Whit's Knits: Toddler Socks

Like most four year olds, my son can display stunning defiance, like last week when I asked him to take my first Toddler Sock for a test drive. After some coaxing, begging and finally bribery, I succeeded in getting the sock on his foot. Determining that it indeed fit, I reached down to remove the sock and was met with even more resistence, "Uh-uh, I'm never taking it off!" At last I had to admit defeat, because let's face it, hand knit socks are a total delight!

These simple socks are so cute and cozy, even a toddler can appreciate them. Plus, little socks for little people are really fun to make. All the fascination of sock knitting is in fast forward with one interesting step right after another, kind of like a great short story!

I knit up these Toddler Socks in Koigu Premium Merino, one of our all-time favorite merinos. Soft, machine washable, stretchy, and gorgeously hand-dyed, KPM is the ultimate yarn for adorable socks and happy little feet. And all four skeins I used to make all four pairs of socks are available in one Purl Soho yarn kit. Pick up either our pink and aqua or orange and aqua colorway right here!

To take a peak of my son, Bear, wearing his favorite color pink socks, check out Purl Soho's March 2013 Instagram feed right here. And to get started making your own Toddler Socks, read on! -Whitney

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Molly's Sketchbook: Bobby Pin Butterflies

Around this time of the year I start to crave color like I crave chocolate, potato chips, or coffee! It’s supposed to be spring, but outside, it is relentlessly cold, cloudy and gray. So as an offering to the vernal gods, I created these Bobby Pin Butterflies, wearable bursts of color meant to usher in sunnier times!

No creature better manifests pure beauty and color than a butterfly. In fact, a group of butterflies is called a “kaleidoscope”! To bring this particular kaleidoscope to life I used our new Mariposa Felt Bundle. It is everything that spring should be, pretty, cheerful and luminous!

Designed as an adorable hair accessory, these sweeties are also terrific for Easter decorating. Perched around the edge of an Easter basket, on the tips of a forsythia branch, or amidst a beautiful centerpiece, these fluttering little butterflies are a very happy symbol of the season!

And they couldn’t be easier to make. Each butterfly comes together with just one stitch, while black bobby pins effortlessly transform into surprisingly perfect butterfly bodies and antennae!

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Fluffy Brioche Baby Blanket

Even though babies are so huggable, squeezable and delicious, we do have to put them down every now and then. That's when a Fluffy Brioche Baby Blanket comes in handy!

Wonderfully squishy and decadently soft, it is just right for a little playtime on the floor. And when it's all over, scoop up the whole cozy bundle... baby, blanket and all...  and get back to oohing and aahing!

Fluffy Brioche is one of our very favorite stitches. With its deep waffle texture and lofty thickness, it is just right for handsome hand knits. Plus, its four rows of patterning make for knitting that's interesting enough for a dull plane ride, but not so interesting that you miss the inflight rom com!

To show off the pretty complexity of Fluffy Brioche, we chose Cascade's stitch-defining Superwash 128. So soft and cuddly, Superwash 128 is a quick chunky weight, and as the name says, its totally machine washable. Plus, this yarn packs a ton of quality into an affordable price. Yay!

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Laura's Loop: The Sweatshirt Sweater

I grew up wearing a school uniform, which, for me, turns out to be a hard habit to kick. Some people seem to totally reject their childhoods of forced attire, opting for recklessly eclectic wardrobes. But I can't fight it; I'm a uniform kid, through and through.

I am sure you'll be relieved to read I am no longer sporting ill-fitting plaid jumpers, but there is rarely a day that goes by that I'm not in my own personal uniform. Lately, it's been dark-wash Levi's paired with some form of a baseball T or an athletic-gray sweatshirt. Naturally, I need handknit interpretations of these basics! I accomplished the first this past autumn when I stitched up the Everyday Linen Raglan. And now, I'm happy to add a thicker, cozier, woolier version to my collection... the Sweatshirt Sweater!

The Sweatshirt Sweater is my new go-to garb, spacious enough for underlayers and soft enough to go without. It's knit in Swans Island 100% organic merino, a beautiful light worsted yarn that evokes a natural refinement. I'll be in this uniform for these last snowy days of March, all the way through the crisp nights of spring!

Spoiler alert: as the seasons change, so does my uniform, so keep your eye out for some more knit basics in the months to come!

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Whit's Knits: Baby Jumper

When there's a baby in the picture, knitters have a hard time sitting idle. Our fingers twitch until we've outfitted that little bundle in our finest efforts. So when Molly's baby Guadalupe joined the Purl Bee family, that was my cue to get knitting!

I designed this Baby Jumper to appease little Lupe's budding sense of style but also her mother's legendary concern for practicality! Loose and soft and comfy, this simple dress is easy to slip over a squirmy baby's head and really works for the longhaul, first as a jumper, then as a tunic, and even later as a shirt. Plus, it's machine washable. Even Molly has to approve!

And since every hand knit baby gift has heirloom potential, I knit this one up in Anzula's very special Sebastian yarn. Sebastian combines superwash merino with sea cell, a newfangled seaweed-cellulose fiber that offers durability, drape and a very pretty soft shine!

PS Want to catch a glimpse of sweet Lupe in her Baby Jumper? Click here to see her on Instagram!

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