How-To: Create a Knitted Baby Cocoon

Craft & Design

header_howtotues.gif
cozyyarn_burst.gif
babypiperinacocoon.jpg
Hand knit cocoons are a beautiful and simple keepsake to create for a baby. Enveloping the baby in warmth and softness creates the perfect image for a portrait. Bulky yarn and extra large needles create a soft stockinette that stretches and hugs the baby. I kept the pattern as simple as can be: it’s just a stockinette rectangle, and it knits up quickly due to the gauge of yarn.


babycocoon_materials.jpg
Materials:
Bulky Wool Yarn
Knitting needles, US size 19
Crochet Hook

Before you begin. get the target measurements of the baby you are knitting for. I knit this cocoon for the lovely baby Piper, who is 3 months old, and measures about 24 inches long, so I just added rows until I reached 28 inches. The cocoon is knit fairly wide, and has a nice give, but, if the baby you are knitting for is younger or older you can adjust the width of the pattern. Work a swatch of ten stitches by ten rows. Then use that swatch to determine how many stitches you should cast on in proportion to the measurements of the baby.
babycocoon_step1b.jpg
Step 1: Cast on 25 stitches.
babycocoon_step2b.jpg
Step 2: Knit in the stockinette stitch until the you reach your desired length. I wanted the cocoon for Piper to be 30 inches long, and so I knit 60 rows.
babycocoon_step3.jpg
Step 3: Cast off. If you like, use the crochet hook to turn the tail of yarn into an I-cord. Otherwise, break the yarn and weave in the end.
babycocoon_step4.jpg
Step 4: Use the crochet hook to lace up the cocoon. Just weave the yarn in and out of the edge stitches to seam it shut. While we were taking pictures with Piper, I thought that it would be lovely to actually incorporate the lacing into the design. It would be so cute to use a wide ribbon to lace the baby up into the cocoon as a sort of modern bunting!
babycocoon_step5.jpg
babycocoon_step5b.jpg
Step 5: Use the crochet hook to weave some extra yarn into the very bottom edge of the cocoon. Gather up the end into a knotted closure, and secure it with a knot.

4 thoughts on “How-To: Create a Knitted Baby Cocoon

  1. Lelah says:

    Is there a Lion Brand yarn recommendation for this?

  2. Brookelynn says:

    Yes, any of the category 6 yarns from this link:
    http://cache.lionbrand.com/cgi-bin/yarnInfo.cgi?yarnByClass=1
    The thicker the better. I am going to try to make a second one with the Lion Brand Organic Wool too!

Comments are closed.

Discuss this article with the rest of the community on our Discord server!
Tagged

ADVERTISEMENT

Maker Faire Bay Area 2023 - Mare Island, CA

Escape to an island of imagination + innovation as Maker Faire Bay Area returns for its 15th iteration!

Buy Tickets today! SAVE 15% and lock-in your preferred date(s).

FEEDBACK