If someone were to crochet or knit something for your baby

[head2toepets2go]

blankets, blankets, blankets ... that would be my vote lol

 

for the same reasons as have already been posted, and when I asked what I should make for a baby in Florida (I live in Canada) I was told a blanket - because the air conditioning can be chilly for a baby. I also try to make baby blankets a little bigger so they can grow with the kid, and people LOVE the round ripple pattern. A small round ripple is great for infant carseats tho because it doesn't have the corners to drag on the ground or get caught in seat belts. I've have great responses to a pink/black round ripple for a baby girl and "matching" ones I made for twin girls (I used the same main color but 2 different variagated second colors) that were similar but not identical.

 

Probably my second favorite baby afghan is the ABC one that has all the letters of the alphabet, if you make it with WW, it makes the blankie just that bit bigger and its easy to add the baby's name across the top.

 

My two other favorites are a basket-weave (using front post/back post triples) sorry I don't know the name of the pattern - it looks fantastic and is very easy & is very warrm, and an "angel" edging ... so the baby can be surrounded by angels (mom's like that).

 

Ok that's my 4-cents! But I also like the idea of adding a hat to a blanket .. it justs looks cuter in a cartseat or stroller :o)

 

Fran

[mama24boyz]

I like to give whole sets. An outfit with a blanket. I wanted blankets for my babies when they were born. I made them outfits and blankets.

[thepunkrockinchick]

My son is almost one year now and still uses the afghans that were given to him when he was first born. I have to be honest and say that I wouldn't put a crocheted clothing item on my baby.. I know that sounds stuck up, but I haven't seen very many cute patterns. There are a few girly, frilly patterns out there that I like, but that obviously won't work for us (since I have a boy)... LOL

[Tampa Doll]

I like toys, cause the mother usually gets lots of blankets, bibs and such. I have given a basket (crocheted) with wash cloths, soap and such along with a toy. I found the little things are things a Mom will not get and cost the most. Like kitchen stuff for a wedding shower.

[boksie]

It's been a long time since my sons were babies (29 and 30 yrs old) but I think I would like a blanket. I usually make them a bit larger than the usual baby blanket that way the blanket can be used by a toddler too. The other items mentioned are nice but they can't be used as long as a blanket can.

[tryptikangel]

I don't have any kids of my own yet, and I've only just started crocheting so I've only done one gift for someone with a baby and that was a blanket. For me, I think it would be nice for someone to make clothing of some sort... maybe booties and a dress/sweater or something like that? Even if what you make is a little large now, they'll grow into it in a couple months anyway... or at least that seems to be the trend with babies in my family! lol But really, I think any gift you take the time to make will be appreciated.

[Knit Happens]

I chose blanket because that's not only what I'd want, but what I give....and it is because someone gifted my daughter a small yellow blankie and it became her favorite; so much so that at 20 years old the blanket has all but disintegrated and what is left is some fluff, and she STILL sleeps with it. I love the idea that it was small enough for her to carry and I make them about the size to cover a new born and as they grow the blanket stays on the small side, easy to love.

[JillD]

As a mom with four daughters, all under the age of 5, I will tell you what is great to give and what is not.

 

A blanket is great. My oldest got 2 crocheted baby afghans and while she never really liked them, my third has latched onto them and they are now her favorite thing in the world.

 

Hats of any size are nice, too. If you are going to make some other item of clothing, make it in a larger size as people tend to give babies smaller sizes (I could outfit triplet girls for the first year with my existing supply of clothing).

 

Be sure to use yarn than can be machined washed and dried. I put everything in the wash with the attitude that if it can't survive the washer and dryer, it doesn't deserve to be in my house.

 

Finally, no matter how cute the pattern, how soft the yarn, or how talented the handiwork, no stuffed animals or other stuffed toys. I was drowning in stuffed animals and finally packed up probably 2/3 of them. I still have, by rough count, 30 in my house.

 

Everyone buys them for babies because everyone remembers their favorite and they are relatively cheap these days. But, in such large quantities, they are not appreciated or played with and quickly turn into "toy litter".

 

Trust me on this. I talk to a lot of other moms and I have never one tell me that what they really want more of in their house is stuffed animals. I hate the idea someone spending all kinds of time and effort to make something that will not really be appreciated.

[mama_crochet]

I am one that lets the mom-to-be choose if she would rather a crochet blanket or outfit! Alot of the girls I know once a blanket..but if they know they are having a girl-they want a crochet dress! Either way they get a crocheted item from me!

[Knit Happens]

...I rambled back to this topic to add...I have a hand-me-down mint green crochet dress that fits a 1 1/2 year old. I can't remember who I even got it from! I bought a full cotton slip to put under it, and it was one of my favorite outfits to dress Loretta in until she outgrew it. I never handed it down again; I still have it packed away. I just loved it.

[jura2908]

even though i myself crochet. my all time favorite gift i received for my second daughters shower was a baby blanket. it is just big enough to be a lap blanket for her now that she is 7. i loved it as soon as i opened it and my dd practiced spelling her name with it. it has her name and birth info cross stitched onto it. i will always cherish it.

 

personally i always make blankets for showers. i make a small one for over the car seat and a 3x4 foot size one. babies grow so quickly, this way they have something for a long time. it covers the tops of a toddler bed and can be used well into elementary school age.

[RusticOkie]

I said blanket. my dd loves all her blankets and you can never have too many. Especially if its made a little bigger. I have a blanket that I got at my dd's baby shower and at the time it was huge (for a tiny baby) but its by far the best thing I got. It has been able to grow with her where some of her blankets are now too little for her to actually use in bed.

[nnt]

Another gift I like to give (and wish I had received!) is a small crocheted drawstring bag, made of size 10 thread, to wash the baby socks in so they don't get lost in the washing machine!

[sharlaelizabeth]

Tunisian stitch longies. A lot of them.

 

ETA: that is what I would like to receive. For giving... I'm really good at making hats.

[PBLKNP]

I see where a lot of people want a blanket big enough for a toddler. What is the idea size?

[Chiscrochetcrazy]

I would say an afghan is the prefect gift You never outgrow them. I usually give a little outfit of some kind & an afghan. I love hearing of someone having a baby even if it's someone at hubby's job & I don't know them personally. I go crazy making lots of baby things

[Ellie 13]

I give blankies. I use medium or bright colors. I like rainbow colors, that way it works for boy or girl. Standard baby afghans are usually 36" square. Mine are anywhere from 38" to 45" square. A toddler afghan should be rectangle. Should be wide as a twin mattress and about 1 1/2 to 2 ft. shorter. It may sound to big for a baby, but it can be used as a floor play mat. When a child goes from a crib to a "big kid" bed, it can make the transition easier.

Ellie 13

[grannyzkraftz]

I would love a set little onsie,booties,sweater,hat,blanket that kinda covers it all

[Daydreamer-girl]

If someone else was going to knit something I would choose a blanket of my own choice A blanket because this is something I think I wouldn´t knit myself.

[rascalsmom]

Although I am WAY past my having-babies-days, I voted for a blanket. A sweater or other clothing they will outgrow, but they can keep the blanket forever, and pass it on to their own kiddos.

[nelliemoellering]

My favorite new gift to give for new babies is a sweater, I use caron simply soft and make a sweater, hat and booties that match, most of the people i have given them to have the baby wear them home from the hospital because they turn out so cute.

[aekmv]

After reading the answers on this poll,

I will be making blankies for gifts

rather than sweaters. I had no idea that a blanket

would rate so much higher.

 

Namffoc, thank you for asking this question.

[Miss Crochet]

I voted for a blanket for one simple reason: the first piece of crochet I can actually remember was a crocheted blanket that someone made for my little sister. All of my brothers and sisters (and I'm sure I did too) got knitted booties and jumpers and cardigans - but they were passed on to baby cousins or friends' babies because they were 'functional' items. But my mother saved the blanket... because it was so beautiful!

 

And I posted this already but ...

one of my friends asked me to do a babyghan for a friend of hers who was going through a very difficult and emotional pregnancy. My friend always looked upon my crochet as a kind of oddity, something a bit funny. In any case, I showed her a few that I had done and she picked out the prettiest of them and gave it to her friend. Apparently this girl opened the present and started to cry because the babyghan "was so lovely". My friend was very touched that something like this could have such a significance for the mother of the child.

So, yes, I'd do a babyghan - maybe add in a few washcloths or baby bibs, small functional things you can never have too many of....

[Shellie_wnj]

I like to do a hat and booties tied with a color ribbon - blue, pink or yellow and green. I don't know why - I know most people do blankets or layettes, but I like the hat/bootie combo. I even had a friend who had her son's hospital pic taken with the hat on :-) That made me feel good.

[unicorn37757]

I usually do blankets first as I know they'll always get used