Choosing the Right Yarn for Baby, Part 2

Another important consideration for choosing the right yarn for a baby project is the weight of the yarn.  Again, a lot of initial considerations go into making a good choice: for example, climate where baby lives, ease of care, and the look of the finished piece.

Yarn weight is the measure of thickness of the yarn, which affects the drape, gauge, and finish of your baby project.  Generally, “baby” or “DK” (double knitting) is recommended for use when making baby clothes.  These yarn weights are lighter and more delicate, creating a soft and comfortable fabric for baby’s sensitive skin (especially when combined with the right fibers).  It’s this combination of fiber and thickness that directly affects the care instructions and overall durability of yarn (as well as the size of the crochet hook and/or knitting needles you’ll use for the project).

Worsted weight yarn is a medium weight yarn that is slightly thicker than baby or DK weight yarn.  It’s a popular choice for a lot of different types of crochet and knit projects, but sometimes can be too thick or not drape-y enough for a baby item.  But, if baby does live in a colder climate, worsted weight yarn can create a warm outer garment or blanket that’ll get a lot of use.  Be sure to follow the care instructions to ensure that the item is safe and comfortable for baby.

In my next post, we’ll explore some good combinations of yarn weight and fibers to make a baby hat, which might be the first project in creating baby’s first year wardrobe that you want to undertake because it’s a great newborn gift and shouldn’t take too long to make.  

Choosing the Right Yarn for Baby, Part 1

There are a lot of decisions to make when starting a new crochet or knit project, but I tend to start with my yarn choice and let it drive my decisions from there (we'll be talking over the next few weeks about other options for the starting point).

The yarn choice for a baby project is especially important because there are some additional considerations to keep in mind than just softness against baby's skin: How easy is it to care for? How much will it cost to complete the project? How will it stand up to the test of time?

There are basically two choices, a natural fiber or a synthetic one.  Each has its benefits and downsides, which you'll need to weigh in making a final decision.  As we start exploring the different items that we will include in baby's first wardrobe, I'll make specific recommendations geared towards each project.  But, for now, here's some general considerations to keep in mind:

    1. Wool - wool is a natural fiber that produces a high quality, soft, and durable yarn for baby items; however, it can be more pricey than some of the other types of yarn and may shrink or felt when washed.  Look for a superwash wool that can be machine washed and dried to add life to the baby item and to make mama's life easier.

    2. Cotton - also a natural fiber that's soft, lightweight, and hypoallergenic, making it a comfortable and airy choice for baby in warmer climates; however, it's not going to provide the warmth that other types of yarn will, and it can stretch and lose its shape over time. 

    3. Bamboo - a sustainable and eco-friendly natural fiber that is soft and hypoallergenic; however, it stretches and loses shape even more than cotton and is not durable over the long term.  It can be expensive as well, but blended yarns with a little bamboo in them can be a good choice.

    4. Acrylic - a synthetic fiber whose quality has improved immensely in recent years.  It is cost effective and easier to care for than natural fibers; however, it may not be as soft and breathable and may not hold its shape over time.

Of course, there are a number of blended fiber yarns these days, which try to combine strengths of various fibers while minimizing the downsides.  In a future post, I’ll dig deeper into good combinations of fibers for baby, but, in my next post, we’ll explore yarn weights and which ones are well-suited for baby projects.