Knitting for a baby is a wonderful way to make a personalized gift, but the usual baby blanket takes a lot of time and patience. Instead, I like to knit hat and mitten sets for new arrivals. This way I can make something special for the baby, and save my sanity at the same time. Usually I knit with either pink or blue yarn, but if the baby is due in the fall, I came up with a quick pattern to dress the little one for the harvest.
This pattern is easy enough that it can be knit over a weekend. I used Bernat Softee Baby yarn in pumpkin and then Red Heart Café Latte for the pom pom on top of the hat. You will also need a pom pom maker, a tapestry needle to sew up the seams and some green ribbon for the mitten ties. I learned to knit using a mitten pattern and I still enjoy knitting them. It only uses a small amount of yarn, so you’ll have plenty left over to make more sets.
Pumpkin Patch Infant Hat & Mitten Set
Size 6 straight knitting needles
-1 tapestry needle
-Pom Pom maker
-30” piece of 1/8 inch green ribbon, cut in half
-Bernat Softee Baby in pumpkin
-Red Heart Super Saver in Café Latte
Infant Pumpkin Hat
-Using size 6 needles, cast on 56 stitches of Bernat Softee yarn in color Pumpkin
-Work in ribbing of k1, p1 for first 4 rows
-Then start pumpkin pattern as follows:
Row 1: *K7, P1, repeat from *, ending with K8.
Row 2: P row.
-Repeat rows 1 & 2 until piece measures 4 inches, then reduce as follows:
-*K2 together 3x, P2 together, repeat from *, ending with K2 together 4x.P row
-K2 together across row
-P row
-K2 together across row. Cut yarn leaving enough of a tail to sew the seam. Gather remaining 7 stitches and thread w/tapestry needle. Sew seam.
-Using a pom pom maker or a piece of cardboard, make a pom pom using the Red Heart yarn in color Café Latte. Attach to the top of the hat.
Thumbless Pumpkin Mittens
-Using size 4 knitting needles, cast on 30 stitches of Bernat Softee Baby yarn in color pumpkin.
-Work in ribbing, K1, P1 for 10 rows.
-Create eyelet as follows: K1, *yo, K2 together, repeat from *, ending with K1
-Continue ribbing, K1, P1, for 4 more rows.
-Then create pumpkin pattern as follows:
1. *K5, P1, repeat from *, ending with K6
2. P row
-Continue repeating rows 1 & 2 for 20 rows, then reduce mitten as follows:
-*K2 together 2x, P2 together, repeat from * ending w/k2 together 3x.
– P row
-K2 together across row, ending with K1
-P row
-K2 together across row.
-Cut yarn leaving a long enough length to sew the seam. Gather the remaining stitches on a tapestry needle and sew seam.
-Cut 30” ribbon in half so you have 2 15” pieces. Thread green ribbon in the eyelet holes and tie in a bow on the front of the mitten.
