knits for cherished babies

erika knight

simple knits for cherished babies

photography by john heseltine

It has been a great opportunity with the creation of this new edition, to revisit the values and the yarns that lay behind the designs and original intention of this book. Babies grow and new babies arrive, but the ethos is the same. Yarns and colours are subject to the vagaries of time, but are often replaced by newer, more beautiful fibres. This has proved a timely opportunity to revise and add to the repertoire of materials to make these simple knits that little bit special!

Knitting for a new baby is always a great pleasure The baby has a wonderful quality of newness, freshness and purity, and the whole joy and excitement of a new life creates a great rush of enthusiasm and creativity, as well as a desire to personalize the event This desire to cherish, protect and nurture any young creature is very strong How nice, then, if you can find some tangible way in which to express these feelings Time is precious, so if someone knits for you, or you for them, the gift is very special If a friend or relative is expecting a baby, it is a real pleasure to create something yourself, as an act of love, and then present it as a special gift for the new arrival the smallness of the garments brings out the maternal instinct in all of us Classically designed baby garments look as good in twenty years time, creating heirloom pieces for a future generation of children.

This book contains a selection of traditional baby garments, with a slightly modern twist The colour palette is soft, muted tones of chalky pastels, representing a return to more traditional colour values, and a move away from the primary colour brights of the last few years There are three weights of yarn used: chunky, for hardwearing cardigans and blankets; medium for updated classic garments, and fine for garments chosen for their softness next to the skin: a tiny vest, for example, or a little pair of silk slippers for a new-born babys delicate feet.

The design ideas in this book are informed by a few basic, but simple, rules With tops for babies, any openings must go easily over the babys head and the garments must slip on and off as easily as possible The pattern instructions are written in simple language, without confusing abbreviations The patterns generally contain few special techniques, and where these are required, a cross reference is made to an explanation at the back of the book The only other referrals in the patterns are to charts, which are also given for the relevant projects in a special section at the back of the book.

The stitches used in the projects contained in this book are simple: primarily stocking (stockinette) stitch, garter stitch and simple knit and purl rib, with a few special touches included to give these essentially plain garments a singularly beautiful finish. Casting on on a size smaller needle to produce a firmer edge, a few simple increasing and decreasing ideas to create a fully fashioned sleeve setting, a little picot trim or an integral button band, for example, can make a surprising difference to the finished look of the garment.

The yarns chosen for these patterns are all natural ones cottons, silks and fine wools. They are soft and gentle on young skins, and they have the virtue of washing and wearing extremely well. Small enough to fit into a bag, the projects lend themselves to being knitted at odd moments on planes, trains and buses, or in the lunch hour at work, or even while waiting in the wings of a hospital. It is important, particularly when knitting with delicate yarns in pale colours, to keep the work clean. While you knit, keep your needles, yarn and a copy of the pattern together in a simple bag (like the little organza one shown opposite) to protect your work. It will do duty later as a gift bag.

Knitted gifts should be presented beautifully, as befits the trouble you have taken in making them, so take the time to pack up the garments or other projects attractively. Ideas are given .

erika knight

Graded from left to right, three principal weights of yarn fine, medium and chunky in cotton, silk and wool are shown with suitably sized bamboo needles alongside. The pattern instructions in the book explain which yarn weights and needle sizes are needed for each project.

EACH BABY is special and unique, and the garments we make for them should echo these qualities and offer softness, warmth and protection. Time spent selecting delicate soft natural yarns suitable for babies will never be wasted, nor will the money spent on the best quality ones. Cashmere, silk, fine merino wool, and cotton, are a little more expensive to purchase than more traditionally available yarns designed for babies, but each have a very special quality. They provide luxurious softness to cocoon and cosset, and to keep babies warm in winter and cool in summer. Natural fibres allow the body to breathe, absorb moisture and circulate the air around a babys delicate body, and they wash and wear with a quality second to none. Cashmere is a noble fibre and the ultimate in luxury. It is ultra soft, light and beautiful to the touch. Silk has a renowned natural sheen and also an exquisite drape. It is luxurious and sensuous to the touch. Fine merino wool is strong and flexible, making it a joy to knit with as it creates a smooth, elegant fabric that keeps its shape well. It is warm in winter, cool in summer and does not crease. Botany wool is strong and light, but also warm. Cotton has a natural look and is soft and cool to the touch. It is available matt or shiny, smooth, slubby or textured. It is hardwearing and easy to wash. You need very little yarn to create garments for small babies. The tiny projects for new babies take just a ball or two of wool or silk. Depending on the size or weight of the yarn, you will need the appropriate needles. Bamboo needles are particularly suited to fine work, being wonderfully smooth. You will need relatively few sizes for the patterns in this book, the sizes needed being given at the start of each pattern.

The same yarn is knitted on three different sizes of needle to illustrate how tension will affect the finished size of your project. The tension in the centre is the correct size. On the left the tension is too tight and on the right it is too loose. To adjust the tension, a change in needle size is needed.