Being :: A Favorite First Knitting Project for Children

Being: Conscious, mortal existence; life.

Every month we welcome two families, two people, two voices to share their stories in whatever way they chose. We hope that you find joy in their daily lives, and their simple habit of just being.

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I have taught four of my six children to knit, and the children of friends as well. Washcloths, felted coasters, cowls, scarves, purses, and hats are among the projects I have guided them through. The hands down favorite though, is the simple knitted headband. These knit up quickly and make great gifts, combining two factors that are hugely motivating for children.

These headbands don’t have to follow a specific pattern, but a basic guideline would be:

Using size 8 needles and worsted weight yarn, cast on 6 stitches. Knit every row until headband measures about 13 inches unstretched (This length is approximate. You can wrap the headband around someone’s head to check the length. Different yarns have different degrees of stretch, so you will have to take that into consideration.) Bind off and cut yarn leaving a long tail. Use the tail to sew the ends of the headband together. Weave in the ends, and your headband is finished.

My kids have knit these in wool, acrylic, and even dk weight yarn held double. Anything goes really. Happy knitting!

(And if you want to read more about teaching children how to knit, I wrote about that here.)

This month we happily welcome Ginny Sheller as a guest in our Being series here on the blog.  A mother of six, Ginny keeps her own beautiful blog, Small Things, where she shares her thoughts on everything from knitting and gardening, to homeschooling her six children and keeping bees on the side.  

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Rhythm of the Home is an online magazine for families that focuses on creating with children, nature explorations, seasonal celebrations, conscious parenting, and mindfulness in all that we do.   To learn more about us, please visit us on Facebook,Pinterest, and Twitter.

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